Letters of John Keats to His Family and Friends
will let me know what you would wish done with your property in
England--what things you would wish sent out--But I am quite in the dark
about what you are doing--If I do not hear soon I shall put on my wings
and be after you. I will in my next, and after I have seen your next
letter, tell you my own particular idea of America. Your next letter will
be the key by which I shall open your hearts and see what spaces want
filling with any particular information--Whether the affairs of Europe are
more or less interesting to you--whether you would like to hear of the
Theatres--of the bear Garden--of the Boxers--the Painters, the
Lectures--the Dress--The progress of Dandyism--The Progress of
Courtship--or the fate of Mary Millar--being a full, true, and tres
particular account of Miss M.'s ten Suitors--How the first tried the
effect of swearing; the second of stammering; the third of
whispering;--the fourth of sonnets--the fifth of Spanish leather
boots;--the sixth of flattering her body--the seventh of flattering her
mind--the eighth of flattering himself--the ninth stuck to the Mother--the
tenth kissed the Chambermaid and told her to tell her Mistress--But he was
soon discharged, his reading led him into an error; he could not sport the
Sir Lucius to any advantage. And now for this time I bid you good-bye--I
have been thinking of these sheets so long that I appear in closing them
to take my leave of you--but that is not it--I shall immediately as I send
this off begin my journal--when some days I shall write no more than 10
lines and others 10 times as much. Mrs. Dilke is knocking at the wall for
Tea is ready--I will tell you what sort of a tea it is and then bid you
Good-bye.
[January 4.]
This is Monday morning--nothing particular happened yesterday evening,
except that when the tray came up Mrs. Dilke and I had a battle with
celery stalks--she sends her love to you. I shall close this and send it
immediately to Haslam--remaining ever, My dearest brother and sister,
Your most affectionate Brother
JOHN.
LXXXI.--TO RICHARD WOODHOUSE.
Wentworth Place, Friday Morn [December 18, 1818].
My dear Woodhouse--I am greatly obliged to you. I must needs feel
flattered by making an impression on a set of ladies. I should be content
to do so by meretricious romance verse, if they alone, and not men, were
to judge. I should like very much to know those ladies--though look here,
Woodhouse--I have a new leaf to turn over: I must work; I must read; I
must write. I am unable to afford time for new acquaintances. I am
scarcely able to do my duty to those I have. Leave the matter to chance.
But do not forget to give my remembrances to your cousin.
Yours most sincerely
JOHN KEATS.
LXXXII.--TO MRS. REYNOLDS.
Wentworth Place, Tuesd. [December 22, 1818].
My dear Mrs. Reynolds--When I left you yesterday, 'twas with the
conviction that you thought I had received no previous invitation for
Christmas day: the truth is I had, and had accepted it under the
conviction that I should be in Hampshire at the time: else believe me I
should not have done so, but kept in Mind my old friends. I will not speak
of the proportion of pleasure I may receive at different Houses--that
never enters my head--you may take for a truth that I would have given up
even what I did see to be a greater pleasure, for the sake of old
acquaintanceship--time is nothing--two years are as long as twenty.
Yours faithfully
JOHN KEATS.
LXXXIII.--TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.
Wentworth Place, Tuesday [December 22, 1818].
My dear Haydon--Upon my Soul I never felt your going out of the room at
all--and believe me I never rhodomontade anywhere but in your Company--my
general Life in Society is silence. I feel in myself all the vices of a
Poet, irritability, love of effect and admiration--and influenced by such
devils I may at times say more ridiculous things than I am aware of--but I
will put a stop to that in a manner I have long resolved upon--I will buy
a gold ring and put it on my finger--and from that time a Man of superior
head shall never have occasion to pity me, or one of inferior Nunskull to
chuckle at me. I am certainly more for greatness in a shade than in the
open day--I am speaking as a mortal--I should say I value more the
privilege of seeing great things in loneliness than the fame of a Prophet.
Yet here I am sinning--so I will turn to a thing I have thought on more--I
mean your means till your picture be finished: not only now but for this
year and half have I thought of it. Believe me Haydon I have that sort of
fire in my heart that would sacrifice everything I have to your service--I
speak without any reserve--I know you would do so for me--I open my heart
to you in a few words. I will do this sooner than you shall be distressed:
but let me be the last stay--Ask the rich lovers of Art first--I'll tell
you why--I have a little money which may enable me to study, and to travel
for three or four years. I never expect to get anything by my Books: and
moreover I wish to avoid publishing--I admire Human Nature but I do not
like _Men_. I should like to compose things honourable to Man--but not
fingerable over by _Men_. So I am anxious to exist without troubling the
printer's devil or drawing upon Men's or Women's admiration--in which
great solitude I hope God will give me strength to rejoice. Try the long
purses--but do not sell your drawings or I shall consider it a breach of
friendship. I am sorry I was not at home when Salmon called. Do write and
let me know all your present whys and wherefores.
Yours most faithfully
JOHN KEATS.
LXXXIV.--TO JOHN TAYLOR.
Wentworth Place, [December 24, 1818].
My dear Taylor--Can you lend me L30 for a short time? Ten I want for
myself--and twenty for a friend--which will be repaid me by the middle of
next month. I shall go to Chichester on Wednesday and perhaps stay a
fortnight--I am afraid I shall not be able to dine with you before I
return. Remember me to Woodhouse.
Yours sincerely
JOHN KEATS.
LXXXV.--TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.
Wentworth Place, [December 27, 1818].
My dear Haydon--I had an engagement to-day--and it is so fine a morning
that I cannot put it off--I will be with you to-morrow--when we will thank
the Gods, though you have bad eyes and I am idle.
I regret more than anything the not being able to dine with you to-day. I
have had several movements that way--but then I should disappoint one who
has been my true friend. I will be with you to-morrow morning and stop all
day--we will hate the profane vulgar and make us Wings.
God bless you.
J. KEATS.
LXXXVI.--TO FANNY KEATS.
Wentworth Place, Wednesday [December 30, 1818].
My dear Fanny--I am confined at Hampstead with a sore throat; but I do not
expect it will keep me above two or three days. I intended to have been in
Town yesterday but feel obliged to be careful a little while. I am in
general so careless of these trifles, that they tease me for Months, when
a few days' care is all that is necessary. I shall not neglect any chance
of an endeavour to let you return to School--nor to procure you a Visit to
Mrs. Dilke's which I have great fears about. Write me if you can find
time--and also get a few lines ready for George as the Post sails next
Wednesday.
Your affectionate Brother
JOHN ----.
LXXXVII.--TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.
Wentworth Place, Monday Aft. [January 4, 1819].
My dear Haydon--I have been out this morning, and did not therefore see
your note till this minute, or I would have gone to town directly--it is
now too late for to-day. I will be in town early to-morrow, and trust I
shall be able to lend you assistance noon or night. I was struck with the
improvement in the architectural part of your Picture--and, now I think on
it, I cannot help wondering you should have had it so poor, especially
after the Solomon. Excuse this dry bones of a note: for though my pen may
grow cold, I should be sorry my Life should freeze--
Your affectionate friend
JOHN KEATS.
LXXXVIII.--TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.
Wentworth Place, [between January 7 and 14, 1819].
My dear Haydon--We are very unlucky--I should have stopped to dine with
you, but I knew I should not have been able to leave you in time for my
plaguy sore throat; which is getting well.
I shall have a little trouble in procuring the Money and a great ordeal to
go through--no trouble indeed to any one else--or ordeal either. I mean I
shall have to go to town some thrice, and stand in the Bank an hour or
two--to me worse than anything in Dante--I should have less chance with
the people around me than Orpheus had with the Stones. I have been writing
a little now and then lately: but nothing to speak of--being discontented
and as it were moulting. Yet I do not think I shall ever come to the rope
or the Pistol, for after a day or two's melancholy, although I smoke more
and more my own insufficiency--I see by little and little more of what is
to be done, and how it is to be done, should I ever be able to do it. On
my soul, there should be some reward for that continual _agonie
ennuyeuse_. I was thinking of going into Hampshire for a few days. I have
been delaying it longer than I intended. You shall see me soon; and do not
be at all anxious, for _this_ time I really will do, what I never did
before in my life, business in good time, and properly.--With respect to
the Bond--it may be a satisfaction to you to let me have it: but as you
love me do not let there be any mention of interest, although we are
mortal men--and bind ourselves for fear of death.
Yours for ever
JOHN KEATS.
LXXXIX.--TO BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.
Wentworth Place, [January 1819].
My dear Haydon--My throat has not suffered me yet to expose myself to the
night air: however I have been to town in the day time--have had several
interviews with my guardian--have written him rather a plain-spoken
Letter--which has had its effect; and he now seems inclined to put no
stumbling-block in my way: so that I see a good prospect of performing my
promise. What I should have lent you ere this if I could have got it, was
belonging to poor Tom--and the difficulty is whether I am to inherit it
before my Sister is of age; a period of six years. Should it be so I must
incontinently take to Corduroy Trousers. But I am nearly confident 'tis
all a Bam. I shall see you soon--but do let me have a line to-day or
to-morrow concerning your health and spirits.
Your sincere friend
JOHN KEATS.
XC.--TO FANNY KEATS.
Wentworth Place, [January 1819].
My dear Fanny--I send this to Walthamstow for fear you should not be at
Pancras Lane when I call to-morrow--before going into Hampshire for a few
days--I will not be more I assure you--You may think how disappointed I
am in not being able to see you more and spend more time with you than I
do--but how can it be helped? The thought is a continual vexation to
me--and often hinders me from reading and composing--Write to me as often
as you can--and believe me,
Your affectionate Brother
JOHN ----.
XCI.--TO FANNY KEATS.
Wentworth Place, Feb{y.} [11, 1819]. Thursday.
My dear Fanny--Your Letter to me at Bedhampton hurt me very much,--What
objection can there be to your receiving a Letter from me? At Bedhampton I
was unwell and did not go out of the Garden Gate but twice or thrice
during the fortnight I was there--Since I came back I have been taking
care of myself--I have been obliged to do so, and am now in hopes that by
this care I shall get rid of a sore throat which has haunted me at
intervals nearly a twelvemonth. I had always a presentiment of not being
able to succeed in persuading Mr. Abbey to let you remain longer at