My dear Reynolds--My Brothers are anxious that I should go by myself into the country--they have always been extremely fond of me, and now that Haydon has pointed out how necessary it is that I should be alone to improve myself, they give up the temporary pleasure of living with me continually for a great good which I hope will follow. So I shall soon be out of Town. You must soon bring all your present troubles to a close, and so must I, but we must, like the Fox, prepare for a fresh swarm of flies. Banish money--Banish sofas--Banish Wine--Banish Music; but right Jack Health, honest Jack Health, true Jack Health--Banish health and banish all the world. I must ... if I come this evening, I shall horribly commit myself elsewhere. So I will send my excuses to them and Mrs. Dilke by my brothers. Your sincere friend JOHN KEATS. VII.--TO GEORGE AND THOMAS KEATS. [Southampton,] Tuesday Morn [April 15, 1817]. My dear Brothers--I am safe at Southampton--after having ridden three stages outside and the rest in for it began to be very cold. I did not know the Names of any of the Towns I passed through--all I can tell you is that sometimes I saw dusty Hedges--sometimes Ponds--then nothing--then a little Wood with trees look you like Launce's Sister "as white as a Lily and as small as a Wand"--then came houses which died away into a few straggling Barns--then came hedge trees aforesaid again. As the Lamplight crept along the following things were discovered--"long heath broom furze"--Hurdles here and there half a Mile--Park palings when the Windows of a House were always discovered by reflection--One Nymph of Fountain--_N.B. Stone_--lopped Trees--Cow ruminating--ditto Donkey--Man and Woman going gingerly along--William seeing his Sisters over the Heath--John waiting with a Lanthorn for his Mistress--Barber's Pole--Doctor's Shop--However after having had my fill of these I popped my Head out just as it began to Dawn--_N.B. this Tuesday Morn saw the Sun rise_--of which I shall say nothing at present. I felt rather lonely this Morning at Breakfast so I went and unbox'd a Shakspeare--"There's my Comfort."[11] I went immediately after Breakfast to Southampton Water where I enquired for the Boat to the Isle of Wight as I intend seeing that place before I settle--it will go at 3, so shall I after having taken a Chop. I know nothing of this place but that it is long--tolerably broad--has bye streets--two or three Churches--a very respectable old Gate with two Lions to guard it. The Men and Women do not materially differ from those I have been in the Habit of seeing. I forgot to say that from dawn till half-past six I went through a most delightful Country--some open Down but for the most part thickly wooded. What surprised me most was an immense quantity of blooming Furze on each side the road cutting a most rural dash. The Southampton water when I saw it just now was no better than a low Water Water which did no more than answer my expectations--it