A little later he and one of his sisters published a
book of poems together.
From Eton Shelley went to Oxford. Here he remained for a few
months reading hard. "He was to be found, book in hand, at all
hours; reading in season and out of season; at table, in bed, and
especially during a walk." But he read more what pleased himself
than what pleased the college authorities. He wrote too, and
among the things he wrote was a little leaflet of a few pages
which seemed to the fellows of his college a dangerous attack
upon religion. They summoned Shelley to appear before them, and
as he refused to answer their questions he was expelled. Shelley
had given himself the name of Atheist. It is a very ugly name,
meaning one who denies the existence of God. Looking back now we
can see that it was too harsh and ugly a name for Shelley. The
paper for which he was expelled, even if it was wicked, was the
work of a rash, impetuous boy, not the reasoned wickedness of a
grown man. But the deed was done, and Shelley was thrown out
into the world, for his father, sorely vexed and troubled, not
knowing how to control his wild colt of a son, refused to allow
him to return home.
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