SelectedLettersofJohnKeats
revisededition
editedby grantf.scott
BasedonthetextsofHyderEdwardRollins
harvard university press
Cambridge,Massachusetts
London,England
Copyright©1958bythePresidentandFellowsofHarvardCollege
Copyright©renewed1986byHerschelC.Baker, theExecutoroftheauthorHyderEdwardRollins
Copyright©2002bythePresidentandFellowsofHarvardCollege Allrightsreserved
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
FirstHarvardUniversityPresspaperbackedition,2005
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData Keats,John,1795–1821. [Correspondence.Selections] SelectedlettersofJohnKeats/editedbyGrantF.Scott.—Rev.ed. p.cm.
Rev.ed.of:ThelettersofJohnKeats,1814–1821.1958. “BasedonthetextsofHyderEdwardRollins.” Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex. ISBN0-674-00749-2(cloth) ISBN0-674-01841-9(pbk.)
1.Keats,John,1795–1821—Correspondence. 2.Poets,English—19thcentury—Correspondence. I.Scott,GrantF.II.Title.
PR4836.A42002
821 .7—dc21 [B]2001051862
Prefacexiii
EditorialProceduresxv Acknowledgmentsxix
Introductionxxi EventsintheLifeofJohnKeatsxxxv Keats’sCorrespondentsxxxix
b.r.haydon
johntaylor 24April ..................................116 j.h.reynolds 27April
3May
21,25May ............................126 benjaminbailey 10June ...............................128
tomkeats 25–27June ..................................130
georgeandgeorgianakeats 27,28June ................135
tomkeats 29June,1,2July ..............................138
fannykeats 2,3,5July ................................142 tomkeats 3,5,7,9July ................................148 j.h.reynolds 11,13July ...............................152
10,11,13,14July ..............................156
17,18,20,21July ..............................162 benjaminbailey 18,22July .............................168 tomkeats 23,26July ..................................173 tomkeats 3,6August .................................179 mrs.jameswylie 6August .............................185
19August .................................187 c.w.dilke 20,21September ............................189
22(?)September
26October
14,16,21,24,31October
24November ................................209
b.r.haydon 22December ..............................210 1819
georgeandgeorgianakeats 16–18,22,29(?),31December1818, 2–4January1819 .......................................215
b.r.haydon 10(?)January ..............................238
11February
18(?)February .............................241
fannykeats 27February ...............................242
8March
13March
29March
31March
12April
13April ..................................250 fannykeats 1May(?) .................................252
georgeandgeorgianakeats 14,19February,3(?),12,13,17, 19March,15,16,21,30April,3,4May ........................254
9June
17June
17June
1July
6July
11July
15(?)July
25July
14August
16August
23August
5September
5September
13September
19,20September .......................................339
13August
13(?)August ...............................460
14August
14August ..............................462
16August
August(?)
23August
fannykeats 11September ...............................467
williamhaslam(fromjosephsevern) 19September .......468
williamhaslam(fromjosephsevern) 21September .......470
charlesbrown 30September ...........................474 williamhaslam(fromjosephsevern) 22October ........476 mrs.samuelbrawne 24(?)October ......................477
charlesbrown 1,2November ..........................479
williamhaslam(fromjosephsevern) 1,2November ......481
?(fromdr.jamesclark) 27November ...................484
charlesbrown 30November ...........................485
charlesbrown(fromjosephsevern) 14,17December .....487
johntaylor(fromjosephsevern) 24December ..........490
?(fromdr.jamesclark) 3January ......................497
mrs.samuelbrawne(fromjosephsevern) 11January .....498
williamhaslam(fromjosephsevern) 15January .........501
johntaylor(fromjosephsevern) 25,26January .........504
williamhaslam(fromjosephsevern) 22February ........507
johntaylor(fromjosephsevern) 6March .............510
williamhaslam(fromcharlesbrown) 18March ........512
williamhaslam(fromjosephsevern) 5May ...........513 Index517 contents
Eillustrations
Haydon’slifemaskofKeats(plastercast,1816).Reproducedwiththepermissionof theNationalPortraitGallery,London.11
OpeningpageofKeats’scrossedlettertoBenjaminBailey,22November1817(Ms Keats1.16).ReproducedwiththepermissionoftheHoughtonLibrary,Harvard University.53
Haydon’sdrawingsofKeats’sHead(penandink,1816).ReproducedwiththepermissionoftheNationalPortraitGallery,London.73
MapofKeats’s1818walkingtour.ReproducedwiththepermissionofYaleUniversityPress.133
SilhouetteofFannyBrawne,byAugustEdouart.ReproducedwiththePermission oftheCorporationofLondon.223
ThelastleafofKeats’sjournallettertoGeorgeandGeorgianaKeats,14February–4 May1819(MsKeats1.53).ReproducedwiththepermissionoftheHoughtonLibrary,HarvardUniversity.296–297
JosephSevern,byJohnPartridge(pencil,1825).Reproducedwiththepermissionof theNationalPortraitGallery,London.469
FannyBrawne(ambrotype,ca.1850).ReproducedwiththepermissionoftheCorporationofLondon.478
DeathbedportraitofKeats,byJosephSevern(penandink,1821).Reproducedwith thepermissionoftheCorporationofLondon.509
JohnKeatsatWentworthPlace,byJosephSevern(oiloncanvas,1821–1823).ReproducedwiththepermissionoftheNationalPortraitGallery,London.515
TheselectionofKeats’slettersgatheredhereisbasedonHyderE.Rollins, TheLettersofJohnKeats,1814–1821 (2vols.,HarvardUniversityPress,1958), whichisstillconsideredthestandardedition.Althoughnominallyarevision,thepresentselectiondiffersfromRollinsinoneotherimportantregard:itisnotarigorouslyscholarlyedition.Thismeansthatitdoesnotincludethedetailedtextualapparatusthathasbecomeacommonfeatureof alldiplomaticeditionsofpersonallettersforthelastcentury.Rather,the lettershavebeeneditedforreadabilityandwithamoregeneralaudience inmind.MyintenthasbeentomakeKeats’slettersmoreaccessiblebyreducingthescholarlyannotationsandbymodernizingsuchfeaturesas punctuationandspelling.Indoingso,Ihavehopedtorecreatesomeof thespontaneitywithwhichtheseletterswereoriginallywrittenaswell astheexcitementwithwhichtheywerereceived.Keats’slettersaresomeof themostlivelyandcreativeinthelanguage,andtheydeservetohavea largeraudience.Thereisnosucheditionoftheletterscurrentlyinprint, andthisrepresentsaseriousgap.
ThepresentvolumediffersfromexistingeditionsofKeats’slettersnot onlyineditorialprocedures,whichIshalldiscussinmoredetail,butalsoin anumberofotherfeatures.Ihaveincludedahandfulofletters to Keatsand among hisfriendsinanefforttolendfurtherperspectivetotheportraitof Keats.ThischorusofvoicesgreatlyenrichesoursenseofKeats’scharacter andprovidesanilluminatingcontrastinepistolarystyles.Italsooffersusa revealingglimpseofhis“posthumousexistence,”theperiodofKeats’sill-
nessinItaly.Mosteditionsclosewiththepoet’slastletter,writtento CharlesBrownattheendofNovember1820.ButKeatsgoesonlivingfor anotherthreemonths,andthisperiodisfaithfullyrecorded,ofteninpainstakingdetail,byKeats’sdeathbedcompanion,JosephSevern.Theseletters arepoignant,agonizing,andrivetingintheextreme,andIbelievetheirinclusionherewilldeepenthereader’sunderstandingoftheKeatsstory.For similarreasonsIhavealsoincludedlettersfromDr.JamesClark,Percy ByssheShelley,andRichardWoodhouse,allofwhichoffervaluableadditionaltestimonyconcerningKeatstheman.
Noneweditionofthelettershasappearedinoverthirtyyears,andthis aloneisreasonenoughforthepresentvolume.Duringthistimetwonew Keatsletters,alongwiththefinalpageofanimportantjournalletter,have cometolight.Theseincludetheletterof30January1818tohisbrothers; theletterof2November1819toWilliamHaslam;andthelastleafofthefamousjournalletterof14February–4May1819tohisbrotherandsister-inlawinAmerica.IhaveprintedthesehereinadditiontoKeats’sverseepistle ofSeptember1816toCharlesCowdenClarke,whichRollinsknewofbut decidedagainstprinting(hepublishedtheslightlydifferentversionthat Keatsusedinhis Poems of1817).IhavealsocorrectedanumberofRollins’s minorerrorshavingtodowithnamesanddatesandhaveprovidedtranslationsforthetwodozenorsoforeignwordsandphrasesthatKeatssprinkledthroughouttheletters(allinFrench,Italian,andLatin).Finally,Ihave includedtenillustrationsthatIhopewillaffordthereaderabettersenseof theoriginalmanuscriptsaswellasthepeopleandprominentlocationsin Keats’slife.
IfwedidnotalreadyhavescrupulouslyaccuratetranscriptsofKeats’sletters inRollins’seditionandapaperbackselectioneditedbyRobertGittings,the appearanceofthepresentbookmightseemunwarranted.Asitis,bothof theseeditionsarewidelyavailableandwillcontinuetoservetheneedsof scholars.Perhapsastrongerjustificationforthepresentbookcanbefound intheimplicitassumptionmadebyallmodernscholarlyeditions:thatof exactfidelitytotheoriginalmanuscript.Intheforewordto JohnKeats:LettersfromaWalkingTour (Grolier,1995),JackStillingermakesaconvincing casefora“principledmodernization”ofKeats’sletters,arguingthatinspite oftheirclaimstoaccuracy,scholarlyeditionsalreadyconstitutetranslationsandinterpretationsoftheoriginals.Ashesays,theseeditions“print thetextsinconventionaltypographyandwithstandardheadings,justifiedmargins,uniformspacingbetweenletters,words,andlines,andagenerousaccompanimentofscholarlycommentary”(xii).Inthisrespect,they significantlyrecasttheoriginals,especiallytheirvisualappearance,their “look”onthepage.Ifweaddtothisuniformitythefactoftheirmassproductioninbookformatandtheneatchronologicalorderingandarrangementofletterswrittentoavarietyofcorrespondentsoveraperiodofyears, wecanseejusthowartificialthestandardeditionactuallyis.
Itisworthdwellingonthispointatmorelength.Thegreatadvantageof conventionaltypographyisitsabilitytoreproduceordinarilyinaccessible textsanddisseminatethemininexpensiveformstoawideaudience.The drawback,ofcourse,isthattheresultingtextsrepresentmechanicaltransla-
tionsofhandwriting,andthusregularizelettersandwordsthatintheoriginalspossesstheirownuniquephysicalbody.Inaconventionallyprinted letter,then,readerscannotexperiencetheidiosyncrasiesofKeats’shand, theloopsandflourishes,thescoringsout,theinkblots,thedoodlesorpicturesinthemargins.Theymustalsodowithoutthetactileelementsofa letter,sacrificingeverythingfromitscontoursandcreasestoitssmell.Perhapsamoreseriousshortcomingistheinabilityofmoderntypographyto capturewhatKeatscalledthe“chequerwork”ofa“crossed”letter.Tosave onpostage,Keatsfrequentlyturnedthesheetofpaperonitssideandadded anotherpageofwritingacrossthepathofthefirst.Thishabitservedapracticalpurpose,butitalsoresultedinpalimpseststhatarerichingraphic meaning.Incaseslikethiswherethemediumplaysasignificantroleinthe message,themodernscholarlyeditionishelplesstorendertheuniquefeaturesofKeats’s“livinghand.”
Bynecessity,thepresentselectionisalsointerpretive,thoughIhavetried toremainsensitivetothevisualcharacterofKeats’slettersbyincludingtwo facsimileillustrationsaswellasnotingwhereheexploitedthegraphicappearanceofhistextforpuns.Inmorespecificterms,Ihavemodernizedthe textsofKeats’slettersbysilentlycorrectingsmallslipsofthepen(e.g.,supplyingmissinglettersandpunctuation,correctingtransposedletters),addingterminalpunctuationtosentencesthatlackthem,andconvertingmany ofKeats’sdashestofullstops.IhaveomittedKeats’sdeletionsandcancellations,reducedmostsuperscriptstotheline,incorporatedallinterlineations intotheregulartext,andexpandedanumberofabbreviations.Ihavealso dispensedwithsquareandothertypesofbracketswithinthetextsandkept theannotationstoaminimum,paringRollins’snotesconsiderably.Forthe sakeofclarity,Ihavecreatednewparagraphdivisions,usuallywhereKeats tookupthesameletteronadifferentdayorstartedonacompletelynew topic,andIhavedeletedallpostmarksandaddressesofcorrespondents fromtheheadandfootofeachletter.Finally,thereadershouldnotethat twokindsofnotesappearinthetexts,numbered,whicharemine,and asterisked,whichbelongtoKeatsorothercorrespondents.
Ihavemadetheoccasionalexceptiontotheserules,specificallyinmattersofpunctuationandspelling.Inplaceswherethepunctuationappears
ambiguous,orwhereKeatsappearstobedeliberatelytakingadvantageof syntacticalambiguity,Ihaveretainedtheoriginalgrammarandsyntax. ThisisalsothecasewithanumberofKeats’smisspellings,whichcanbe wonderfullyspontaneousandcreative.Apparentslipsnotonlymaycontain punsanddoubleentendres,butalsomayprovideuswithasenseofhowa particularwordsoundedtoKeats’sear.Forthesereasons,Ihaveeitherretainedorfootnotedthemoreinventiveandsuggestivemisspellings,words suchas“rediculous,”“Lawers,”“philantrophy,”and“atchievements.”
Likehismisspellings,Keats’shabitofcapitalizationiseccentric,butmay offercluestohispatternsofassociationandtohismeaning.Thus,Ihave retainedallbutadozenorsocapitalizednouns,regardlessofhowinsignificanttheymayappear.(Ihaveconvertedtolowercaseahandfulofverbs andpronounsthatappeartohavebeencapitalizedbyaccident.)Thefactis thatKeatswilloftenusecapitalletterstoemphasizesignificantphrases (“NestofDebauchery,”“MouthofFame,”“CliffofPoesy”),highlightalliterativegroupingsofwords(“ImustendeavortolosemyMaidenheadwith respecttomoneyMatters”),andevensignalaninternalrhyme(“Adoze uponaSofadoesnothinderit,andanapuponCloverengendersethereal finger-pointings”).Healmostalwayscapitalizesnounsrelatingtofamilyor socialstatus(“Brother,”“Sister,”“Lady”),importantabstractnouns(“Life,” “Mind,”“World,”“Genius,”“Beauty,”“Imagination”),andwordsthatrefertothefinearts,especiallyliterature(“Volumes,”“Verses,”“Stanzas,” “Lines,”“Words,”“Laurels”).Hetendstousetheuppercaseforthenames ofanimals,flowers,andtheelements,andtypicallycapitalizeswordsthat beginwith Q or C. Thismayhavebeensimplyapersonaltic;hehaddifficultywritingtheletter r, forinstance,andcouldnevermanagetheword “perhaps,”whichinvariablycameout“Perphaps.”Inanyevent,Ihavedecidedtoretaincapitallettersbecausetheydonotingeneralaffectreadabilityandbecausereadersmayfindthemsignificant.
Bythesametoken,Ihaveleftallwordsthatwouldnormallybecapitalized(“Sunday,”“IsleofWight,”“England”)inlowercaseletters,accordingtoKeats’sownmanuscripts.Ofcoursethesemayalsobeslips,butitis justaslikelythattheyindicateKeats’ssentimentsonaparticularsubject andthattheyaredeliberatesubversionsofgrammaticalconvention.Thus,
forexample,KeatsspeaksdisparaginglyofDevonshiremen,seldomdignifyingthemwithaDanddismissingthemas“dwindledenglishmen.” ThesameistrueoftheFrench,whomKeatsfrequentlyrelegatestothelowercase,addinginsulttoinjurybyreferringononeoccasionto“french Meadows”andonanothertoa“frenchAmbassador,”whosepicturehediscardsinfavorof“ahead”oftheproperlyuppercase“Shakespeare.”Wordsworthcomesoffnobetter.InafamouslettertoRichardWoodhouse,Keats inventshisowncategorytocontaintheLakepoet’smassiveself-regard,the “wordsworthianoregotisticalsublime,”aphraseinwhichthebelittlingoperatesonmorethanonelevel.Toalterexpressionssuchasthese,Ibelieve, wouldbetomisrepresentKeats’sintentions.
Eacknowledgments
MyfirstandlargestdebtistoJackStillinger,whoseeditorialwisdom,generosity,andgoodsenseIhavereliedonthroughoutthisproject.Thisbook wasinitiallyhisidea,andIamgratefultohimforentrustingmewithits fruition.IalsothankmycolleaguesatMuhlenbergCollegefortheiradvice andencouragement.BarriGold,AlecMarsh,andDavidRosenwasserread adraftofmyintroductionandofferedvaluablecriticismandcommentary, andPatriciaDeBellis,LisaPerfetti,andRobertWindhelpedwithtranslationsofvariousforeignwordsandphrases.FellowKeatsianCarolKyros WalkerkindlysentmethemapofKeats’swalkingtourthatsheusedinher book,andYaleUniversityPressgrantedpermissionformetouseit.Iam gratefulaswelltoDonaldB.Hoffman,whosesponsorshipofayearlongresearchfellowshipallowedmevaluablereleasetimetodevotetothisbook.
Anodtowardthescholar’shomeinstitutionhasbecomeanobligatory partofanysensibleacknowledgment,butIwouldliketopaymorethan customarythankstoMuhlenbergCollege,which,yearafteryear,continues tosupportmyscholarlyendeavorswithsummergrants,travelmoney,and subventions.Withoutthisinstitutionalgenerosity,mytaskwouldhave beenconsiderablymoredifficult.
LeastinsizebutcertainlynotlastinregardisOliverJ.S.Scott,towhom Ioweanoddsortofparentalgratitude.Ifitwerenotforhisboomingwee voiceandtheuncannyprecisionofhispredawnawakenings,Iwouldnever havebeenpropelledintomyofficeatthisdimhour.Idedicatethisbookto himandtoMarkéta—sláskouavd’akou.
FormostmodernreadersitishardtoseeKeats’spoemsforthesheenof theirlanguage.Theyappeartoomuchlikebrightmonumentsinwinter sun.Noone,Isuspect,couldmistakealinelike“Andstillshesleptanazure-liddedsleep”—from“TheEveofSt.Agnes”—foranythingbutpoetry. Indeed,Keatshascometorepresentthepoetof“silkenphrasesandsilver sentences,”exploitinglanguage,rhyme,andallusioninwaysthatterrify studentsbutthrilltheranksofprofessionalscholars.
OnfirstlookingintoKeats’sletters,however,readerswhobringwith themsomememoryoftheformaldifficultyofhispoemswillbepleasantly surprised.Ratherthanthestatelyeleganceof“OdeonaGrecianUrn”or thefinelywroughtagoniesof“OdetoaNightingale,”thelettersyield thespontaneousandfrankobservationsofayoungman:hisinsecurities, doubts,fears,enthusiasms,prejudices,ambitions,opinions,andideas.If hisgreatestpoemsarecharacterizedbytheirstillnessandpoise,hisletters aremasterpiecesofmotion.Theyreadlikemountainrivers:ragged,rough, fullofrawenergy,dangerous.Theyarealivewithimprovisationalwitand verbalgusto,revealinganagilemindhappilywillingtodwellincontradictionor,ashesays,“remaincontentwithhalfknowledge”(21,27[?]December1817).Keatsnevercommitshisspeculationstothecasketofatheory.A remarkablefactofthelettersisthathismostfamousideas—NegativeCapability,theChameleonPoet,theValeofSoul-making,theMansionof ManyApartments—appearonlyonce.Theyareneitherrepeatedtoother
correspondentsnorformalizedinpublishedessays,butremainprovisional, boundwithinthespecifichumancontextofaletter.
PerhapswhatismostsurprisinganddelightfulaboutKeats’sletters,especiallynexttothepolished,anthology-readygemsofhispoetry,istheirunpredictability.In TheUseofPoetryandtheUseofCriticism, T.S.Eliotremarkedthattheletters“arewhatlettersoughttobe;thefinethingscomein unexpectedly,neitherintroducednorshownout,butbetweentrifleand trifle”(100).Andheisright.Whatissostrikingaboutthefamous“NegativeCapability”letterisnotsomuchthetermitself,thoughithasgeneratedhundredsofpagesofcommentary,asthecasualwayinwhichit emergesoutofthequotidiandetailofKeats’slife.Hegoestoseeaplay, mentionsapublisher’strialforlibel,talksaboutdiningoutwithfriends, andthen—likeathunderclap—“Ihadnotadisputebutadisquisitionwith Dilkeonvarioussubjects;severalthingsdovetailedinmymind,andat onceitstruckmewhatqualitywenttoformaManofAchievementespeciallyinLiteratureandwhichShakespearepossessedsoenormously—I mean NegativeCapability, thatiswhenmaniscapableofbeinginuncertainties,Mysteries,doubts,withoutanyirritablereachingafterfactandreason.”Yetthesentencethatimmediatelyprecedesthisoneismarvelouslyordinary,providingnotaclueofwhatisabouttofollow:“BrownandDilke walkedwithmeandbackfromtheChristmaspantomime”(21,27[?]December1817).
TheproximityofthemundaneandtheprofoundleadstoanothersalientfeatureofKeats’sletters:theirseamlessintegrationofeverydaylife withthelifeofthemind.Todaywehavegrownaccustomedtothinkofintelligenceasnecessitatingaspecialtimeandplace.Thinkingissegregated fromotheractivitiesandhasbecometheuniquepreserveofinstitutions suchastheuniversity,thefoundation,andthe“thinktank,”whereitiscarriedoutbyacamera-friendlyteamof“experts”and“knowledgeworkers.” Inourtimewehavecometowitnessthecompleteprofessionalizationof theintellectaswellastheallotmentofdesignatedtimeto“mentalwork.” Theweekendsarenowreservedforthestrenuousfunthatconstitutesauthenticliving.SuchabeliefmakesKeats’slettersallthemoreastonishing fortheirinsistencethatthereneedbenodistinctionbetweenlivingand
thinking;thatthinking is livingandinfactworksbestwhenittakesits measuredirectlyfromlife.“Axiomsinphilosophy,”hewritestohisfriend JohnHamiltonReynolds,“arenotaxiomsuntiltheyareprovedonour pulses”(3May1818).ThisisoneofthesignsofKeats’shealth:thathecan findnoessentialdifferencebetweenthebodyandthemind,thatsucha splitwouldbeunnatural,andthatthemind’sactivitiesareineverywayas sensuousandexhilaratingasthebody’s.Inthesameletter,Keatsillustrates thedangerofseparatingbodyandmindinametaphorthatsuggestsascene outofDante:“ThedifferenceofhighSensationswithandwithoutknowledgeappearstomethis:inthelattercasewearefallingcontinuallyten thousandfathomsdeepandbeingblownupagainwithoutwingsandwith allthehorrorofabare-shoulderedCreature.Intheformercase,ourshouldersarefledged,andwegothro’thesameairandspacewithoutfear.”Only intandemdo“highSensations”and“knowledge”equipthehumancreaturewithwingscapableofnavigatingtheabyss.
Ifthelettersshownoembarrassmentinminglingseriousideaswithbits ofidlegossip,light-heartedbanter,commentsonwomenandtheweather, theyalsoseemperfectlyateasewiththeinclusionofpoetry—Keats’sown andthatofothers.ForthosewhohaveencounteredKeats’spoemsonlyin weightyanthologies,itisrefreshingtocomeupontheminthiswarmerhumanenvironment.Inthiscontexttheyseemtobreatheagain,totakeon newlifeandinterest.Herethepoemsarenotisolatedaestheticeventsor solemnattemptsatinitiationintothe“TempleofFame”somuchasnatural extensionsofhisordinaryexistence.SomeofKeats’smostsuppleandoriginalsonnets—forexample,“OntheSea,”“OnSittingDowntoRead King Lear OnceAgain,”“Othouwhosefacehathfeltthewinter’swind,”“Four seasonsfillthemeasureoftheyear”—groworganicallyoutofspecificcontexts,reflectingboththepatternsofhisthoughtatthemomentofwriting andtheinterestsofindividualcorrespondents.Hisowncommentaryon workssuchas“TheEveofSt.Agnes”and“LaBelleDamesansMerci”is alsohighlysuggestiveandservestohumanizepoemsthathavebecome dauntinglycanonical.Thehappymarriageofpoetryandproseintheletters tellsusthatforKeats,poetrywasnotajoboracareerbutanecessity,like breathing.“IfindthatIcannotexistwithoutpoetry,withouteternalpo-
etry,”headmitstoReynolds;“halfthedaywillnotdo,thewholeofit.”Poetrybecomesaphysicalappetite,almostanaddiction:“Ibeganwithalittle, buthabithasmademeaLeviathan.”Ifhecannotgethisfix,eitherbyreadingorwritingit,hebecomes“allinaTremble”(17,18April1817).
Thisattitudewillnodoubtsurprisethemodernreaderwhohasbeen taughttoseepoetrylikeKeats’sasaluxury,tobeclassedwithoperaor hautecuisine.Keats’spoetry—seriouspoetry—isnotapartofmostpeople’sworkadaylives.ItisasignofhiscomplexitythatKeatstoocouldshare thisbeliefinpoetryasaneliteclub;indeed,heoncesignedoneofhispoems“Caviare”andwasfondofplayingtheconnoisseur,eventhecollector, ofthebeautiful.Henotes,forinstance,that“thoughaquarrelinthestreets isathingtobehated,theenergiesdisplayedinitarefine”(14February–4May1819),andonhiswalkingtourwithCharlesBrownherelatestohis brotherTomtheirfirstsightofaScottishcountrydancingschool:“There wasasfinearowofboysandgirlsasyoueversaw,somebeautifulfaces,and oneexquisitemouth”(29June,1,2July1818).
ButmoreoftenKeatssawavitalconnectionbetweenpoetryandthe “realworld,”theworldofsufferingandmisfortunethatbesetthoseclosest tohim.“Iamambitiousofdoingtheworldsomegood,”heconfessestohis friendRichardWoodhouse,andhemeant throughhispoetry. Hebeginshis adultlifeintrainingtobeanapothecary,whatwewouldconsidertodaya familydoctor;heendsitdeterminedtobeapoet-physician,healingwith thebalmofhiswords.PoetryiswhatKeatsprescribes,butnotexclusively forspiritualhealth(aswemightdotoday,insistingthatitis“goodforthe soul”);rather,heseesitasgenuinelymedicinalandtherapeutic.InamemorablepassageKeatsconcludestheearlypoem“Istoodtiptoe”withavision ofetherealbreezesreviving“thelanguidsick”astheyliefeverishintheir hospitalbeds.“Springingup,”theseinvalidsawake“cleareyed”togreet theirfriends,theirtongues“loos’dinpoesy.”Thispowerfullyvividimage tellsusthatforKeats,poetrywasbothacurefordisease—thosebreezes beartheburdenofApollo’ssong—andavitalsignofaperson’shealth.
Inhislettersthisassociationofpoetrywithhealthismadeexplicitona numberofoccasions.Thepoemsareconceivednotonlyasdiversionsor amusementsforhisfriends,butalsoasameansofspeedingthetimeand
soothingtheircares.ThepoeticepistletoJ.H.Reynoldsof25March1818, forexample,issent“inhopesofcheering[him]throughaMinuteortwo” and“pleas[ing]”hisfriend,whoisconfinedtohisbed,“sickandill.”Inanotherletterhecallshispoems“Scribblings”andhopesthatthey“willbe someamusementforyouthisEvening”(3February1818),andinyetanotherfeelscontentifhiswordshavebeen“sufficienttoliftalittletimefrom yourShoulders”(19February1818).HeiscontinuallyjottingdownnonsenserhymesforhisbrotherTom,whoisbattlingtuberculosis,andhis youngsister,Fanny,whois“imprisoned”bytheirlegalguardian,Richard Abbey.Anditisclearthatheseesthesepoemsasawayofconsolinghis family,combatingandamelioratingtheirrespectivehardships.
Theepistolarycontextofhispoemsaswellastheirfunctionasantidote suggestsanotherimportantdimensionofKeats’sletters:theirsociability. Thestereotypeoftheisolatedromanticpoet—confinedtosomelonelyhut inthewilds,generatingpoemsinavisionaryfrenzywith“flashingeyes” and“floatinghair”—couldhardlybelessappropriateforKeats.Heisgenial andgregarious,inseparablefromthetightnetworkofhisfriends.Hegoes toplays,publiclectures,dinnerparties,dances,exhibitions,picturegalleries,concerts,“claretfeasts,”evenboxingmatchesandbear-baitings.Heis alwaysdiningwiththeBrawnesortheDilkes,goingto“routs”atthe Reynoldses’,visitingHaydon’sstudioortheBritishMuseumwithSevern, attendingHazlitt’slectures,orrecitinghispoetryforBaileyorWordsworth. HecutsshorthisfirstsojournattheIsleofWight(wherehehadrepairedto write Endymion)becausehe“wastoomuchinSolitude,andconsequently wasobligedtobeincontinualburningofthoughtasanonlyresource”(10 May1817),andayearlaterconfidestoReynolds,“Icouldnotlivewithout theloveofmyfriends”(9April1818).
Althoughliterarycriticshaverecentlystressedthepoliticalaspectof Keats’slifeandthought,itisimportanttorememberthatKeatshimselffelt that“thefirstpoliticaldutyaManoughttohaveaMindtoisthehappiness ofhisfriends”(17–27September1819).Thathisfriendsfeltthesameway abouthimispoignantlyillustratedinanunpublishedletterof4December 1820WilliamHaslamsenttoJosephSevern,whowasministeringtohisdyingcompanioninItaly:“Keatsmustgethimselfagain,Severn,ifbutforus.
Iforonecannotaffordtolosehim.IfIknowwhatitistolove,Itrulylove JohnKeats.”ThissortofdevotionspeakswellbothofHaslamandof Keats’sotherclosefriends,whoeventuallywintheirowncollectivefameas the“KeatsCircle.”
Keatsoccasionallyyearnedforsolitude,itistrue.Heannouncesto GeorgeandGeorgianathathewillnevermarry,andinabeautifullyevocativeimagesaysthat“theroaringofthewindismywifeandtheStars throughthewindowpanearemyChildren”(14–31October1818).Butitis onlyinhislastyearthathebeginstosequesterhimself,andthisismorethe resultoffinancialdistressandtheburdenofhisillnessthananypermanent streakofmisanthropyinhischaracter.Inhealth,Keats’ssensibilitywasprofoundlysocial.Evenwhenhedecidestoembarkonawell-deservedwalking tourwithCharlesBrowninthesummerof1818,hefeelssomeguiltatabandoninghisfriends;ashesaystoMrs.Wylie,“Itwasagreatregrettome thatIshouldleaveallmyfriendsjustatthemomentwhenImighthave helpedtosoftenawaythetimeforthem”(6August1818).
Itismorethanameasureofcompensation,however,thatthetouritself takesonthecharacterofalargerhumanitarianmission.Keatsvowstohis brotherTomthatheshall“learnpoetryhereandshallhenceforthwrite morethanever,fortheabstractendeavourofbeingabletoaddamiteto thatmassofbeautywhichisharvestedfromthesegrandmaterialsbythe finestspiritsandputintoetherealexistencefortherelishofone’sfellows” (25–27June1818).ForKeatsthe“abstractendeavour”ofartisalwaystemperedby“therelishofone’sfellows”;thepursuitofbeautyalwaysfulfillsa socialobligationthatbenefitshumanity.ItisnotfornothingthatKeats callsbothMiltonandtheGrecianUrnthe“friend[s]ofman.”Norisitaccidentalthathisfamousprediction—“IthinkIshallbeamongtheEnglish Poetsaftermydeath”—pivotsontheword among, asifimmortalitywerea congenialgatheringofgeniusesratherthanarowofmarblebusts.
Keats’sconceptionoffameissimilarlyinflectedbythissocialimperative. Hewasalwayssaddenedbythequarrelsofhisfriendsandfrequentlytried toreconcilethem,butnothingdepressedhimmorethanthebickeringof artists.HewritestoBenjaminBaileythatheis“quitedisgustedwithliteraryMen”becausetheyenvyoneanother’sworkandasaresultarecon-
stantly“atLoggerheads”(8October1817).Keatsseesfamenotastheculminationofacompetitivestruggle,orastheimageofaglorioustrophyheld aloftinindividualtriumph,butratherasanaestheticheavenwheregreat spiritsmayconversewithoneanother.“SonowintheNameofShakespeare,Raphael,andallourSaints,”heconcludesalettertoHaydon,“I commendyoutothecareofheaven!”(10,11May1817).Nomatterhow much“Minds[will]leaveeachotherincontrarydirections,traverseeach otherinNumberlesspoints,”hemusesinanotherletter,theywillnevertheless“greeteachotherattheJourney’send”(19February1818).Suchcamaraderieadvocatesthe“gregarious advanceofintellect”(3May1818,my emphasis)whileexposing—forKeatsatleast—thebankruptcyofthe“egotisticalsublime.”
Evenasheisdyingofconsumption,ittestifiestothefundamentallysocialcharacterofhismindthatthegenialKeatsreturns.Thelastsentenceof hiswill,providedtohispublisherJohnTaylorbeforehesailedforItaly, reads,“MyChestofBooksdivideamongmyfriends”(14August1820). AndhesignsoffhisfinallettertoCharlesBrownbyadmittingthathe“alwaysmadeanawkwardbow”(30November1820),asifevenintheendhe wastryingtoclosethegapbetweenletterandlife,writeagesturethat wouldplacehimforonelastmomentinthephysicalpresenceofhisfriend. Itispreciselythe awkwardness ofthisfinalbow—especiallycomingfrom thePoetofBeauty—thatlendsitsomuchquietgrace.
Itwouldbeamistaketoconcludefromtheseexamplesthatbecause Keatswassogenerousandwarm-hearted,hewasalsoconsistentlyamiableoroverlycompliant.Infact,hewaspossessedofafierytemperand couldgetmagnificentlypissedoff.Commentatorshavepolitelyignored thissideoftheman,perhapsbecauseitdoesnotsquarewiththenoble Keatsof“exquisitemanners”and“profoundtolerance”thatLionelTrilling hasportrayed,orperhapsbecauseitisdifficulttoreconciletheperson whoclaimedthathewould“jumpdownAetnaforanygreatPublicgood” (9April1818)withtheonewhoremarksbitterlythathelikes“man”but hates“Men.”ButtheKeatswhoconfessesto“theviolenceofmytemperament”(14February–4May1819)isaveryrealpresenceintheletters,and weignorehimattheriskofpaintinganidealizedorsanitizedportrait.
Intruth,Keatshadagreatcapacityforanger,particularlywhenitcame toactsofinjusticeagainstothers.WhenhelearnsthathisfriendBenjamin Bailey’scuracyhasbeendelayedbecauseofsnobbery,forexample,hecan hardlycontainhisrage:“Thereissomethingsonauseousinself-willed yawningimpudenceintheshapeofconscience,itsinkstheBishopofLincolnintoasmashedfrogputrifying.Thatarebelagainstcommondecency shouldescapethePillory!ThatamitreshouldcoveraManguiltyofthe mostcoxcombical,tyrannicalandindolentimpertinence!”(3November 1817).This“Keats-likerhodomontade”(19,20September1819),asoneof hisfriendscalledit,goesonforanotherpage.Hedemonstratessimilar loathingforthefigureoftheparson,who“isanHippocritetotheBeliever andaCowardtotheunbeliever”and“mustbeeitheraKnaveoranIdeot” (14February–4May1819),andhevehementlydamnstheScottishChurch eldersforbanishing“punsandlaughingandkissing”inordertocreate“regularPhalangesofsaversandgainers”(7July1818).Inotherlettershevents hisspleenonthepublic,Devonshiremen,thecaretakerofBurns’scottage (“Ihatetherascal...heisa mahogany-facedoldJackasswhoknew Burns”),andbluestockingwomenwriters,whomhedecriesas“asetof DevilswhomIdetestsomuchthatIalmosthungerafteranacheronticpromotiontoaTorturerpurposefullyfortheiraccommodation”(21September 1817).
Keatssavesthebruntofhiswrath,however,forCharlesWells,theperpetratorofaromantichoaxagainsthisbrotherTom.Thoughthemanwho impersonatedAmenaBellafilainaseriesoftrumped-uplovelettersno doubtmeantthewholeaffairasapracticaljoke,Keatswasfuriousatthe deceptionandcalledita“diabolicalscheme.”Whatmostenragedhimwas thatitwascarriedout“witheveryshowoffriendship,”exploitingTom’s openandgenerousnature.Itisthismanipulationofthesacredbondof friendshipthatelicitsanireappearingnowhereelseinKeats’sletters:“Ido notthinkdeathtoobadforthevillain,”hewritestohisbrotherandsisterin-law.“Iconsideritmydutytobeprudentlyrevengeful.Iwillhangover hisheadlikeaswordbyahair.Iwillbeopiumtohisvanity,ifIcannotinjurehisinterests.Heisaratandheshallhaveratsbanetohisvanity.Iwill harmhimallIpossiblycan.IhavenodoubtIshallbeabletodoso.Letus
leavehimtomiseryaloneexceptwhenwecanthrowinalittlemore” (14February–4May1819).ThisisKeats’s“incendiaryspirit”withavengeance;itisthereadypugilistwhoasafive-year-oldboyreputedlydefendedhismother’ssickroomwithasword,“clench’d”hisfistagainsthis masterThomasHammond,andknockeddownanusherwhohadboxed hisbrother’searsatschool.
Ifweacknowledgethismoreexplosivesideofhischaracter,weneedalso cometotermswiththosetroublingmomentsinKeats’slettersthatcommentatorshaveconspicuouslyoverlooked.Becausetheyhavelaidsomuch stressontheintellectualstrainofhismind,influentialcriticssuchasA.C. Bradley,T.S.Eliot,andLionelTrillinghaveignoredthedarkerKeats,the manwhocouldberash,cruel,unreasonable,jealous,intolerant,misogynistic,andevenanti-Semitic.Thesequalitiessimplydonotsquarewiththe manof“moralenergy”and“firmnessofcharacter”whohasbeenpromoted inthelasthalfcentury.Infact,aremarkablefeatureofTrilling’shighlysuccessfulpaperbackeditionoftheselectedlettersisitscompleteomissionof anypassagethatmightcontradicthisportraitofKeatsasthe“Poet-Hero.” Entireparagraphssimplydisappearfromtheletterswithouteditorialcomment.
Suchisthecaseaswellwiththesequenceofnotesandlovelettersthat Keatssenttohisfiancée,FannyBrawne,whichwerenotpublisheduntil 1878andthencreatedastormofcontroversy.Althoughtheynowformpart ofanylegitimateeditionoftheletters,thissequencehasbeenalmostcompletelyignoredbyscholars.EvenasperceptiveareaderasW.H.Auden confessesthatheis“sorrythattheywerenotpublishedanonymously.”Afterquotingafewofthemoredistastefulpassages,hethenattemptstocordonthemofflikeacrimescene:“AnydiscussionofKeats’sletters,therefore, shouldconfineitselftothosewrittenbeforeFebruary3,1820.”Theseare thetextsthatembarrassacademiccriticsnotonlybecausetheycuttooclose tothebonebutalsobecausetheythwarttheattempttoenshrineKeatsas secularhumanistandgentleman,amanof“generosity”and“exquisite manners.”Aswehaveseen,Keatswascertainlypossessedofthesequalities, buthecouldalsobeimperiousandantisocial,self-pityingandsuspicious. “IencloseapassagefromoneofyourLetterswhichIwantyoutoalteralit-
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Title: The art of decorating dry goods windows and interiors
A complete manual of window trimming, designed as an educator in all the details of the art, according to the best accepted methods, and treating fully every important subject
Author: L. Frank Baum
Release date: May 11, 2024 [eBook #73606]
Language: English
Original publication: Chicago: The Show Window Publishing Company, 1900
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