to his depths; and I have, I am sure, many friends, who, if I fail, will attribute any change in my life and temper to humbleness rather than pride-to a cowering under the wings of great poets, rather than to a bitterness that I am not appreciated. I am anxious to get "Endymion " printed that I may forget it, and proceed. I have copied the Third Book, and begun the Fourth. I will take care the printer shall not trip up my heels. Remember me to Percy Street. Your sincere and obliged friend, JOHN KEATS. P.S.-You shall have a short preface in good time. TEIGNMOUTH, 14 March, [1818.] DEAR REYNOLDS, I escaped being blown over, and blown under, and trees and house being toppled on me. I have, since hearing of Brown's accident, had an aversion to a dose of parapet, and being also a lover of antiquities, I would sooner have a harmless piece of Herculaneum sent me quietly as a present than ever so modern a chimney-pot tumbled on to my head. Being agog to see some Devonshire, I would have taken a walk the first day, but the rain would not let me; and the second, but the rain would not let me; and the third, but the rain forbade it. Ditto fourth, ditto fifth, ditto-so I made up my mind to stop in doors, and catch a sight flying between the showers and, behold, I saw a pretty valley, pretty cliffs, pretty brooks, pretty meadows, pretty trees, both standing as they were created, and blown down as they were uncreated. The green is beautiful, as they say, and pity it is that it is amphibious—mais! but alas!(the flowers here wait as naturally for the rain twice a day as the muscles do for the tide SO we look upon a brook in these parts as you look upon a splash in your country. There must be something to support this-aye, fog, hail, snow, rain, mist blanketing up three parts of the year. This Devonshire is like Lydia Languish, very entertaining when it smiles, but cursedly subject to sympathetic moisture. You have the sensation of walking under one great Lamp-lighter and you can't go on the other side of the ladder to keep your frock clean. Buy a girdle, put a pebble in your mouth, loosen your braces-for I am going among scenery whence I intend to tip you the Damosel Radcliffe. I'll cavern you, and grotto you, and water-fall you, and wood you, and water you, and immense-rock you, and tremendous-sound you, and solitude you. I'll make a lodgment on your glacis by a row of pines, and storm your covered way with bramble-bushes. I'll have at you with hip and-haw small-shot, and cannonade you with shingles. I'll be witty upon salt fish, and impede your cavalry with clotted-cream. But ah, Coward! to talk at this rate to a sick man, or, I hope, to one that was sickfor I hope by this you stand on your right foot. If you are not-that's all-I intend to cut all sick people if they do not make up their minds to cut Sickness a fellow to whom I have a complete aversion, and who, strange to say, is harboured and countenanced in several houses where I visit: he is sitting now, quite impudent, between me and Tom; he insults me at poor Jem Rice's; and you have seated him, before now, between us at the Theatre, when I thought he looked with a longing eye at poor Kean. I shall say, once for all, to my friends, generally and severally, cut that fellow, or I cut you. I went to the Theatre here the other night, which I forgot to tell George, and got insulted, which I ought to remember to forget to tell anybody; for I did not fight, and as yet have had no redress— Lie thou there, sweet-heart!" I wrote to Bailey yesterday, obliged to speak in a high way, and a damme who 's afraid? for I had owed him [a letter] so long: however, he shall see I will be better in future. Is he in town yet? I have directed to Oxford as the better chance. I have copied my fourth Book, and shall write the Preface soon. I wish it was all done; for I want to forget it, and make my mind free for something new. Atkins the coachman, Bartlet the surgeon, Simmons the barber, and the girls over at the bonnet-shop, say we shall now have a month of seasonable weather -warm, witty, and full of invention. Write to me and tell me that you are well, or thereabouts; or, by the holy Beaucoeur, which I suppose is the Virgin Mary, or the repented Magdalen, (beautiful name, that Magdalen) I'll take to my wings and fly away to anywhere, but old or Nova Scotia. I wish I had a little innocent bit of metaphysic in my head, to criss-cross the letter: but you know a favourite tune is hardest to be remembered when one wants it most; and you, I know, have, long ere this, taken it for granted that I never have any speculations without associating you in them, where they are of a pleasant nature: and you know enough of me to tell the places where I haunt most, so that if you think for five minutes after having read this, you will find it a long letter, and see written in the air before you, Your affectionate friend, JOHN KEATS. MY DEAR REYNOLDS, TE:GNMOUTH, 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 subjects and careless verse. You know, I am sure, Leland's "Enchanted Castle," and I wish you may be pleased with my remembrance of it. The rain is come on again. 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 hear better news of you. Your affectionate friend, JOHN KEATS. Dear Reynolds! as last night I lay in bed, That every other minute vex and please : Things all disjointed come from north and south,— Two Witch's eyes above a Cherub's mouth, Voltaire with casque and shield and habergeon, And Alexander with his night-cap on ; Old Socrates a tying his cravat, And Hazlitt playing with Miss Edgeworth's Cat; Making the best of's way towards Soho. |