Letters of John Keats to His Family and Friends Part 35

CXXII.--TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.

Winchester, Sunday Morn [October 3, 1819].

My dear Haydon--Certainly I might: but a few Months pa.s.s away before we are aware. I have a great aversion to letter writing, which grows more and more upon me; and a greater to summon up circ.u.mstances before me of an unpleasant nature. I was not willing to trouble you with them. Could I have dated from my Palace of Milan you would have heard from me. Not even now will I mention a word of my affairs--only that "I Rab am here" but shall not be here more than a Week more, as I purpose to settle in Town and work my way with the rest. I hope I shall never be so silly as to injure my health and industry for the future by speaking, writing or fretting about my non-estate. I have no quarrel, I a.s.sure you, of so weighty a nature, with the world, on my own account as I have on yours. I have done nothing--except for the amus.e.m.e.nt of a few people who refine upon their feelings till anything in the un-understandable way will go down with them--people predisposed for sentiment. I have no cause to complain because I am certain anything really fine will in these days be felt. I have no doubt that if I had written Oth.e.l.lo I should have been cheered by as good a mob as Hunt. So would you be now if the operation of painting was as universal as that of Writing. It is not: and therefore it did behove men I could mention among whom I must place Sir George Beaumont to have lifted you up above sordid cares. That this has not been done is a disgrace to the country. I know very little of Painting, yet your pictures follow me into the Country. When I am tired of reading I often think them over and as often condemn the spirit of modern Connoisseurs. Upon the whole, indeed, you have no complaint to make, being able to say what so few Men can, "I have succeeded." On sitting down to write a few lines to you these are the uppermost in my mind, and, however I may be beating about the arctic while your spirit has pa.s.sed the line, you may lay to a minute and consider I am earnest as far as I can see. Though at this present "I have great dispositions to write" I feel every day more and more content to read. Books are becoming more interesting and valuable to me. I may say I could not live without them. If in the course of a fortnight you can procure me a ticket to the British Museum I will make a better use of it than I did in the first instance. I shall go on with patience in the confidence that if I ever do anything worth remembering the Reviewers will no more be able to stumble-block me than the Royal Academy could you. They have the same quarrel with you that the Scotch n.o.bles had with Wallace. The fame they have lost through you is no joke to them. Had it not been for you Fuseli would have been not as he is major but maximus domo. What Reviewers can put a hindrance to must be--a nothing--or mediocre which is worse. I am sorry to say that since I saw you I have been guilty of a practical joke upon Brown which has had all the success of an innocent Wildfire among people. Some day in the next week you shall hear it from me by word of Mouth. I have not seen the portentous Book which was sk.u.mmer'd at you just as I left town. It may be light enough to serve you as a Cork Jacket and save you for a while the trouble of swimming. I heard the Man went raking and rummaging about like any Richardson. That and the Memoirs of Menage are the first I shall be at. From Sr. G. B.'s, Lord Ms[108] and particularly Sr. John Leicesters good lord deliver us. I shall expect to see your Picture plumped out like a ripe Peach--you would not be very willing to give me a slice of it. I came to this place in the hopes of meeting with a Library but was disappointed. The High Street is as quiet as a Lamb. The knockers are dieted to three raps per diem. The walks about are interesting from the many old Buildings and archways. The view of the High Street through the Gate of the City in the beautiful September evening light has amused me frequently. The bad singing of the Cathedral I do not care to smoke--being by myself I am not very coy in my taste. At St. Cross there is an interesting picture of Albert Durer's--who living in such war-like times perhaps was forced to paint in his Gauntlets--so we must make all allowances.

I am, my dear Haydon, Yours ever

JOHN KEATS.

Brown has a few words to say to you and will cross this.

CXXIII.--TO f.a.n.n.y KEATS.

Wentworth Place[109] [October 16, 1819].

My dear f.a.n.n.y--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--without 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 G.o.d 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 sh.e.l.ls 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,

November 17 [1819].

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.[110] 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 G.o.d should spare me, written in the course of the next six years, would be a famous Gradus ad Parna.s.sum 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, ill.u.s.trative 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 sending them, or rather by letting me know where our errand-cart 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 f.a.n.n.y KEATS.

Wednesday Morn--[November 17, 1819].

My dear f.a.n.n.y--I received your letter yesterday Evening and will obey it to-morrow. I would come to-day--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,[111] 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 Inst.i.tution. I have many Rivals, 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].