shouldn't like him to damn me. It will not be long ere I see you, but I thought I would just give you a line out of Devon. Yours affectionately John Keats Rem[em]ber me to all we know. have my Shakespeare placed on my heart, with Homer in my right hand and Ariosto in the other, Dante under my head, Tasso at my feet, and Corneille under my I hate that Corneille, a heartless, tirade maker-I leave my other side, that is my right one, for you, if you realize all of which your Genius is capable, as I am sure you will. Write me if you go to Devonshire. Mrs. Scott "con occhi neri" is as interesting as ever and desires to be remembered. I have heard nothing of Wordsworth ever since he went, which I take to be unkind. Hazlitt is going to lecture at Crown and Anchor.-I am sorry for it, tho' he will get money, it is letting his talents down a little. What affectation in Hunt's title "Foliage"!-I met that horrid creature Miss Kent, looking like a fury and an old maid, mixed. Yours ever dear Keats, For Devonshire in the final paragraph we should of course read Plymouth. XXXVIII. To MESSRS. TAYLOR AND HESSEY. My dear Sirs, Teignmouth, Saturday Morn. [Postmark, 23 March 1818.] I had no idea of your getting on so fast-I thought of bringing my 4th Book to Town all in good time for you-especially after the late unfortunate chance. I did not however for my own sake delay finishing the copy which was done a few days after my arrival here. I send it off to day, and will tell you in a Postscript at what time to send for it from the Bull and Mouth or It A letter from George Keats, addressed to "Jno. Keats, Post Office, Teignmouth", and dated "Pancras Lane-March 18-1818," appears to have given rise to letters XXXVIII and XXXIX. supplies some links in the story of that period; so I give it here: My dear John Poor Tom-who could have imagined such a change? I' have indeed been sanguine; whenever he has occur[r]ed to my thoughts he has appeared nearly in good health, every answer I have given to enquiring Friends has been "much better" and "improving every day." I can hardly believe this melancholy news, having so long accustomed myself to think altogether otherwise-I hope and trust that your kind superintendence will prevent any violent bleeding in future, and consequently that this alarm may prove in the end advantageous; Tom must never again presume on his strength, at all events untill he has completely recover'd. John Reynolds is little better, in many respects worse, he has a very bad rheumatic Fever, and suffers constant pain: it is not said that he is dangerously ill, but I cannot help thinking that so many evils acting upon his most irritable disposition; deadening his hopes of his advance in business, consequently all his hopes, must make this illness somewhat dangerous.—I called yesterday but he was not sufficiently well to be seen. His sisters are well.-Your letter was other Inn. You will find the Preface and dedication and the title Page as I should wish it to stand-for a romance is a fine thing notwithstanding the circulating Libraries. My respects to Mrs. Hessey and to Percy Street. Yours very sincerely John Keats P.S. I have been advised to send it to you-you may expect it on Monday for I sent it by the Post-man to Exeter at the same time with this letter. Adieu. most welcome to him. Bailey's in town for a few days, on business for Glegg-I have not seen him.-Mrs. Scott desires her compliments to you and Tom. I have repeatedly called on Taylor and Hessey and have never found them at home, or you should long since have known the progress of your book. Brown has I understand written to you and given you the pleasant information that the printers are in immediate want of the fourth book and preface. By the time you have received this I have no doubt but T. and H. will have received them.-The inclosed 20 pounds No. 834 dated 3rd Feby-1818, will reach you before you are quite aground. I am about paying yours as well as Tom's bills, of which I shall keep regular accounts and for the sake of justice and a future proper understanding I intend calculating the probable amount Tom and I are indebted to you, something of this kind must be done, or at the end of two or three years we shall be all at sixes and sevens. Let me know when you want money. I have paid Hodgkinson who desires his best rem[embrance]s.-I'll write Tom soon-give my love to him-rem[embrance]s to Miss M and C-and love to the Miss I's-Miss Wylie as usual desires her respects to you and best wishes to Tom-R Draper has been teazing throughout the writing of this to my great annoyance-. XXXIX. To JOHN HAMILTON REYNOLDS. Teignmouth, My dear Reynolds, 25 March 1818. In hopes of cheering you through a minute or two, I was determined, will he nill he, to send you some lines, so you will excuse the unconnected subject and careless verse. You know, I am sure, Claude's "Enchanted Castle," and I wish you may be pleased with my remembrance of it. I think with me Devonshire stands a very poor chance. I shall damn it up hill and down dale, if it keep up to the average of six fine days in three weeks. Let me have better news of you. The rain is come on again. Your affectionate friend John Keats The poem which this little note was written to accompany is the charming Epistle to John Hamilton Reynolds printed at pages 266-70 of the second volume. It is by far the most notable of Keats's Poetical Epistles, as indeed it naturally should be, being so much the latest of them. As regards Claude's picture of The Enchanted Castle, see the foot-note to the poem. The close of the piece is in a more thoughtful vein than usual, and might afford a useful argument to any one who should care to be at the pains of justifying Mr. Matthew Arnold's claim for Keats to the quality of "high seriousness" in his criticism of life. My dear Rice, XL. To JAMES RICE. Teignmouth, 25 March 1818. Being in the midst of your favourite Devon, I should not, by rights, pen one word but it should contain a vast portion of wit, wisdom, and learning; for I have heard that Milton, ere he wrote his answer to Salmasius, came into these parts, and for one whole month, rolled himself for three whole hours a day, in a certain meadow hard by us, where the mark of his nose at equidistances is still shown. The exhibitor of the said meadow further saith, that, after these rollings, not a nettle sprang up in all the seven acres for seven years, and that from the said time a new sort of plant was made from the whitethorn, of a thornless nature, very much used by the bucks of the present day to rap their boots withal. This account made me very naturally suppose that the nettles and thorns etherealized by the scholar's rotatory motion, and garnered in his head, thence flew, after a process of fermentation, against the luckless Salmasius, and occasioned his well-known and unhappy end. What a happy thing it would be if we could settle our thoughts and make our minds up on any matter in five minutes, and remain content, that is, build a sort of mental cottage of feelings, quiet and pleasant-to have a sort of philosophical backgarden, and cheerful holiday-keeping front one. But, alas! this never can be; for, as the material cottager knows there are such places as France and Italy, and the Andes, and burning mountains, so the spiritual cottager has knowledge of the terra semi-incognita of things un |