Keats, John, 1795-1821; Poets, English -- 19th century -- Biography
The fit of dejection which led to the remark above quoted had its
immediate cause in apprehensions of money difficulties conveyed to Keats
in a letter from his brother George. The trust funds of which Mr Abbey had
the disposal for the benefit of the orphans, under the deed executed by
Mrs Jennings, amounted approximately to £8,000[26], of which the capital
was divisible among them on their coming of age, and the interest was to
be applied to their maintenance in the meantime. But the interest of
John's share had been insufficient for his professional and other expenses
during his term of medical study at Edmonton and London, and much of his
capital had been anticipated to meet them; presumably in the form of loans
raised on the security of his expectant share. Similar advances had also
been for some time necessary to the invalid Tom for his support, and
latterly--since he left the employment of Mr Abbey--to George as well. It
is clear that the arrangements for obtaining these advances were made both
wastefully and grudgingly. It is further plain that the brothers were very
insufficiently informed of the state of their affairs. In the meantime
John Keats was already beginning to discount his expectations from
literature. Before or about the time of his rupture with the Olliers, he
had made the acquaintance of those excellent men, Messrs Taylor and
Hessey, who were shortly, as publishers of the _London Magazine_, to
gather about them on terms of cordial friendship a group of contributors
comprising more than half the choicest spirits of the day. With them,
especially with Mr Taylor, who was himself a student and writer of
independent, somewhat eccentric ability and research, Keats's relations
were excellent from first to last, generous on their part, and
affectionate and confidential on his. He had made arrangements with them,
apparently before leaving London, for the eventual publication of
_Endymion_, and from Margate we find him acknowledging a first payment
received in advance. Now and again afterwards he turns to the same friends
for help at a pinch, adding once, "I am sure you are confident of my
responsibility, and of the sense of squareness that is always in me;" nor
did they at any time belie his expectation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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