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C.

To BENJAMIN ROBERT HAYDON.

My dear Haydon,

Wentworth Place

Thursday Morning [17 June 1819].

I know you will not be prepared for this, because your Pocket must needs be very low having been at ebb tide so long: but what can I do? mine is lower. I was the day before yesterday much in want of Money: but some news I had yesterday has driven me into necessity. I went to Abbey's for some Cash, and he put into my hand a letter from my Aunt's Solicitor containing the pleasant information that she was, about to file a Bill in Chancery against us. Now in case of a defeat Abbey will be very undeservedly in the wrong box; so I could not ask him for any more money, nor can I till the affair is decided; and if it goes against him I must in conscience make over to him what little he may have remaining. My purpose is now to make one more attempt in the Press-if that fail, "ye hear no more of me" as

The original manuscript of this letter is wafered into Haydon's journal on the next leaf to that whereto the letters of the 12th and 13th of April are fastened. This one has an imperfect postmark: the day of the month is 17-the year 1819; and there can be no doubt the month is June. The circumstances are clearly those detailed in the previous letter to his sister, which, as clearly, comes after the one postmarked the 14th of June and before that of the 6th of July from Shanklin. It will be borne in mind that Keats was only seeking from Haydon the return of money lent: that the correspondence already given eventuated in a small loan to Haydon there can be no doubt, seeing that Keats gives his brother an account of the affair later on, in the Winchester journal—letter of September 1819.

Chaucer says. Brown has lent me some money for the present. Do borrow or beg some how what you can for me. Do not suppose I am at all uncomfortable about the matter in any other way than as it forces me to apply to the needy. I could not send you those lines, for I could not get the only copy of them before last Saturday evening. I sent them Mr. Elmes on Monday. I saw Monkhouse on Sunday-he told me you were getting on with the Picture. I would have come over to you to day, but I am fully employed—

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I have just received another Letter from George— full of as good news as we can expect. I cannot inclose it to you as I could wish because it contains matters of Business to which I must for a Week to come have an immediate reference. I think I told you the purpose for which I retired to this place-to try the fortune of my Pen once more, and indeed I have some confidence

(CI) Between the last letter to Haydon and this to his sister may be read the first of the Fanny Brawne series, written on the 1st of July.

in my success: but in every event, believe me my dear sister, I shall be sufficiently comfortable, as, if I cannot lead that life of competence and society I should wish, I have enough knowledge of my gallipots to ensure me an employment and maintenance. The Place I am in now I visited once before' and a very pretty place it is were it not for the bad weather. Our window looks over house-tops and Cliffs onto the Sea, so that when the Ships sail past the Cottage chimneys you may take them for weathercocks. We have Hill and Dale, forest and Mead, and plenty of Lobsters. I was on the Portsmouth Coach the Sunday before last in that heavy showerand I may say I went to Portsmouth by water—I got a little cold, and as it always flies to my throat I am a little out of sorts that way. There were on the Coach with me some common French people but very well behaved-there was a woman amongst them to whom the poor Men in ragged coats were more gallant than ever I saw gentleman to Lady at a Ball. When we got down to walk up hill-one of them pick'd a rose, and on remounting gave it to the woman with 'Ma'mselle voila une bell[e] rose!' I am so hard at work that perhaps I should not have written to you for a day or two if George's Letter had not diverted my attention to the interests and pleasure of those I love and ever believe that when I do not behave punctually it is from a very necessary occupation, and that my silence is no proof of my not thinking of you, or that I want more than a gentle fillip' to bring your image with every claim before me. You have never seen mountains, or I might tell you that the hill at Steephill is I think almost

1 In April 1817: see Letter VII.
2 In the original, philip.

of as much consequence as Mount Rydal on Lake Winander. Bonchurch too is a very delightful Placeas I can see by the Cottages, all romantic-covered with creepers and honeysuckles, with roses and eglantines peeping in at the windows. Fit abodes for the People I guess live in them, romantic old maids fond of novels, or soldiers' widows with a pretty jointure—or any body's widows or aunts or anythings given to Poetry and a Piano-forte-as far as in 'em lies-as people say. If I could play upon the Guitar I might make my fortune with an old song-and get t[w]o blessings at once-a Lady's heart and the Rheumatism. But I am almost afraid to peep at those little windows-for a pretty window should show a pretty face, and as the world goes chances are against me. I am living with a very good fellow indeed, a Mr. Rice. He is unfortunately labouring under a complaint which has for some years been a burthen to him. This is a pain to me. He has a greater tact in speaking to people of the village than I have, and in those matters is a great amusement as well as good friend to me. He bought a ham the other day for say[s] he 'Keats, I don't think a Ham is a wrong thing to have in a house.' Write to me, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, as soon as you can; for a Letter is a great treat to me here-believing me ever

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The letter of the 8th of July 1819 to Fanny Brawne precedes chronologically the next letter of the present series.

CII.

To JOHN HAMILTON REYNOLDS.

Shanklin,
12 July 1819.

You will be glad to hear, under my own hand, (though Rice says we are like Sauntering Jack and Idle Joe,) how diligent I have been, and am being. I have finished the act, and in the interval of beginning the second have proceeded pretty well with "Lamia," finishing the first part, which consists of about four hundred lines. *** I have great hopes of success, because I make use of my judgment more deliberately than I have yet done; but in case of failure with the world, I shall find my content. And here (as I know you have my good at heart as much as a brother), I can only repeat to you what I have said to George-that however I should like to enjoy what the competencies of life procure, I am in no wise dashed at a different prospect.1 I have spent too many thoughtful days, and moralized through too many nights for that, and fruitless would they be indeed, if they did not, by degrees, make me look upon the affairs of the world with a healthy deliberation. I have of late been moulting:—not for fresh feathers and wings, they are gone, and in their stead I hope to have a pair of patient sublunary legs. I have altered, not from a chrysalis into a butterfly, but the contrary; having two little loopholes, whence I may look out into the stage of the

1 This is very much what he had said also to his sister, in the letter of the 6th of July.

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