gone to the Settlement - they are both in good Health-I read the letter to Mrs. Wylie today and requested her after her Sons had read it-they would enclose it to you immediately which was faithfully promised. Send it me like Lightning that I may take it to Walthamstow. Yours ever and amen, JOHN KEATS. 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 - every 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 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 it and 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 Wentworth Place, [Postmark, June 9, 1819]. MY DEAR YOUNG LADY I am exceedingly obliged by your two letters - Why I 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 was, consequently a little less of a versifying Pet-lamb. I have put no more in Print or you should have had it. You will judge of my 1819 temper when I tell you that the thing I have most enjoyed this year has been writing an ode to Indolence. Why did you not make your long-haired sister put her great brown hard fist to paper and cross your Letter? Tell her when you write again that I expect chequer work My friend Mr. Brown is sitting opposite me employed in writing a Life of David. He reads me passages as he writes them stuffing my infidel mouth as though I were - Infidel Rooks do not proa young rook vender with Elisha's Ravens. If he goes on as he has begun your new Church had better not proceed, for parsons will be superseeded (sic) — and of course the Clerks must follow. Give my love to your Mother with the assurance that I can never forget her anxiety for my Brother Tom. Believe also that I shall ever remember our leavetaking with you. Ever sincerely yours, JOHN KEATS. 108. TO FANNY KEATS Wentworth Place [June 9, 1819]. MY DEAR FANNY I shall be with you next Monday at the farthest. I could not keep my promise of seeing you again in a week because I am in so unsettled a state of mind about what I am to do I have given up the Idea of the Indiaman; I cannot resolve to give up my favorite studies: so I purpose to retire into the Country and set my Mind at work once more. A Friend of Mine [James Rice] who has an ill state of health called on me yesterday and proposed to spend a little time with him at the back of the Isle of Wight where he said we might live very cheaply. I agreed to his proposal. I have taken a great dislike to Town- I never go there some one is always calling on me and as we have spare beds they often stop a couple of days. I have written lately to some acquaintances in Devonshire concerning a cheap Lodging and they have been very kind in letting me know all I wanted. They have described a pleasant place which I think I shall eventually retire to. How came you on with my young Master Yorkshire Man? Did not Mrs. A. sport her Carriage and one? They really surprised me with super civility -how did Mrs. A. manage it? How is the old tadpole gardener and little Master next door? it is to be hop'd they will both die some of these days. Not having been to Town I have not heard whether Mr. A. purposes to retire from business. Do let me know if you have heard anything more about it. If he should not I shall be very disappointed. If any one deserves to be put to his shifts it is that Hodgkinson — as for the other he would live a long time upon his fat and be none the worse for a good long lent. How came miledi to give one Lisbon wine had she drained the Gooseberry? Truly I cannot delay making another visit — asked to take Lunch, whether I will have ale, wine, take sugar, -objection to green - like cream - thin bread and butter-another cup-agreeable -enough sugar- little more cream - -too weak 12 shillin etc. etc. etc. Lord I must come again. We are just going to Dinner I must must [sic] with this to the Post - - Your affectionate Brother JOHN 109. TO JAMES ELMES 51 Wentworth Place [June 16, 1819]. MY DEAR FANNY - Still I cannot afford to spend money by Coachhire and still my throat is not well enough to warrant my walking. I went yesterday to ask Mr. Abbey for some money; but I could not on account of a Letter he showed me from my Aunt's solicitor. You do not understand the business. I trust it will not in the end be detrimental to you. I am going to try the Press once more, and to that end shall retire to live cheaply in the country and compose myself and verses as well as I can. I have very good friends ready to help me and I am the more bound to be careful of the money they lend me. It will all be well in the course of a year I hope. I am confident of it, so do not let it trouble you at all. Mr. Abbey showed me a Letter he had received from George containing the news of the birth of a Niece for us - and all doing well he said he would take it to you -so I suppose to-day you will see it. I was preparing to enquire for a situation with an apothecary, but Mr. Brown persuades me to try the press once more; so I will with all my industry and ability. Mr. Rice a friend of mine in ill health has proposed retiring to the back of the Isle of Wight which I hope will be cheap in the summer I am sure it will in the winter. Thence you shall frequently hear from me in the Letters I will copy those lines I may write which will be most pleasing to you in the confidence you will show them to no one. I have not run quite aground yet I hope, having written this morning to several people to whom I have lent money requesting repayment. I shall henceforth shake off my indolent fits, and among other reformation be more diligent in writing to you, and mind you always answer me. I shall be obliged to go out of town on Saturday and shall have no money till to-morrow, so I am very sorry to think I shall not be able to come to Walthamstow. The Head Mr. Severn did of me is now too dear, but here inclosed is a very capital Profile done by Mr. Brown. I will write again on Monday or Tuesday — Mr. and Mrs. Dilke are well. Thursday Morning [June 17, 1819]. MY DEAR HAYDON - I know you will not be prepared for this, because your Pocket must needs be very low having been at ebb tide so long: but what can I do? mine is lower. I was the day before yesterday much in want of Money: but some news I had yesterday has driven me into necessity. I went to Abbey's for some Cash, and he put into my hand a letter from my Aunt's Solicitor containing the pleasant information that she was about to file a Bill in Chancery against us. Now in case of a defeat Abbey will be very undeservedly in the wrong box; so I could not ask him for any more money, nor can I till the affair is decided; and if it goes against him I must in conscience make over to him what little he may have remaining. My purpose is now to make one more attempt in the Press - if that fail, 'ye hear no more of me' as Chaucer says. Brown has lent me some money for the present. Do borrow or beg somehow what you can for me. Do not suppose I am at all uncomfortable about the matter in any other way than as it forces me to apply to the needy. I could not send you those lines, for I could not get the only copy of them before last Saturday evening. I sent them Mr. Elmes on Monday. I saw Monkhouse on Sunday — he told me you were getting on with the Picture. I would have come over to you to-day, but I am fully employed. Yours ever sincerely JOHN KEATS. 113. TO FANNY BRAWNE Shanklin, Isle of Wight, Thursday, [Postmark, Newport, July 3, 1819]. MY DEAREST LADY - I am glad I had not an opportunity of sending off a Letter which I wrote for you on Tuesday night 't was too much like one out of Rousseau's Heloise. I am more reasonable this morning. The morning is the only proper time for me to write to a beautiful Girl whom I love so much: for at night, when the lonely day has closed, and the lonely, silent, unmusical Chamber is waiting to receive me as into a Sepulchre, then believe me my passion gets entirely the sway, then I would not have you see those Rhapsodies which I once thought it impossible I should ever give way to, and which I have often laughed at in another, for fear you should [think me] either too unhappy or perhaps a little mad. I am now at a very pleasant Cottage window, looking onto a beautiful hilly country, with a glimpse of the sea; the morning is very fine. I do not know how elastic my spirit might be, what pleasure I might have in living here and breathing and wandering as free as a stag about this beautiful Coast if the remembrance of you did not weigh so upon me. I have never known any unalloy'd Happiness for many days together: the death or sickness of some one has always spoilt my hours — and now when none such troubles oppress me, it is you must confess very hard that another sort of pain should haunt me. Ask yourself my love whether you are not very cruel to have so entrammelled me, so destroyed my freedom. Will you confess this in the Letter you must write immediately and do all you can to console me in it make it rich as a draught of poppies to intoxicate me write the softest words and kiss them that I may at least touch my lips where yours have been. For myself I know not how to express my devotion to so fair a form I want a brighter word than bright, a fairer word than fair. I almost wish we were butterflies and liv'd but three summer days three such days with you I could fill with more delight than fifty common years could ever contain. But however selfish I may feel, I am sure I could never act selfishly as I told you a day or two before I left Hampstead, I will never return to London if my Fate does not turn Pam or at least a Court-card. Though I could centre my Happiness in you, I cannot expect to engross your heart so entirely – indeed if I thought you felt as much for me as I do for you at this moment I do not think I could restrain myself from seeing you again tomorrow for the delight of one embrace. But no- - I must live upon hope and Chance. In case of the worst that can happen, I shall still love you - but what hatred shall I have for another! Some lines I read the other day are continually ringing a peal in my ears: up To see those eyes I prize above mine own And those sweet lips (yielding immortal nectar) J. Do write immediately. There is no Post from this Place, so you must address Post |