What think you of this? Let me hear. I shall have my second Book in readiness forthwith. Yours most sincerely JOHN KEATS. If Reynolds calls tell him three lines will be acceptable, for I am squat at Hampstead. XXX.--TO GEORGE AND THOMAS KEATS. [Hampstead,] Friday 23d January [1818]. My dear Brothers--I was thinking what hindered me from writing so long, for I have so many things to say to you, and know not where to begin. It shall be upon a thing most interesting to you, my Poem. Well! I have given the first Book to Taylor; he seemed more than satisfied with it, and to my surprise proposed publishing it in Quarto if Haydon would make a drawing of some event therein, for a Frontispiece. I called on Haydon, he said he would do anything I liked, but said he would rather paint a finished picture, from it, which he seems eager to do; this in a year or two will be a glorious thing for us; and it will be, for Haydon is struck with the 1st Book. I left Haydon and the next day received a letter from him, proposing to make, as he says, with all his might, a finished chalk sketch of my head, to be engraved in the first style and put at the head of my Poem, saying at the same time he had never done the thing for any human being, and that it must have considerable effect as he will put his name to it--I begin to-day to copy my 2nd Book--"thus far into the bowels of the land"--You shall hear whether it will be Quarto or non Quarto, picture or non picture. Leigh Hunt I showed my 1st Book to--he allows it not much merit as a whole; says it is unnatural and made ten objections to it in the mere skimming over. He says the conversation is unnatural and too high-flown for Brother and Sister--says it should be simple forgetting do ye mind that they are both overshadowed by a supernatural Power, and of force could not speak like Francesca in the Rimini. He must first prove that Caliban's poetry is unnatural--This with me completely overturns his objections--the fact is he and Shelley are hurt, and perhaps justly, at my not having showed them the affair officiously and from several hints I have had they appear much disposed to dissect and anatomise any trip or slip I may have made.--But who's afraid? Ay! Tom! Demme if I am. I went last Tuesday, an hour too late, to Hazlitt's Lecture on poetry, got there just as they were coming out, when all these pounced upon me. Hazlitt, John Hunt and Son, Wells, Bewick, all the Landseers, Bob Harris, aye and more--the Landseers enquired after you particularly--I know not whether Wordsworth has left town--But Sunday I dined with Hazlitt and Haydon, also that I took Haslam with me--I dined with Brown lately. Dilke having taken the Champion Theatricals was obliged to be in town--Fanny has returned to Walthamstow.--Mr. Abbey appeared very glum, the last time I went to see her, and said in an indirect way, that I had no business there--Rice has been ill, but has been mending much lately--