a Mawkish Popularity. them. My glory would be to daunt and dazzle the thousand jabberers about Pictures and Books—I see swarms of Porcupines with their Quills erect "like limetwigs set to catch my Winged Book," and I would fright them away with a torch. You will say my Preface is not much of a Torch. It would have been too insulting "to begin from Jove," and I could not set a golden head upon a thing of clay. If there is any fault in the Preface it is not affectation, but an undersong of disrespect to the Public-if I write another Preface it must be done without a thought of those people-I will think about it. If it should not reach you in four or five days, tell Taylor to publish it without a Preface, and let the Dedication simply stand-" inscribed to the Memory of Thomas Chatterton."

I cannot be subdued before

I had resolved last night to write to you this morning -I wish it had been about something else—something to greet you towards the close of your long illness. I have had one or two intimations of your going to Hampstead for a space; and I regret to see your confounded Rheumatism keeps you in Little Britain where I am sure the air is too confined. Devonshire continues rainy. As the drops beat against the window, they give me the same sensation as a quart of cold water offered to revive a half-drowned devil-no feel of the clouds dropping fatness; but as if the roots of the earth were rotten, cold, and drenched. I have not been able to go to Kent's cave at Babbicombe-however on one very beautiful day I had a fine clamber over the rocks all along as far as that place. I shall be in Town in about Ten days.

go by way of Bath on purpose to call on Bailey. I hope soon to be writing to you about the things of the north, purposing to wayfare all over those parts. I have set..ed my accoutrements in my own mind, and will go

to gorge wonders. However, we'll have some days together before I set out.

I have many reasons for going wonder-ways: to make my winter chair free from spleen-to enlarge my vision -to escape disquisitions on Poetry and Kingston Criticism;' to promote digestion and economize shoe-leather. I'll have leather buttons and belt; and, if Brown holds his mind, over the Hills we go. If my Books will help me to it, then will I take all Europe in turn, and see the Kingdoms of the Earth and the glory of them. Tom is getting better, he hopes you may meet him at the top o' the hill. My love to your nurses.

I am ever

Your affectionate Friend

John Keats.

L.

To JOHN HAMILTON REYNOLDS.

My dear Reynolds,

Teignmouth,

Friday [10 April 1818].

I am anxious you should find this Preface tolerable. If there is an affectation in it 'tis natural to me. Do let the printer's devil cook it, and let me be as "the casing air."

You are too good in this Matter-were I in your state, I am certain I should have no thought but of discontent and illness—I might though be taught patience: I had an idea of giving no Preface; however, don't you think this had better go? O, let it-one should not be too timid-of committing faults.

1 The reference may be to the Kingston whom Keats had met at Horace Smith's (see page 56), a Commissioner of Stamps.

The climate here weighs us down completely; Tom is quite low-spirited. It is impossible to live in a country which is continually under hatches. Who would live in a region of Mists, Game Laws, indemnity Bills, &c., when there is such a place as Italy? It is said this England from its Clime produces a Spleen, able to engender the finest Sentiments, and cover the whole face of the isle with Green-so it ought, I'm sure.—I should still like the Dedication simply, as I said in my last.

I wanted to send you a few songs, written in your favorite Devon-it cannot be-Rain! Rain! Rain! I am going this morning to take a facsimile of a Letter of Nelson's, very much to his honour-you will be greatly pleased when you see it-in about a week. What a spite it is one cannot get out-the little way I went yesterday, I found a lane banked on each side with store of Primroses, while the earlier bushes are beginning to leaf.

I shall hear a good account of you soon.

Your affectionate friend

John Keats

My Love to all and remember me to Taylor.

My dear Taylor,

LI.

To JOHN TAYLOR.

Teignmouth, Friday [24 April 1818].

I think I did wrong to leave to you all the trouble of Endymion-But I could not help it then-another time I shall be more bent to all sorts of troubles and disagreeables. Young men for some time have an idea that

such a thing as happiness is to be had, and therefore are extremely impatient under any unpleasant restraining. In time, however, of such stuff is the world about them, they know better, and instead of striving from uneasiness, greet it as an habitual sensation, a pannier which is to weigh upon them through life. And in proportion to my disgust at the task is my sense of your kindness and anxiety. The book pleased me much. It is very free from faults; and, although there are one or two words I should wish replaced, I see in many places an improvement greatly to the purpose.

I think those speeches which are related-those parts where the Speaker repeats a speech, such as Glaucus's repetition of Circe's words, should have inverted commas to every line. In this there is a little confusion. If we divide the speeches into identical and related; to the former put merely one inverted comma at the beginning and another at the end; to the latter inverted commas before every line, the book will be better understood at the first glance-Look at pages 126, 127, you will find in the 3 line the beginning of a related speech marked thus "Ah! art awake-" while, at the same time, in the next page the continuation of the identical speech is marked in the same manner "young man of Latmos"you will find on the other side all the parts which should have inverted commas to every line.

I was proposing to travel over the North this summer. There is but one thing to prevent me.-I know nothing -I have read nothing—and I mean to follow Solomon's directions, "Get learning-get understanding." I find earlier days are gone by-I find that I can have no enjoyment in the world but continual drinking of knowledge. I find there is no worthy pursuit but the idea of doing some good to the world. Some do it with their society-some with their wit-some with their benevo