However, the one element that the entire group was relying on to escape inner and outer tensions failed them miserably. Rather than glorious sunshine, there was constant rain. Mary later described those months together as a “wet ungenial summer.”
With scientific interest, John discovered that this unexpected weather was caused by some natural catastrophe on the other side of the world. Interesting as that was, at the Villa Diodati, it changed the mood from the expectation of carefree outdoor fun and creative stimulus to repetitive, dull and restless confinement.
After each sodden day became a week and then a waterlogged month, Byron and Shelley gradually became resigned that the Villa Diodati could not be used as a comfortable base from which to swim or sail, or to enjoyably explore the
