'You may announce for publication a poem entitled _Adonais_. It is a
lament on the death of poor Keats, with some interspersed stabs on the
assassins of his peace and of his fame; and will be preceded by a
criticism on _Hyperion_, asserting the due claims which that fragment
gives him to the rank which I have assigned him. My poem is finished,
and consists of about forty Spenser stanzas [fifty-five as published]. I
shall send it to you, either printed at Pisa, or transcribed in such a
manner as it shall be difficult for the reviser to leave such errors as
assist the obscurity of the _Prometheus_. But in case I send it printed,
it will be merely that mistakes may be avoided. I shall only have a few
copies struck off in the cheapest manner. If you have interest enough in
the subject, I could wish that you enquired of some of the friends and
relations of Keats respecting the circumstances of his death, and could
transmit me any information you may be able to collect; and especially
as [to] the degree in which (as I am assured) the brutal attack in the
_Quarterly Review_ excited the disease by which he perished.'
The criticism which Shelley intended to write on _Hyperion_ remained, to
all appearance, unwritten. It will be seen, from the letter of Shelley
to Mr. Severn cited further on (p. 34), that, from the notion of writing
a criticism on _Hyperion_ to precede _Adonais_, his intention developed
into the project of writing a criticism and biography of Keats in
general, to precede a volume of his entire works; but that, before the
close of November, the whole scheme was given up, on the ground that it
would produce no impression on an unregardful public.
In another letter to Ollier, 11 June, the poet says: 'Adonais is
finished, and you will soon receive it. It is little adapted for
popularity, but is perhaps the least imperfect of my compositions.'
Shelley on 16 June caused his Elegy to be printed in Pisa, 'with the
types of Didot': a small quarto, and a handsome one (notwithstanding his
project of cheapness); the introductory matter filling five pages, and
the poem itself going on from p. 7 to p. 25. It appeared in blue paper
wrappers, with a woodcut of a basket of flowers within an ornamental
border. Its price was three and sixpence: of late years £40 has been
given for it--perhaps more. Up to 13 July only one copy had reached the
author's hands: this he then sent on to the Gisbornes, at Leghorn. Some
copies of the Pisa edition were afterwards put into circulation in
London: there was no separate English edition. The Gisbornes having
acknowledged the Elegy with expressions of admiration, the poet replied
as follows:
'Bagni [di Pisa], July 19.
'MY DEAREST FRIENDS,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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