The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-14
KEATS LOVE LETTERS.

YORK: Scribners Armstrong * co. 1878
Keats is becoming boiler known, as well us more
widely known. with ever passing rear. A, the time
OF his death the story 81 hs NE known 10 few
friends only but during shs past my years u
has been gradually coming more ami more before the
public and bv this time 10 engraven many hearts.
He has not lacked biographsrs End able critics. and
they have never lacked AUDIENCE when anything
TO be told Of the poets Ito ana works. The
little volume before Is OF SURPRISING inter
est for IL contains the whole OF the pas sion Of
Keats life. told by himself the object Of his
love. IL was in the month OF November. 1915,
that the poet drst lad eycs upon Fanny
Brawne in less than week he "wrotc'' himself her
svassai" and from that tho hour Of his death
she was the "pleasrre and tdf OF his ie Keats
lived, loved and Intensey his flame was never
except from wasting by repose." HIS life ended
prematureiy at The age OF twenty-five; his poetry
was all written IN six years, and the power OF
his love doubtless fastened his end which came
only years alter the passion had taken possession
OF his SOUL His letters TO MISS Brawne--ohly thirty
number. and now ublshed Tor the rst timo
with the OF her aInily-revea the depth ana
intensity OF this passion and its rapid and almost ter
rblrowih II is the love OF poet mighty soul and
extreme sensibility-whose condition was rendered
morbid by physical suffering and seclusionfora beau
tu woman, intelligent but Of no great depth OF char
meter, and disposition that led her enjoy chiefly
the excitemenls and pleasures OF society AT hrstt
Is, at least so lar as Keats is concerned, the un-
reasoning passion OF Romeo for Juliet; aiterward
like that OF Hamlet for Oprelia, tnged, toward
the close, with something of that jealousy which
mentod the noble minded othelio In the OF Miss
Brawne there was, perhaps, no more ground Tor
jealousy than in that OF the unfortunate Desdemona,
and had Keats been in perfect health, of tneso
letters would never have been written. Whether his
love was as misplaced as has jealousy was unfounded
Is another question Her character does not impress
one as tender or noble ny respect. That she did
not love Keats with anything approaching the iervor
OF his passion is conclusvcy shown by tue tenor OF
his letters; ana her only recorded utterances GER
tanly reflect little credit upon her heart. The rst OF
them injunction 10 Keats letters to her.
they might, at day, prove s'valuable;'' tho
second to the effect that he himself had better 10
left the 'obscurity which circums
signed him."
The proprety of publishing these letters at all is
seriously to be questioned. There cannot be doubt
that, were Keats living, he would cut OF his right
hand rather than have the slightest Of Them given
the public Nor has the world the Sd dow OF claim
them. Their publication by those 10 whom
they were intrusted, and, undoubtedly, with tue con-
sent OF Miss Brawne and her family, cannot be re-
garded as anything less than objectionable breach OF
trust What Keats would have felt, had he known Of
woman of common sensbility would have felt under
the circumstances-is shown by the following lines
by Tennys0n, from u poem addressed 10 Richard
Monckton hilnes lord Housh.on) Oh the publ
cation Of his ellie, Letters and Literary Remans OF
joan Keats" In ls4s They are among tho truost aud
no0lest lines that Tennyso ever wrote
For The poet die
Nor leave his music as OF old,
But round MIN ere he scarce DC cold
Begins he scandal and the cry:
''lroclaim the faults he would not show
Break lock and seal; be.ray the trust;
Keep nothing sacred; It's but Just
The many headed beast should know"
An shameless Tor he did but sing
song thai pleased us from It's worth
NO public life was his on earth;
No blazon'd statesman he, nor KING.
The letters, though forming Que series, divided
naturally three groups:-Frst, those which were
written during Keats sojourn with Charles Armitage
Brown in The Isle of Wight and his brief stay odg-
ings in Westminster in tho summer and autumn OF
1910; second, those written from Browc's house IN
Wentworth place. during Keats illness the early
part 1920 and by hand to Mrs Brawne's house
next DOR; thru. those written after he was able
TO leave Wentworth place TO stay with Leigh Hunt
at Kentish Town. and before his departure Tor Italy
IN september, 1920. The editor, Mr. Harry Buxton
Forman. has experienced considerable difficulty
arranging tho letters III their proper order, owing
Keats uniform neglect to give the day OF the moth
or tho year IN which they wero written. From the
posimarRs OF some OF ihem from illusions
the text OF Others, and from various other
sources he has succeeded IN making chronological
classification which seems to &C remarkably accurate
We quote the first letter, dated ''Shankn, Isle OF
Wight" and bearing the postmark, Newport July 8,
1919 II was written eight months alter Keats first
meeting with Miss Brawue:--
My DEAREST LADY, am glad | had not an oppor
tuuity OF sending OF ictcr which wrote for you
Rousseau .Heloise.n am more reasonable this
morning. The morning is the only proper Tine for
me to write to 4 beautiful eiri whom love so much.
for at night, when The lonely day has Closed anu the
lonely, silent, unmusical chamber Is waiting 10 re-
cove me, as INTO sepuchre, then believe me, my
passion gets enurey the sway hen would not have
you those rhaps0dics which once though, II
possible should ever awe way TO, and which, have
often laughed AT In another, Tor fear you should
think me either too unhappy or perhaps
mile mad. an now at very pleasant
cottage window, looking out 10 a beautiful ally
country, with glimpse of the sea- Tie morning is
very nne. DO not know how elastic my spirit
might DO, what pleas ure inisnt have III living
and breathing ana wandering as free as stag about
Inis beautiful coast, II tho rcmemDauce of yon AID
lot woign so upon me- l have never known any
un1loycu happiness Tor many days together; tne
ccata or sickness oil some one has Away spoiled iny
is, you must couiess, very hard that
another sort OF pain should haunt me- Ask
yourself, nay love, whether you are not
very cruel TO have entrammced NE, DESTROY ed
my freedom. VIII you confess tnis in the letter you
must write immediately, aud do all YOU can to con-
puk W rte The sOltest words aud
Mss them. that may ut ,asl touch my lbs where
yours pave been. For myself know not how 10 OK
press M devotion 10 % alr 1ofnl: want brighter
word than trsnt, iaror word than iar. almost
WISH butter lics and hvcd but tnr.e summer
days. Three such days with you could al with
more lght than mas common years could
ever CONAN But, however selfish may
feel, / cOuid sell
isn. AS told you day or Two before loft Ilauip-
stead, Will never return 70 I.ondon 4 my tate docs
turn up Pam, AZ least "A court carr. Thouch |
could centre ny baVp ness YOU cannot expect TO
enyrUss your heart 20 enirey--ince,d, IL thought
you fclt as much Tor me IS ] do Tor you 10 lhs
moment do not think could Restrain myself from
seciug you again tomorrow Tor The del gnt %,
embrace But no; mnsstivc upon hope and chance.
IL OF tue worst that oan happen. shail s love
you, but what hatred snail have tor auOllcrl
The ioiowins II X ats las letter 10 Miss BrawHc,
written whic be was preparing 10 SO 10 Isaly -
My DsAREsr GIRL Wish you could invent some