CXXIII. TO FANNY KEATS. 1 Wentworth Place 1 [October 16, 1819]. My dear Fanny-My Conscience is always reproaching me for neglecting you for so long a time. I have been returned from Winchester this fortnight, and as yet I have not seen you. I have no excuse to offer-I should have no excuse. I shall expect to see you the next time I call on Mr. A. about George's affairs which perplex me a great deal I should have to-day gone to see if you were in town-but as I am in an industrious humour (which is so necessary to my livelihood for the future) I am loath to break through it though it be merely for one day, for when I am inclined I can do a great deal in a day—I am more fond of pleasure than study (many men have prefer'd the latter) but I have become resolved to know something which you will credit when I tell you I have left off animal food that my brains may never henceforth be in a greater mist than is theirs by nature-I took lodgings in Westminster for the purpose of being in the reach of Books, but am now returned to Hampstead being induced to it by the habit I have acquired in this room I am now in and also from the pleasure of being free from paying any petty attentions to a diminutive house-keeping. Mr. Brown has been my great friend for some time—with 1 In the interval between the last letter and this, Keats had tried the experiment of living alone in Westminster lodgings, and failed. After a visit to his beloved at Hampstead, he could keep none of his wise resolutions, but wrote to her, "I can think of nothing else. . . I cannot exist without you. you have absorb'd me. . . I shall be able to do nothing-I should like to cast the die for Love or Death-I have no patience with anything else" and at the end of a week he had gone back to live next door to her with Brown at Wentworth Place. Here he quickly fell into that state of feverish despondency and recklessness to which his friends, especially Brown, have borne witness, and the signs of which are perceptible in his letters of the time, and still more in his verse, viz. the remodelled Hyperion and the Cap and Bells: see Keats (Men of Letters Series), pp. 180-190. out him I should have been in, perhaps, personal distress —as I know you love me though I do not deserve it, I am sure you will take pleasure in being a friend to Mr. Brown even before you know him.-My lodgings for two or three days were close in the neighbourhood of Mrs. Dilke who never sees me but she enquires after you—I have had letters from George lately which do not contain, as I think I told you in my last, the best news—I have hopes for the best-I trust in a good termination to his affairs which you please God will soon hear of — It is better you should not be teased with the particulars. The whole amount of the ill news is that his mercantile speculations have not had success in consequence of the general depression of trade in the whole province of Kentucky and indeed all America.—I have a couple of shells for you you will call pretty. Your affectionate Brother JOHN CXXIV.-TO JOSEPH SEVERN. Wentworth Place, Wednesday [October 27? 1819]. Dear Severn-Either your joke about staying at home is a very old one or I really call'd. I don't remember doing so. I am glad to hear you have finish'd the Picture and am more anxious to see it than I have time to spare: for I have been so very lax, unemployed, unmeridian'd, and objectless these two months that I even grudge indulging (and that is no great indulgence considering the Lecture is not over till 9 and the lecture room seven miles from Wentworth Place) myself by going to Hazlitt's Lecture. If you have hours to the amount of a brace of dozens to throw away you may sleep nine of them here in your little Crib and chat the rest. When your Picture is up and in a good light I shall make a point of meeting you at the Academy if you will let me know when. If you should be at the Lecture to-morrow evening I shall see you-and congratulate you heartily-Haslam I know "is very Beadle to an amorous sigh." Your sincere friend JOHN KEATS. CXXV.-TO JOHN TAYLOR. Wentworth Place, Hampstead, My dear Taylor-I have come to a determination not to publish anything I have now ready written: but, for all that, to publish a poem before long, and that I hope to make a fine one. As the marvellous is the most enticing, and the surest guarantee of harmonious numbers, I have been endeavouring to persuade myself to untether Fancy, and to let her manage for herself.1 I and myself cannot agree about this at all. Wonders are no wonders to me. I am more at home amongst men and women. I would rather read Chaucer than Ariosto. The little dramatic skill I may as yet have, however badly it might show in a drama, would, I think, be sufficient for a poem. I wish to diffuse the colouring of St. Agnes's Eve throughout a poem in which character and sentiment would be the figures to such drapery. Two or three such poems, if God should spare me, written in the course of the next six years, would be a famous Gradus ad Parnassum altissimum-I mean they would nerve me up to the writing of a few fine plays-my greatest ambition, when I do feel ambitious. I am sorry to say that is very seldom. The subject we have once or twice talked of appears a promising one-The Earl of Leicester's history. I am this morning reading Holinshed's "Elizabeth." You had some books a while ago, you promised to send me, illustrative of my subject. If you can lay hold of them, or any others which may be serviceable to me, I know you will encourage my low-spirited muse by send 1 Referring to the fairy poem of The Cap and Bells, the writing of which, says Brown, was Keats's morning occupation during these weeks. ing them, or rather by letting me know where our errandcart man shall call with my little box. I will endeavour to set myself selfishly at work on this poem that is to be. Your sincere friend JOHN KEATS. CXXVI. TO FANNY KEATS. Wednesday Morn-[November 17, 1819]. My dear Fanny-I received your letter yesterday Evening and will obey it to-morrow. I would come today—but I have been to Town so frequently on George's Business it makes me wish to employ to-day at Hampstead. So I say Thursday without fail. I have no news at all entertaining—and if I had I should not have time to tell them as I wish to send this by the morning Post. Your affectionate Brother JOHN. CXXVII.—TO JOSEPH SEVERN. Wentworth Place, Monday Morn[December 6? 1819]. My dear Severn-I am very sorry that on Tuesday I have an appointment in the City of an undeferable nature; and Brown on the same day has some business at Guildhall. I have not been able to figure your manner of executing the Cave of despair,1 therefore it will be at any rate a novelty and surprise to me I trust on the right side. I shall call upon you some morning shortly, early enough to catch you before you can get out—when we will proceed to the Academy. I think you must be suited with a good painting light in your Bay window. I wish you to return the Compliment by going with me to see a Poem I have hung up for the Prize in the Lecture Room of the Surry Institution. I have many Rivals, 1 Spenser's Cave of Despair was the subject of the picture (already referred to in Letter CXXIV.) with which Severn won the Royal Academy premium, awarded December 10 of this year. the most threatening are An Ode to Lord Castlereagh, and a new series of Hymns for the New, new Jerusalem Chapel. (You had best put me into your Cave of despair.) Ever yours sincerely JOHN KEATS. CXXVIII. TO JAMES RICE. Wentworth Place [December 1819]. My dear Rice-As I want the coat on my back mended, I would be obliged if you would send me the one Brown left at your house by the Bearer-During your late contest I had regular reports of you, how that your time was completely taken up and your health improving-I shall call in the course of a few days, and see whether your promotion has made any difference in your Behaviour to us. I suppose Reynolds has given you an account of Brown and Elliston. As he has not rejected our Tragedy, I shall not venture to call him directly a fool; but as he wishes to put it off till next season, I cannot help thinking him little better than a knave.—That it will not be acted this season is yet uncertain. Perhaps we may give it another furbish and try it at Covent Garden. "Twould do one's heart good to see Macready in Ludolph. If you do not see me soon it will be from the humour of writing, which I have had for three days continuing. must say to the Muses what the maid says to the Man"Take me while the fit is on me." Ever yours sincerely JOHN KEATS. I CXXIX.-TO FANNY KEATS. Wentworth Place, Monday Morn[December 20, 1819.] My dear Fanny-When I saw you last, you ask'd me whether you should see me again before Christmas. You would have seen me if I had been quite well. I have not, |