you

begun my walks on the heath again. Mrs. Dilke is getting better than she has been as she has at length taken a Physician's advice. She ever and anon asks after you and always bids me remember her in my Letters to you. She is going to leave Hampstead for the sake of educating their son Charles at the Westminster School. We (Mr. Brown and I) shall leave in the beginning of May; I do not know what I shall do or where be all the next summer. Mrs. Reynolds has had a sick house; but they are all well now. You see what news I can send I do we all live one day like the other as well as you do the only difference is being sick and well-with the variations of single and double knocks, and the story of a dreadful fire in the Newspapers. I mentioned Mr. Brown's name yet I do not think I ever said a word about him to you. He is a friend of mine of two years' standing, with whom I walked through Scotland: who has been very kind to me in many things when I most wanted his assistance and with whom I keep house till the first of May—you will know him some day. The name of the young Man who came with me is William Haslam. Ever your affectionate Brother JOHN.

98. TO THE SAME

[Postmark, Hampstead, March 24, 1819.] MY DEAR FANNY-It is impossible for me to call on you to-day-for I have particular Business at the other end of the Town this morning, and must be back to Hampstead with all speed to keep a long agreed on appointment. To-morrow I shall see you. Your affectionate Brother JOHN

99. TO JOSEPH SEVERN

Wentworth Place, Monday Aft. [March 29? 1819].

MY DEAR SEVERN-Your note gave me some pain, not on my own account, but on

yours. Of course I should never suffer any petty vanity of mine to hinder you in any wise; and therefore I should say 'put the miniature in the exhibition' if only myself was to be hurt. But, will it not hurt you? What good can it do to any future picture. Even a large picture is lost in that canting place - what a drop of water in the ocean is a Miniature. Those who might chance to see it for the most part if they had ever heard of either of us and know what we were and of what years would laugh at the puff of the one and the vanity of the other. I am however in these matters a very bad judge — and would advise you to act in a way that appears to yourself the best for your interest. As your 'Hermia and Helena' is finished send that without the prologue of a Miniature. I shall see you soon, if you do not pay me a visit sooner there's a Bull for you. Yours ever sincerely

JOHN KEATS.

100. TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON

:

Tuesday [April 13, 1819].

MY DEAR HAYDON- When I offered you assistance I thought I had it in my hand; I thought I had nothing to do but to do. The difficulties I met with arose from the alertness and suspicion of Abbey and especially from the affairs being still in a Lawyer's hand-who has been draining our Property for the last six years of every charge he could make. I cannot do two things at once, and thus this affair has stopped my pursuits in every way from the first prospect I had of difficulty. I assure you I have harrassed myself ten times more than if I alone had been concerned in so much gain or loss. I have also ever told you the exact particulars as well as and as literally as any hopes or fear could translate them: for it was only by parcels that I found all those petty obstacles which for my own sake should not exist a moment - and yet why not

for from my own imprudence and neglect all my accounts are entirely in my Guardian's Power. This has taught me a Lesson. Hereafter I will be more correct. I find myself possessed of much less than I thought for and now if I had all on the table all I could do would be to take from it a moderate two years' subsistence and lend you the rest; but I cannot say how soon I could become possessed of it. This would be no sacrifice nor any matter worth thinking of - much less than parting as 1 have more than once done with little sums which might have gradually formed a library to my taste. These sums amount

together to nearly £200, which I have but a chance of ever being repaid or paid at a very distant period. I am humble enough to put this in writing from the sense I have of your struggling situation and the great desire that you should do me the justice to credit me the unostentatious and willing state of my nerves on all such occasions. It has not been my fault. I am doubly hurt at the slightly reproachful tone of your note and at the occasion of it, - for it must be some other disappointment; you seem'd so sure of some important help when I last saw you · now you have maimed me again; I was whole, I had began reading again — when your note came I was engaged in a Book. I dread as much as a Plague the idle fever of two months more without any fruit. I will walk over the first fine day then see what aspect your affairs have taken, and if they should continue gloomy walk into the City to Abbey and get his consent for I am persuaded that to me alone he will not concede a jot.

101. TO FANNY KEATS

Wentworth Place [April 13, 1819]. MY DEAR FANNY—I have been expecting a Letter from you about what the Parson said to your answers. I have thought also of writing to you often, and I am sorry

to confess that my neglect of it has been but a small instance of my idleness of late

which has been growing upon me, so that it will require a great shake to get rid of it. I have written nothing and almost read nothing-but I must turn over a new leaf. One most discouraging thing hinders me- - we have no news yet from George so that I cannot with any confidence continue the Letter I have been preparing for him. Many are in the same state with us and many have heard from the Settlement. They must be well however: and we must consider this silence as good news. I ordered some bulbous roots for you at the Gardener's, and they sent me some, but they were all in bud — and could not be sent so I put them in our Garden. There are some beautiful heaths now in bloom in Pots either heaths or some seasonable plants I will send you instead - perhaps some that are not yet in bloom that you may see them come out. To-morrow night I am going to a rout, a thing I am not at all in love with. Mr. Dilke and his Family have left Hampstead -I shall dine with them to-day in Westminster where I think I told you they were going to reside for the sake of sending their son Charles to the Westminster School. I think I mentioned the Death of Mr. Haslam's Father. Yesterday week the two Mr. Wylies dined with me. I hope you have good store of double violets- I think they are the Princesses of flowers, and in a shower of rain, almost as fine as barley sugar drops are to a schoolboy's tongue. I suppose this fine weather the lambs' tails give a frisk or two extraordinary when a boy would cry huzzah and a Girl O my! a little Lamb frisks its tail. I have not been lately through Leicester Square- the first time I do I will remember your Seals. I have thought it best to live in Town this Summer, chiefly for the sake of books, which cannot be had with any comfort in the Country-besides my Scotch journey gave me a dose of the Picturesque with which I

MY DEAR FANNY-If it were but six o'clock in the morning I would set off to see you to-day if I should do so now I could not stop long enough for a how d'ye do-it is so long a walk through Hornsey and Tottenham and as for Stage Coaching it besides that it is very expensive it is like going into the Boxes by way of the pit. I cannot go out on Sunday but if on Monday it should promise as fair as to-day I will put on a pair of loose easy palatable boots and me rendre chez vous. I continue increasing my letter [Letter 94] to George to send it by one of Birkbeck's sons who is going out soon so if you will let me have a few more lines, they will be in time. I am glad you got on so well with Mons'. le Curé. Is he a nice clergyman? a great deal depends upon a cock'd hat and powder-not gunpowder, lord love us, but lady-meal, violet-smooth, dainty-scented, lilly-white, feather-soft, wigsby dressing, coat-collar - spoiling, whisker-reaching, pig-tail-loving, swansdown-puffing, parson-sweetening powder. I shall call in passing at the Tottenham nursery and see if I can find some seasonable plants for you. That is the nearest place or by our la'kin or lady kin, that is by the virgin Mary's kindred, is there not a twig-manufacturer in Walthamstow ? Mr. and Mrs. Dilke are coming to dine with us to-day. They will enjoy the country after Westminster O there is nothing

like fine weather, and health, and Books, and a fine country, and a contented Mind, and diligent habit of reading and thinking, and an amulet against the ennui — and, please heaven, a little claret wine cool out of a cellar a mile deep with a few or a good many ratafia cakes a rocky basin to bathe in, a strawberry bed to say your prayers to Flora in, a pad nag to go you ten miles or so; two or three sensible people to chat with; two or three spiteful folks to spar with; two or three odd fishes to laugh at and two or three numskulls to argue with-instead of using dumb bells on a rainy day

[Keats goes on with the same play, dropping into the rhymes 'Two or three Posies' given above, p. 251.]

Good-bye I've an appointment — can't stop pon word good-bye- now don't get up-open the door myself-good-bye-see ye Monday. J. K.

103. TO THE SAME

[Hampstead, May 13, 1819.]

MY DEAR FANNY - I have a letter from George at last. and it contains, considering all things, good news I have been with it to-day to Mrs. Wylie's, with whom I have left it. I shall have it again as soon as possible and then I will walk over and read it to you. They are quite well and settled tolerably in comfort after a great deal of fatigue and harass. They had the good chance to meet at Louisville with a Schoolfellow of ours. You may expect me within three days. I an am writing to-night several notes concerning this to many of my friends. Good night; God bless you. JOHN KEATS.

104. TO WILLIAM HASLAM

[Postmark, Hampstead, May 13, 1819.] MY DEAR HASLAM - We have news at last—and tolerably good - they have not

105. TO FANNY KEATS

[Hampstead, May 26, 1819.] MY DEAR FANNY - I have been looking for a fine day to pass at Walthamstow : there has not been one Morning (except Sunday and then I was obliged to stay at home) that I could depend upon. I have I am sorry to say had an accident with the Letter-I sent it to Haslam and he returned it torn into a thousand pieces. So I shall be obliged to tell you all I can remember from Memory. You would have heard from me before this but that I was in continual expectation of a fine Morning-I want also to speak to you concerning myself. Mind I do not purpose to quit England, as George has done; but I am afraid I shall be forced to take a voyage or two. However we will not think of that for some Months. Should it be a fine morning tomorrow you will see me.

Your affectionate Brother JOHN

106. TO MISS JEFFREY

C. Brown, Esqre's Wentworth Place, Hampstead [Postmark May 31, 1819]. MY DEAR LADY—I was making a day or two ago a general conflagration of all old Letters and Memorandums, which had become of no interest to me I made, however, like the Barber-inquisitor in Don Quixote some reservations among the rest your and your Sister's Letters. I assure you you had not entirely vanished from my Mind, or even become shadows in my remembrance: it only needed such a

memento as your Letters to bring you back to me. Why have I not written before? Why did I not answer your Honiton Letter? I had no good news for you -every concern of ours, (ours I wish I could say) and still I must say ours — - though George is in America and I have no Brother left. Though in the midst of my troubles I had no relation except my young sister - I have had excellent friends. Mr. B. at whose house I now am, invited me, - I

have been with him ever since. I could not make up my mind to let you know these things. Nor should I now but see what a little interest will do I want you to do me a Favor; which I will first ask and then tell you the reasons. Enquire in the Villages round Teignmouth if there is any Lodging commodious for its cheapness; and let me know where it is and what price. I have the choice as it were of two Poisons (yet I ought not to call this a Poison) the one is voyaging to and from India for a few years; the other is leading a fevrous life alone with Poetry- This latter will suit me best; for I cannot resolve to give up my Studies.

It strikes me it would not be quite so proper for you to make such inquiries - SO give my love to your mother and ask her to do it. Yes, I would rather conquer my indolence and strain my nerves at some grand Poem than to be in a dunder-headed indiaman. Pray let no one in Teignmouth know anything of this. Fanny must by this time have altered her name - perhaps you have also are you all alive? Give

my Compts to Mrs. your Sister. I have had good news, (tho' 't is a queerish world in which such things are call'd good) from George — he and his wife are well. I will tell you more soon. Especially don't let the Newfoundland fishermen know itand especially no one else. I have been always till now almost as careless of the world as a fly-my troubles were all of the Imagination - My Brother George always stood between me and any dealings

'Nothing can bring back the hour

Of splendour in the grass and glory in the flower.'

I once thought this a Melancholist's dream

But why do I speak to you in this manner? No believe me I do not write for a mere selfish purpose - the manner in which I have written of myself will convince you. I do not do so to Strangers. I have not quite made up my mind. Write me on the receipt of this - and again at your Leisure; between whiles you shall hear from me again

did not answer your first immediately was that I have had a little aversion to the South of Devon from the continual remembrance of my Brother Tom. On that account I do not return to my old Lodgings in Hampstead though the people of the house have become friends of mine - This, however, I could think nothing of, it can do no more than keep one's thoughts employed for a day or two. I like your description of Bradley very much and I dare say shall be there in the course of the summer; it would be immediately but that a friend with ill health and to whom I am greatly attached call'd on me yesterday and proposed my spending a month with him at the back of the Isle of Wight. This is just the thing at present the morrow will take care of itself I do not like the

name of Bishop's Teigntown- I hope the road from Teignmouth to Bradley does not lie that way - Your advice about the Indiaman is a very wise advice, because it just suits me, though you are a little in the wrong concerning its destroying the energies of Mind; on the contrary it would be the finest thing in the world to strengthen them To be thrown among people who care not for you, with whom you have no sympathies forces the Mind upon its own resources, and leaves it free to make its speculations of the differences of human character and to class them with the calmness of a Botanist. An Indiaman is a little world. One of the great reasons that the English have produced the finest writers in the world is, that the English world has ill treated them during their lives and foster'd them after their deaths. They have in general been trampled aside into the bye paths of life and seen the festerings of Society. They have not been treated like the Raphaels of Italy. And where is the Englishman and Poet who has given a magnificent Entertainment at the christening of one of his Hero's Horses as Boyardo did? He had a Castle in the Apennine. He was a noble Poet of Romance; not a miserable and mighty Poet of the human Heart. The middle age of Shakspeare was all c[1]ouded over; his days were not more happy than Hamlet's who is perhaps more like Shakspeare himself in his common everyday Life than any other of his Characters Ben Johnson (sic) was a common Soldier and in the Low countries, in the face of two armies, fought a single combat with a french Trooper and slew him For all this I will not go on board an Indiaman, nor for example's sake run my head into dark alleys: I dare say my discipline is to come, and plenty of it too. I have been very idle lately, very averse to writing; both from the overpowering idea of our dead poets and from abatement of my love of fame. I hope I am a little more of a Philosopher than I