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 any thing more about it. I[f] 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 &c &c &c-Lord I must come again. We are just going to Dinner I must [run '] with this to the Post Your affectionate Brother 1 In the original, I must must with &c. John Sir, XCVII. To JAMES ELMES. Wentworth Place, Hampstead [Saturday Evening, 12 June 1819]. I did not see your Note till this Saturday evening, or I should have answered it sooner-However as it happens I have but just received the Book which contains the only copy of the verses in question. I have asked for it repe[a]tedly ever since I promised Mr. Haydon and could not help the delay; which I regret. The verses can be struck out in no time, and will I hope be quite in time. If you think it at all necessary a proof may be forwarded; but as I shall transcribe it fairly perhaps there may be no need. I am Sir Your obed. Serv John Keats The original letter, in the Manuscript Department of the British Museum, bears a note signed “J. E.” that the letter is "about a sonnet to Haydon." But I do not think this is the case, and scarcely doubt that the real subject is the Ode to a Nightingale, which appeared in the Annals of the Fine Arts, under the editorship of James Elmes, in July 1819. I do not think Keats would call a sonnet or sonnets "the verses in question”; but he would very likely apply to the Ode both that term and the term "those lines," which he uses in the next letter to Haydon in regard, as it seems to me, to the same poem as he here mentions to Elmes. Supposing the date to which I have assigned that letter to be right,—and I have no doubt about it, this one clearly belongs to the 12th of June 1819. Elmes was an architect, and author or editor of many works on subjects connected with the fine arts, besides the Annals,―among others a handy General and Biographical Dictionary of the Fine Arts (1826), in which he had much assistance from James Ollier. I cannot be with you to day for two reasons—rst I have my sore-throat coming again to prevent my walking. 2ly I do not happen just at present to be flush of silver so that I might ride. To morrow I am engaged -but the day after you shall see me. Mr. Brown is waiting for me as we are going to Town together, so good bye. Your affectionate Brother John It may be assumed that it was a walk home at night that Keats feared to undertake in consequence of the state of his throat. Otherwise this little note would seem to indicate a more serious premonitory condition of things than we have any warrant to suppose, seeing that the time was the middle of June, when, if at all, one would suppose, a walk to Walthamstow and back might have been safely undertaken. XCIX. To FANNY KEATS. Wentworth Place My dear Fanny, Still I cannot afford to spend money by Coach[h]ire 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 enqu[i]re for a situation with an apothecary, but Mr. Brown persuad[e]s 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 ret[i]ring 1 This evidently refers to the same visit that is mentioned in the next letter to Haydon as having taken place" the day before yesterday". If therefore the 17th of June is the right date for that letter, the 16th is the right date for this-of which the original has no date or postmark. 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 and 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 Saturday2 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 Seve[r]n 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. Your affectionate Brother John - 1 In the original, hencefore. 2 The 16th of June 1819 was a Wednesday; so that he would seem to infer that he wanted the rest of the time, after getting his money, for preparations to depart. I do not know what day he and Rice actually started; but the first letter to Fanny Brawne shows that they were in the Isle of Wight on the 1st of July and probably on the 29th of June, if no earlier. |