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In 1886, the Shelley Society produced Shelley’s gloomy tragedy “The Cenci,” at the Grand Theatre, Islington, when they also issued printed copies of the tragedy containing the revolting “Relation of the Death of the Family of the Cenci,” which Shelley had suppressed. For this offence against decency, and good taste, the Shelley Society was severely reproved by the press, and Truth, May 13, 1886, contained a satirical poem, entitled
The Salacious Shelley Society
O, shame upon you Shelleyites! Aye, shame on everyone
Who helped to do the sorry deed which was last Friday done!
And fired by heedless self-conceit, and covetous of fame,
Has made known acts of fiendish lust too terrible to name.
Yes, think of it! You bid them come, those English maids, that day,
To hear the nameless horrors of a grossly brutal play!
And, not content with doing this, a wicked act made worse,