hɪz lˈaɪf wʌzðə sˈʌbdʒɛkt ʌvðə bˈʊk lˈaɪlək dˈeɪz, baɪ ɡˈævæn nˈædən ænd mæksˈiːn ɹˈɪdɪŋtən hˈɑːɹpɚ kˈɑːlᵻnz, wˌɛɹ ɪt wʌz klˈeɪmd hiː hæd ɐ θˈɜːɾijˈɪɹ ɐfˈɛɹ wɪð ɐn ɐmˈɛɹɪkən, ˈiːdɪθ tɹˈævɪs.
His life was the subject of the book Lilac Days, by Gavan Naden and Maxine Riddington (HarperCollins ()), where it was claimed he had a 30-year affair with an American, Edith Travis.