Life of John Keats: His Life and Poetry, His Friends, Critics and After-FameColvin, Sidney
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Life of John Keats: His Life and Poetry, His Friends, Critics and After-Fame
Colvin, Sidney
Keats, John, 1795-1821; Poets, English -- 19th century -- Biography
We have been so little together since you have been able to reflect on
things that I know not whether you prefer the _History of King Pepin_
to Bunyan's _Pilgrim's Progress_--or _Cinderella_ and her glass
slipper to Moor's _Almanack_. However in a few Letters I hope I shall
be able to come at that and adapt my scribblings to your Pleasure. You
must tell me about all you read if it be only six Pages in a Week and
this transmitted to me every now and then will procure full sheets of
Writing from me pretty frequently.--This I feel as a necessity for we
ought to become intimately acquainted, in order that I may not only,
as you grow up love you as my only Sister, but confide in you as my
dearest friend. When I saw you last I told you of my intention of
going to Oxford and 'tis now a Week since I disembark'd from his
Whipship's Coach the Defiance in this place. I am living in Magdalen
Hall on a visit to a young Man with whom I have not been long
acquainted, but whom I like very much--we lead very industrious
lives--he in general Studies and I in proceeding at a pretty good rate
with a Poem which I hope you will see early in the next year.--Perhaps
you might like to know what I am writing about. I will tell you. Many
Years ago there was a young handsome Shepherd who fed his flocks on a
Mountain's Side called Latmus he was a very contemplative sort of a
Person and lived solitary among the trees and Plains little thinking
that such a beautiful Creature as the Moon was growing mad in Love
with him.--However so it was; and when he was asleep on the Grass she
used to come down from heaven and admire him excessively for a long
time; and at last could not refrain from carrying him away in her arms
to the top of that high Mountain Latmus while he was a dreaming--but I
dare say you have read this and all the other beautiful Tales which
have come down from the ancient times of that beautiful Greece. If you
have not let me know and I will tell you more at large of others quite
as delightful. This Oxford I have no doubt is the finest City in the
world--it is full of old Gothic
buildings--Spires--towers--Quadrangles--Cloisters--Groves etc and is
surrounded with more clear streams than ever I saw together. I take a
Walk by the Side of one of them every Evening and, thank God, we have
not had a drop of rain these days.
He goes on to tell her (herein echoing Hunt's opinion) how much better
it would be if Italian instead of French were taught everywhere in
schools, and winds up:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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