Imatges de pàgina
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have said above. Health and spirits can only belong unalloyed to the selfish man the man who thinks much of his fellows can never be in spirits. You must forgive, although I have only written three hundred lines; they would have been five, but I have been obliged to go to town. Yesterday I called at Lamb's. St. Jane looked very flush when I first looked in, but was much better before I left.

19. TO THE SAME

[Fragment from an outside sheet: postmark London, November 5, 1817.]

-

.. I will speak of something else, or my spleen will get higher and higherand I am a bearer of the two-edged sword. I hope you will receive an answer from Haydon soon if not, Pride! Pride! Pride! I have received no more subscription - but shall soon have a full health, Liberty and leisure to give a good part of my time to him. I will certainly be in time for him. We have promised him one year: let that have elapsed, then do as we think proper. If I did not know how impossible it is, I should say 'do not at this time of disappointments, disturb yourself about others.'

There has been a flaming attack upon Hunt in the Endinburgh Magazine. I never read anything so virulent accusing him of the greatest Crimes, depreciating his Wife, his Poetry, his Habits, his Company, his Conversation. These Philippics are to come out in numbers · called ‘the Cockney School of Poetry.' There has been but one number published — that on Hunt — to which they have prefixed a motto from one Cornelius Webb Poetaster - who unfortunately was of our party occasionally at Hampstead and took it into his head to write the following, something about 'we 'll talk on Wordsworth, Byron, a theme we never tire on;' and so forth till he tomes to Hunt and Keats. In the Motto

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they have put Hunt and Keats in large letters I have no doubt that the second number was intended for me: but have hopes of its non-appearance, from the following Advertisement in last Sunday's Examiner: .To Z.. The writer of the Article signed Z., in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine for October 1817 is invited to send his address to the printer of the Examiner, in order that Justice may be Executed on the proper person.' I don't mind the thing much—but if he should go to such lengths with me as he has done with Hunt, I must infallibly call him to an Account if he be a human being, and appears in Squares and Theatres, where we might possibly meet I don't relish his abuse.

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20. TO CHARLES WENTWORTH DILKE

[Hampstead, November 1817.]

MY DEAR DILKE- Mrs. Dilke or Mr. Wm. Dilke, whoever of you shall receive this present, have the kindness to send pr. bearer Sibylline Leaves, and your petitioner shall ever pray as in duty bound.

Given under my hand this Wednesday morning of Novr. 1817. JOHN KEATS. Vivant Rex et Regina — amen.

21. TO BENJAMIN BAILEY

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[Burford Bridge, November 22, 1817.] MY DEAR BAILEY- I will get over the first part of this (unpaid) Letter as soon as possible, for it relates to the affairs of poor Cripps. To a Man of your nature such a Letter as Haydon's must have been extremely cutting - What occasions the greater part of the World's Quarrels ? simply this-two Minds meet, and do not understand each other time enough to prevent any shock or surprise at the conduct of either party - As soon as I had known Haydon three days, I had got enough of his Character not to have been surprised at

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such a Letter as he has hurt you with. Nor, when I knew it, was it a principle with me to drop his acquaintance; although with you it would have been an imperious feeling. I wish you knew all that I think about Genius and the Heart and yet I think that you are thoroughly acquainted with my innermost breast in that respect, or you could not have known me even thus long, and still hold me worthy to be your dear Friend. In passing, however, I must say one thing that has pressed upon me lately, and increased my Humility and capability of submission - and that is this truth — Men of Genius are great as certain ethereal Chemicals operating on the Mass of neutral intellect - but they have not any individuality, any determined Character I would call the top and head of those who have a proper self Men of Power.

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But I am running my head into a subject which I am certain I could not do justice to under five Years' study, and 3 vols. octavo and, moreover, I long to be talking about the Imagination so my dear Bailey, do not think of this unpleasant affair, if possible do not -I defy any harm to come of it - I defy. I shall write to Cripps this week, and request him to tell me all his goings-on from time to time by Letter wherever I may be. It will go on well so don't because you have suddenly discovered a Coldness in Haydon suffer yourself to be teased - Do not my dear fellow -O! I wish I was as certain of the end of all your troubles as that of your momentary start about the authenticity of the Imagination. I am certain of nothing but of the holiness of the Heart's affections, and the truth of Imagination. What the Imagination seizes as Beauty must be truth whether it existed before or not, for I have the same idea of all our passions as of Love: they are all, in their sublime, creative of essential Beauty. In a Word, you may know my favourite speculation by my first Book, and the little Song 18 I sent in my last, which is a representation from the

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fancy of the probable mode of operating in these Matters. The Imagination may be compared to Adam's dream he awoke and found it truth: -I am more zealous in this affair, because I have never yet been able to perceive how anything can be known for truth by consecutive reasoning — and yet it must be. Can it be that even the greatest Philosopher ever arrived at his Goal without putting aside numerous objections? However it may be, O for a life of Sensations rather than of Thoughts! It is 'a Vision in the form of Youth,' a shadow of reality to come — - And this consideration has further convinced me, — for it has come as auxiliary to another favourite speculation of mine, that we shall enjoy ourselves hereafter by having what we called happiness on Earth repeated in a finer tone And yet such a fate can only befall those who delight in Sensation, rather than hunger as you do after Truth. Adam's dream will do here, and seems to be a Conviction that Imagination and its empyreal reflection, is the same as human life and its spiritual repetition. But, as I was saying, the Simple imaginative Mind may have its rewards in the repetition of its own silent Working coming continually on the Spirit with a fine Suddenness to compare great things with small, have you never by being surprised with an old Melody, in a delicious place by a delicious voice, felt over again your very speculations and surmises at the time it first operated on your soul? — do you not remember forming to yourself the Singer's face -more beautiful than it was possible, and yet with the elevation of the Moment you did not think so? Even then you were mounted on the Wings of Imagination, so high that the prototype must be hereafter that delicious face you will What a time! I am continually running away from the subject. Sure this cannot be exactly the Case with a complex mind one that is imaginative, and at the same time careful of its fruits, - who would exist partly on Sensation, partly on thought

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- to whom it is necessary that years should bring the philosophic Mind? Such a one I consider yours, and therefore it is necessary to your eternal happiness that you not only drink this old Wine of Heaven, which I shall call the redigestion of our most ethereal Musings upon Earth, but also increase in knowledge and know all things. I am glad to hear that you are in a fair way for Easter. You will soon get through your unpleasant reading, and then! - but the world is full of troubles, and I have not much reason to think myself pestered with many.

I think Jane or Marianne has a better opinion of me than I deserve: for, really and truly, I do not think my Brother's illness connected with mine you know more of the real Cause than they do; nor have I any chance of being rack'd as you have been. You perhaps at one time thought there was such a thing as worldly happiness to be arrived at, at certain periods of time marked out, -you have of necessity from your disposition been thus led away I scarcely remember counting upon any Happiness - I look not for it if it be not in the present hour, — nothing startles me beyond the moment. The Setting Sun will always set me to rights, or if a Sparrow come before my Window, I take part in its existence and pick about the gravel. The first thing that strikes me on hearing a Misfortune having befallen another is this

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'Well, it cannot be helped: he will have the pleasure of trying the resources of his Spirit' and I beg now, my dear Bailey, that hereafter should you observe anything cold in me not to put it to the account of heartlessness, but abstraction- - for I you I sometimes feel not the influence of a passion or affection during a whole Week - and so long this sometimes continues, I begin to suspect myself, and the genuineness of my feelings at other times -thinking them a few barren Tragedy Tears. My brother Tom is much improved — he is going to Devonshire - whither I shall

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follow him. At present, I am just arrived at Dorking- to change the Scene change the Air, and give me a spur to wind up my Poem, of which there are wanting 500 lines. I should have been here a day sooner, but the Reynoldses persuaded me to stop in Town to meet your friend Christie.19 There were Rice and Martin we talked about Ghosts. I will have some Talk with Taylor and let you know, — when please God I come down at Christmas. I will find that Examiner if possible. My best regards to Gleig, my Brothers' to you and Mrs. Bentley.

Your affectionate Friend JOHN KEATS. I want to say much more to you - a few hints will set me going. Direct Burford Bridge near Dorking.

22. TO JOHN HAMILTON REYNOLDS

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[Burford Bridge,] November 22, 1817. MY DEAR REYNOLDS -There are two things which tease me here - one of them Cripps, and the other that I cannot go with Tom into Devonshire. However, I hope to do my duty to myself in a week or so; and then I'll try what I can do for my neighbour now, is not this virtuous? On returning to Town I'll damm all Idleness - indeed, in superabundance of employment, I must not be content to run here and there on little two-penny errands, but turn Rakehell, i. e. go a masking, or Bailey will think me just as great a Promise Keeper as he thinks you; for myself I do not, and do not remember above one complaint against you for matter o' that. Bailey writes so abominable a hand, to give his Letter a fair reading requires a little time: so I had not seen, when I saw you last, his invitation to Oxford at Christmas. I'll go with you. You know how poorly Rice was. I do not think it was all corporeal, — bodily pain was not used to keep him silent. I'll tell you what; he was hurt at what your Sisters said about his joking with your Mother, he was, soothly to sain. It will all

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blow over. God knows, my dear Reynolds, I should not talk any sorrow to you -- you must have enough vexations so I won't any more. If I ever start a rueful subject in a letter to you - blow me! Why don't you?

now I am going to ask you a very silly Question neither you nor anybody else could answer, under a folio, or at least a Pamphlet you shall judge-why don't you, as I do, look unconcerned at what may be called more particularly Heart-vexations? They never surprise me - lord! a man should have the fine point of his soul taken off to become fit for this world. I like this place very much. There is Hill and Dale and a little River. I went up Box hill this Evening after the Moon 'you a' seen the Moon' came down, and wrote some lines. Whenever I am separated from you, and not engaged in a continued Poem, every letter shall bring you a lyric- but I am too anxious for you to enjoy the whole to send you a particle. One of the three books I have with me is Shakspeare's Poems: I never found so many beauties in the sonnets they seem em to be full of fine things said unintentionally - in the intensity of working out conceits. Is this to be borne ? Hark ye!

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He overwhelms a genuine Lover of poesy with all manner of abuse, talking about a poet's rage

And stretched metre of an antique song.' Which, by the bye, will be a capital motto For my poem, won't it? He speaks too of Time's antique pen’— and ‘April's first- and Death's eternal cold.' born flowers'. -By the Whim-King! I'll give you a stanza, because it is not material in connection, and when I wrote it I wanted you to give your vote, pro or con.

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[Here follow lines 581-590, Book IV. of Endymion.]

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..I see there is an advertisement in the Chronicle to Pochats-he is so over-loaded with poems on the late Princess.' I suppose me a few spend you do not lack me thy hand to laugh at a little little pullet-sperm, a few finch-eggs our card-playing remember me to each tef will all be turned Club. When you die you ee into Dice, and be put in pawn with the devil: for cards, they crumble thing.

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I rest Your affectionate fi riend

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Give my love to both houseson

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MY DEAR BROTHERS your pardon for not having w this. I saw Kean return to in Richard III., and finely he di at the request of Reynolds, I wer cise his Duke in Richd.

the cri

an the public on.d it, and, Evet to criti

of tique is in

to-day's Champion, which I send em you with the Examiner, in which you will you find very proper lamentation on the obsofall letion of Christmas Gambols and pastime Surs: but it was mixed up with so much egotis

com of that

drivelling nature that pleasure inds entirely

lost. Hone the publisher's trial, who you must find very amusing, and as Englispn thmen very

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encouraging: his Not Guilty is a thing, which not to have been, would have dulled still more Liberty's Emblazoning - Lord Ellenborough has been paid in his own coin

Wooler and Hone have done us an essential service. I have had two very pleasant evenings with Dilke yesterday and to-day, and am at this moment just come from him, and feel in the humour to go on with this, begun in the morning, and from which he came to fetch me. I spent Friday evening with Wells 20 and went next morning to see Death on the Pale horse. It is a wonderful picture, when West's age is considered; but there is nothing to be intense upon, no women one feels mad to kiss, no face swelling into reality. The excellence of every art is its intensity, capable of making all disagreeables evaporate from their being in close relationship with Beauty and Truth Examine King Lear, and you will find this exemplified throughout; but in this picture we have unpleasantness without any momentous depth of speculation excited, in which to bury its repulsiveThe picture is larger than Christ

ness

rejected.

I dined with Haydon the Sunday after you left, and had a very pleasant day. I dined too (for I have been out too much lately) with Horace Smith and met his two Brothers with Hill and Kingston and one Du Bois, they only served to convince me how superior humour is to wit, in respect to enjoyment These men say things which make one start, without making one feel, they are all alike; their manners are alike; they all know fashionables; they have all a mannerism in their very eating and drinking, in their mere handling a Decanter. They talked of Kean and his low company- would I were with that company instead of yours said I to myself! I know such like acquaintance will never do for me and yet I am going to Reynolds, on Wednesday. Brown and Dilke walked with me and back from the Christmas pantomime. I had not a dispute, but a dis

quisition, with Dilke upon various subjects; several things dove-tailed in my mind, and at once it struck me what quality went to form a Man of Achievement, especially in Literature, and which Shakspeare possessed so enormously—I mean Negative Capabil ity, that is, when a man is capable of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason. Coleridge, for instance, would let go by a fine isolated verisimilitude caught from the Penetralium of mystery, from being incapable of remaining content with half-knowledge. This pursued through volumes would perhaps take us no further than this, that with a great poet the sense of Beauty overcomes every other consideration, or rather obliterates all consideration.

Shelley's poem 21 is out and there are words about its being objected to, as much as Queen Mab was. Poor Shelley I think he has his Quota of good qualities, in sooth la! Write soon to your most sincere friend and affectionate Brother

24. TO THE SAME

Featherstone Buildings,

JOHN.

Monday [January 5, 1818]. MY DEAR BROTHERS — I ought to have written before, and you should have had a long letter last week, but I undertook the Champion for Reynolds, who is at Exeter. I wrote two articles, one on the Drury Lane Pantomime, the other on the Covent Garden new Tragedy, 22 which they have not put in; the one they have inserted is so badly punctuated that you perceive I am determined never to write more, without some care in that particular. Wells tells me that you are licking your chops, Tom, in expectation of my book coming out. I am sorry to say I have not begun my corrections yet to-morrow I set out. I called on Sawrey this morning. He did not seem to be at all put out at anything I said and the inquiries I made with regard to your

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