And there by Zephyrs streams and birds and bees A rosy Sanctuary will I dress With the wreath'd trellis of a working brain; Who breeding flowers will never breed the same- A bright torch and a casement ope at night Here endethe ye Ode to Psyche. Incipit altera Sonneta I have been endeavouring to discover a better Sonnet Stanza than we have. The legitimate does not suit the language over well from the pouncing rhymes-the other kind appears too elegiac-and the couplet at the end of it has seldom a pleasing effect-I do not pretend to have succeeded-it will explain itself. If by dull rhymes our English must be chained, Fetter'd, in spite of pained Loveliness; Let us inspect the lyre, and weigh the stress Jealous of dead leaves in the bay wreath crown, She will be bound with Garlands of her own. [May 3.] This is the third of May, and everything is in delightful forwardness; the violets are not withered before the peeping of the first rose. You must let me know every thing-how parcels go and come, what papers you have, and what newspapers you want, and other things. God bless you, my dear brother and sister. Your ever affectionate Brother JOHN KEATS. XCIII.-TO FANNY KEATS. Wentworth Place. Saturday Morn. [Postmark, February 27, 1819.] My dear Fanny-I intended to have not failed to do as you requested, and write you as you say once a fortnight. On looking to your letter I find there is no date ; and not knowing how long it is since I received it I do not precisely know how great a sinner I am. I am getting quite well, and Mrs. Dilke is getting on pretty well. You must pay no attention to Mrs. Abbey's unfeeling and ignorant gabble. You can't stop an old woman's crying more than you can a Child's. The old woman is the greatest nuisance because she is too old for the rod. Many people live opposite a Blacksmith's till they cannot hear the hammer. I have been in Town for two or three days and came back last night. I have been a little concerned at not hearing from George-I continue in daily expectation. Keep on reading and play as much on the music and the grassplot as you can. I should like to take possession of those Grassplots for a Month or so; and send Mrs. A. to Town to count coffee berries instead of currant Bunches, for I want you to teach me a few common dancing steps-and I would buy a Watch box to practise them in by myself. I think I had better always pay the postage of these Letters. I shall send you another book the first time I am in Town early enough to book it with one of the morning Walthamstow Coaches. You did not say a word about your Chillblains. Write me directly and let me know about them-Your Letter shall be answered like an echo. Your affectionate Brother JOHN XCIV. TO FANNY KEATS. Wentworth Place, March 13 [1819]. My dear Fanny-I have been employed lately in writing to George-I do not send him very short letters, but keep on day after day. There were some young Men I think I told you of who were going to the Settlement: they have changed their minds, and I am disappointed in my expectation of sending Letters by them.-I went lately to the only dance I have been to these twelve months or shall go to for twelve months again—it was to our Brother in law's cousin's-She gave a dance for her Birthday and I went for the sake of Mrs. Wylie. I am waiting every day to hear from George-I trust there is no harm in the silence: other people are in the same expectation as we are. On looking at your seal I cannot tell whether it is done or not with a Tassie-it seems to me to be paste. As I went through Leicester Square lately I was going to call and buy you some, but not knowing but you might have some I would not run the chance of buying duplicates. Tell me if you have any or if you would like any-and whether you would rather have motto ones like that with which I seal this letter; or heads of great Men such as Shakspeare, Milton, etc.— or fancy pieces of Art; such as Fame, Adonis, etc.—those gentry you read of at the end of the English Dictionary. Tell me also if you want any particular Book; or Pencils, or drawing paper-anything but live stock. Though I will not now be very severe on it, remembering how fond I used to be of Goldfinches, Tomtits, Minnows, Mice, Ticklebacks, Dace, Cock salmons and all the whole tribe of the Bushes and the Brooks: but verily they are better in the Trees and the water-though I must confess even now a partiality for a handsome Globe of gold-fish-then I would have it hold 10 pails of water and be fed continually fresh through a cool pipe with another pipe to let through the floor-well ventilated they would preserve all their beautiful silver and Crimson. Then I would put it before a handsome painted window and shade it all round with myrtles and Japonicas. I should like the window to open onto the Lake of Geneva-and there I'd sit and read all day like the picture of somebody reading. The weather now and then begins to feel like spring; and therefore I have begun my walks on the heath again. Mrs. Dilke is getting better than she has been as she has at length taken a Physician's advice. She ever and anon asks after you and always bids me remember her in my Letters to you. She is going to leave Hampstead for the sake of educating their son Charles at the Westminster School. We (Mr. Brown and I) shall leave in the beginning of May; I do not know what I shall do or where be all the next summer. Mrs. Reynolds has had a sick house; but they are all well now. You see what news I can send you I do-we all live one day like the other as well as you do the only difference is being sick and well-with the variations of single and double knocks, and the story of a dreadful fire in the Newspapers. I mentioned Mr. Brown's name -yet I do not think I ever said a word about him to you. He is a friend of mine of two years' standing, with whom I walked through Scotland: who has been very kind to me in many things when I most wanted his assistance and with whom I keep house till the first of May-you will know him some day. The name of the young Man who came with me is William Haslam. Ever your affectionate Brother JOHN. XCV. TO FANNY KEATS. [Postmark, Hampstead, March 24, 1819.] My dear Fanny-It is impossible for me to call on you to-day-for I have particular Business at the other end of the Town this morning, and must be back to Hampstead with all speed to keep a long agreed on appointment. To-morrow I shall see you. Your affectionate Brother JOHN XCVI.-TO JOSEPH SEVERN. Wentworth Place, Monday Aft. [March 29? 1819]. My dear Severn-Your note gave me some pain, not on my own account, but on yours. Of course I should never suffer any petty vanity of mine to hinder you in any wise; and therefore I should say "put the miniature in the exhibition " if only myself was to be hurt. But, will it not hurt you? What good can it do to any future picture. Even a large picture is lost in that canting place-what a drop of water in the ocean is a Miniature. Those who might chance to see it for the most part if they had ever heard of either of us and know what we were and of what years would laugh at the puff of the one and the vanity of the other. I am however in these matters a very bad judge-and would advise you to act in a way that appears to yourself the best for your interest. As your "Hermia and Helena" is finished send that without the prologue of a Miniature. I shall see you soon, if you do not pay me a visit sooner there's a Bull for you. Yours ever sincerely JOHN KEATS. XCVII.-TO FANNY KEATS. Wentworth Place [April 13, 1819]. My dear Fanny—I have been expecting a Letter from you about what the Parson said to your answers. I have thought also of writing to you often, and I am sorry to confess that my neglect of it has been but a small instance of my idleness of late—which has been growing upon me, so that it will require a great shake to get rid of it. I have written nothing and almost read nothing --but I must turn over a new leaf. One most discouraging thing hinders me—we have no news yet from George -so that I cannot with any confidence continue the Letter I have been preparing for him. Many are in the |