LETTERS. I. To CHARLES COWDEN CLARKE. My daintie Davie, [31 October 1816] I will be as punctual as the Bee to the Clover. Very glad am I at the thoughts of seeing so soon this glorious Haydon and all his creation. I pray thee let me know when you go to Ollier's and where he resides -this I forgot to ask you-and tell me also when you will help me waste a sullen day-God 'ield you— J K II. To BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON. My dear Sir 20 November 1816 Last evening wrought me up, and I cannot for bear sending you the following. Great spirits now on earth are sojourning; He of the cloud, the cataract, the lake, B Catches his freshness from Archangel's wing:' The social smile, the chain for Freedom's sake:" And lo!-whose stedfastness would never take A meaner sound than Raphael's whispering. And other spirits there are standing apart Upon the forehead of the age to come; These, these will give the world another heart, And other pulses. Hear ye not the hum Of mighty workings in some distant Mart? Listen awhile ye nations, and be dumb. Yours unfeignedly Your letter has filled me with a proud pleasure, and shall be kept by me as a stimulus to exertion-I begin to fix my eye upon one horizon. My feelings entirely fall in with yours in regard to the Ellipsis, and I glory in it. The Idea of your sending it to Wordsworth put me out of breath-you know with what Reverence I would send my Well-wishes to him. Yours sincerely John Keats 1 Wordsworth. 2 Leigh Hunt. IV. To CHARLES COWDEN CLARKE, My dear Charles, Tuesday [Postmark, Lombard Street, 17 December 1816.] You may now look at Minerva's Ægis with impunity, seeing that my awful Visage did not turn you into a John Doree. You have accordingly a legitimate title to a Copy-I will use my interest to procure it for you. I'll tell you what-I met Reynolds at Haydon's a few mornings since he promised to be with me this Evening and Yesterday I had the same promise from Severn and I must put you in Mind that on last All hallowmas' day you gave me your word that you would spend this Evening with me—so no putting off. I have done little to Endymion lately-I hope to finish it in one more attack-I believe you I went to Richards's-it was so whoreson a Night that I stopped there all the next day. His Remembrances to you. (Ext. from the common place Book of my Mind-Mem.-Wednesday-Hampstead-call in Warner Street-a Sketch of Mr. Hunt.) -I will ever consider you my sincere and affectionate friend-you will not doubt that I am your's. God bless you- 1 A short poem originally so called, but ultimately published in 1817 without a title. It begins with the words "I stood tip-toe upon a little hill." V. To JOHN HAMILTON REYNOLDS. Sunday Evening My dear Reynolds Your kindness' affects me so sensibly that I can merely put down a few mono-sentences-your criticism only makes me extremely anxious that I should not deceive you. It's the finest thing by God-as Hazlitt would say. However I hope I may not deceive you. There are some acquaintances of mine who will scratch their Beards and although I have, I hope, some Charity, I wish their nails may be long.-I will be ready at the time you mention in all Happiness. There is a report that a young Lady of 16 has written the new Tragedy God bless her-I will know her by Hook or by Crook in less than a week-My Brothers' and my Remembrances to your kind sisters. My Brothers are anxious that I should go by myself into the country-they have always been extremely Reynolds praised him in a sonnet |