Kirkman this morning promised to write a few lines to you and send them to Haslam. I do not think I have anything to say in the Business way. You will let me know what you would wish done with your property in England - what things you would wish sent out But I am quite in the dark about what you are doing If I do not hear soon I shall put on my wings and be after you. I will in my next, and after I have seen your next letter, tell you my own particular idea of America. Your next letter will be the key by which I shall open your hearts and see what spaces want filling with any particular information Whether the affairs of Europe are more or less interesting to you whether you would like to hear of the Theatres

of

the bear Garden- - of the Boxers the Painters, the Lectures - -the Dress - The progress of Dandyism The Progress of Courtship—or the fate of Mary Millar being a full, true, and très particular account of Miss M.'s ten Suitors - How the first tried the effect of swearing; the second of stammering; the third of whispering;the fourth of sonnets the fifth of Spanish leather boots, the sixth of flattering her body the seventh of flattering her mind the eighth of flattering himself — the

ninth stuck to the Mother the tenth kissed the Chambermaid and told her to tell her Mistress - But he was soon discharged, his reading led him into an error; he could not sport the Sir Lucius to any advantage. And now for this time I bid you good-bye-I have been thinking of these sheets so long that I appear in closing them to take my leave of you - but that is not it — I shall immediately as I send this off begin my journal — when some days I shall write no more than 10 lines and others 10 times as much. Mrs. Dilke is knocking at the wall for Tea is ready — I will tell you what sort of a tea it is and then bid you Good-bye.

-

MY DEAR WOODHOUSE- I am greatly obliged to you. I must needs feel flattered by making an impression on a set of ladies. I should be content to do so by meretricious romance verse, if they alone, and not men, were to judge. I should like though very much to know those ladies look here, Woodhouse I have a new leaf to turn over: I must work; I must read; I must write. I am unable to afford time for new acquaintances. I am scarcely able to do my duty to those I have. Leave the matter to chance. But do not forget to give my remembrances to your cousin.

Yours most sincerely JOHN KEATS.

83. TO MRS. REYNOLDS

Wentworth Place, Tuesd. [December 22, 1818]. MY DEAR MRS. REYNOLDS When I left you yesterday, 't was with the conviction that you thought I had received no previous invitation for Christmas day: the truth is I had, and had accepted it under the conviction that I should be in Hampshire at the time: else believe me I should not have done so, but kept in Mind my old friends. I will not speak of the proportion of pleasure I may receive at different Houses that never enters my head you may take for a truth that I would have given up even what I did see to be a greater pleasure, for the sake of old acquaintanceship time is nothing

years are as long as twenty.

Yours faithfully

two

JOHN KEATS.

84. TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON

Wentworth Place, Tuesday [December 22, 1818].

MY DEAR HAYDON - Upon my Soul I never felt your going out of the room at all-and believe me I never rhodomontade anywhere but in your Company — my general Life in Society is silence. I feel in myself all the vices of a Poet, irritability, love of effect and admiration - and influenced by such devils I may at times say more ridiculous things than I am aware of- but I will put a stop to that in a manner I have long resolved upon -I will buy a gold ring and put it on my finger and from that time a Man of superior head shall never have occasion to pity me, or one of inferior Nunskull to chuckle at me. I am certainly more for greatness in a shade than in the open day I am speaking as a mortal-I should say I value more the privilege of seeing great things in loneliness than the fame of a Prophet. Yet here I am sinning - so I will turn to a thing I have thought on more — I mean your means till your picture be finished:

not only now but for this year and half have I thought of it. Believe me Haydon I have that sort of fire in my heart that would sacrifice everything I have to your service - I speak without any reserve I know would do so for me you -I open my heart to you in a few words. I will do this sooner than you shall be distressed: but let me be the last stay-Ask the rich lovers of Art first I'll tell you why — I have a little money which may enable me to study, and to travel for three or four years. I never expect to get anything by my Books: and moreover I wish to avoid publishing — I admire Human Nature but I do not like Men. I should like to compose things honourable to Man - but not fingerable over by Men. So I am anxious to exist without troubling the printer's devil or drawing upon Men's or Women's admiration - in which great solitude I hope God will give me strength to rejoice. Try the long purses but do not sell your drawings or I shall consider it a breach of friendship. I am sorry I was not at home when Salmon [Haydon's servant] called. Do write and let me know all your present whys and wherefores.

Yours most faithfully JOHN KEATS..

Wentworth Place, Wednesday [December 30, 1818]. MY DEAR FANNY-I am confined at Hampstead with a sore throat; but I do not expect it will keep me above two or three days. I intended to have been in Town yesterday but feel obliged to be careful a little while. I am in general so careless of these trifles, that they tease me for Months, when a few days' care is all that is necessary. I shall not neglect any chance of an endeavour to let you return to School. -nor to procure you a Visit to Mrs. Dilke's which I have great fears about. Write me if you can find time and also get a few lines ready for George as the Post sails next Wednesday.

Your affectionate Brother JOHN

[between January 7 and 14, 1819]. MY DEAR HAYDON We are very unlucky I should have stopped to dine with you, but I knew I should not have been able to leave you in time for my plaguy sore throat; which is getting well.

- or

I shall have a little trouble in procuring the Money and a great ordeal to go through no trouble indeed to any one else ordeal either. I mean I shall have to go to town some thrice, and stand in the Bank an hour or two- to me worse than anything in Dante — I should have less chance with the people around me than Orpheus had with the Stones. I have been writing a little now and then lately: but nothing to speak of being discontented and as it were moulting. Yet I do not think I shall ever come to the rope or the Pistol, for after a day or two's melancholy, although I smoke more and more my own insufficiency I see by little and little more of what is to be done, and how it is to be done, should I ever be able to do it. On my soul, there should be some reward for that continual agonie ennuyeuse. I was thinking of going into Hampshire for a few days. I have been delaying it longer than I intended. You shall see me soon; and do not be at all anxious, for this time I really will do, what I never did before in my life, business in good time, and properly. it With respect to the Bond may be a satisfaction to you to let me have it: but as you love me do not let there be any mention of interest, although we are mortal men and bind ourselves for fear of death.

90. TO THE SAME

Wentworth Place, [January 1819]. MY DEAR HAYDON - My throat has not suffered me yet to expose myself to the night air however I have been to town in the day time-have had several interviews with my guardian have written him rather a plain-spoken Letter - which has had its effect; and he now seems inclined to put no stumbling-block in my way: so that I see a good prospect of performing my promise. What I should have lent you | ere this if I could have got it, was belonging to poor Tom and the difficulty is whether I am to inherit it before my Sister is of age; a period of six years. Should it be so I must incontinently take to Corduroy Trousers. But I am nearly confident 't is all a Bam. I shall see you soon- - but do let me have a line to-day or to-morrow concerning your health and spirits. Your sincere friend

JOHN KEATS.

91. TO FANNY KEATS

--

Wentworth Place, [January 1819]. MY DEAR FANNY I send this to Walthamstow for fear you should not be at Pancras Lane when I call to-morrow-before going into Hampshire for a few days -I will not be more I assure you You may think how disappointed I am in not being able to see you more and spend more time with you than I do - but how can it be helped? The thought is a continual vexation to me - and often hinders me from reading and composing Write to me as often as you can — and believe me,

deliver it to her, without reading one word further. 'read thou Squire. There is a wager depending on this.

MY CHARMING DEAR MRS. DILKE,-It was delightful to receive a letter from you, - but such a letter! what presumption in me to attempt to answer it! Where shall I find, in my poor brain, such jibes, such jeers, such flashes of merriment ? Alas! you will say, as you read me, Alas! poor Brown! quite chop fallen! But that's not true; my chops have been beautifully plumped out since I came here: my dinners have been good & nourishing & my inside never washed by a red herring broth. Then my mind has been so happy! I have been smiled on by the fair ones, the Lacy's, the Prices, & the Mullings's, but not by the Richards's; Old Dicky has not called here during my visit, — I have not seen him; the whole of the family are shuffling to carriage folks for acquaintances, cutting their old friends, and dealing out pride & folly, while we allow they have got the odd trick, but dispute their honours. I was determined to be beforehand with them, & behaved cavalierly & neglectingly to the family, & passed the girls in Havant with a slight bow. - Keats is much better, owing to a strict forbearance from a third glass of wine. He & I walked from Chicester yesterday, we were here at 3, but the Dinner was finished; a brace of Muir fowl had been dressed; I ate a piece of the breast cold, & it was not tainted; I dared not venture further. Mr. Snook was nearly turned sick by being merely asked to take a mouthful. The other brace was so high, that the cook declined preparing them for the spit, & they were thrown away. I see your husband declared them to be in excellent order; I supposed he enjoyed them in a disgusting manner, — sucking the rotten flesh off the bones, & crunching the putrid bones. Did you eat any? I hope not, for an ooman should be delicate words in the second paragraph designed by Brown to make his joke perfectly clear.

in her food.-O you Jezabel ! to sit quietly in your room, while the thieves were ransacking my house! No doubt poor Ann's throat was cut; has the Coroner sat on her yet? - Mrs. Snook says she knows how to hold a pen very well, & wants no lessons from me; only think of the vanity of the ooman! She tells me to make honourable mention of your letter which she received at Breakfast time, but how can I do so? I have not read it; & I'll lay my life it is not a tenth part so good as mine, -pshaw on your letter to her! On Tuesday night I think you'll see me. In the mean time I'll not say a word about spasms in the way of my profession, tho' as your friend I must profess myself very sorry. Keats & I are going to call on Mr. Butler & Mr. Burton this morning, and tomorrow we shall go to Sanstead to see Mr. Way's Chapel consecrated by the two Big-wigs of Gloucester & St. Davids. If that vile Carver & Gilder does not do me justice, I'll annoy him all his life with legal expenses at every quarter, if my rent is not sent to the day, & that will not be revenge enough for the trouble & confusion he has put me to.- Mrs. Dilke is remarkably well for Mrs. Dilke in winter.

tantrum sentences or rather ten senses. Brown super or supper sir named the Sleek has been getting thinner a little by pining opposite Miss Muggins — (Brown says Mullins but I beg to differ from him) we sit it out till ten o'clock Miss M. has persuaded Brown to shave his whiskers - he came down to Breakfast like the sign of the full Moon · his Profile is quite alter'd. He looks more like an ooman than I ever could think it possible — and on putting on Mrs. D.'s calash the deception was complete especially as his voice is

be

[certain rod, & have a fresh one bolstered up. Ah! he may dress me as he likes but he shan't tickle me pillow the feathers, — 1 would not give a tester for such puns, let us ope brown (erratum a large B a Bumble B.) will go no further in the Bedroom & not call Mat Snook a relation to MattI had This is grown to a conclusion excellent puns in my head but one bad one from Brown has quite upset me but I am quite set-up for more, but I'm content to be conqueror.

rass

Your's in love.

CHAS. BROWN. N. B. I beg leaf (sic) to withdraw all my puns they are all wash, an base uns.

93. TO FANNY KEATS

Wentworth Place, Feb. [11, 1819]. Thursday. MY DEAR FANNY-Your Letter to me at Bedhampton hurt me very much,What objection can there be to your receiving a Letter from me? At Bedhampton I was unwell and did not go out of the Garden Gate but twice or thrice during the fortnight I was there-Since I came back I have been taking care of myself.