The Washington herald., 1909-04-11
KEATS WELL WALK is
ALMOST NEGLECTED.


The cablegram from Rome announcing
the formal opening of the Eeacs-Sheuy
memorial house is welcome news 70
American admirers of the Two poets
The project. begun more than two years
ago in the purchase OF she house where
Keats died. was largely an American r.
spiratiCn but one IS tempted 70 hope THAI
the rnemoriaIiza1ion OF Keats. who IN
spired our Lowell. may not end on ItsI-
isn SOIL but that the quaint old road -
( London. called Wen Walk. that knew
the young poet so wen n those last SAD
days IN England before he turned south
ward 10 die. may be marked By some
more lasting memorial OF his genius than
the splendid avenue Of trees that goes by
the name Of Keats Lines
Lowell Is remembered IN splendid glass
( r. Westminster Abbey The stars and
Stripes shine out vividly IN the upper
pane OF the great window: our flag Tn
der the same ROOF that shelters faEs cap
tUred by England IN every field. native
and foreign Except Arnerica). in which
she has cOntended for the mastery. L
VAS a graceful courtesy thus 10 honor
Americas fag and her gifted son
Keats lived in q little house on the edge
% Hamstead Heath. almost the highest
part OF London Just az his door began
the famous old walk its very name AZ
! tractive 70 one who felt despairing.
Here stiI remain the stone benches
where fashions favorites sat 10 SID the
water from the famous well and compare
notes on the latest court scandal a hun
6Ted years before Keats was born a1d
here. It's said. he tried 10 rest his pain
racked body and forget his suffering Il.
his work This curious aYeuua bsEin-
ming IN FLASK Walk, named from the
custom OF buying daSks for & penny at
the nearby Inn II which the medicinal
waters were carried hons. ends ln
beautiful vista OF the heath. hin ana dale
always verdue-clad. and dotted With
lakes. One OF the pretdest IS SAID 20
have been named by Keats. Again one
notices the pathetic longing to b vel.
for the name he gave the vale and the
lake IN its bosom IS Vale of Healfh
Just here the best OF the poets work
was peuned. and here Shelly and many
other gifted friends visited him. II IS
understood that the Vase" was thought
out. II not written. here II would be 4
graceful tribute 10 England II America
would erect a memorial vase Just al this
spot Probably not one IN a thousand
viy.Jors 70 L.cOdOn know this most pictur-
ssQue site, so here would be no better
way OF attracting attention 70 Il
The well az one tine rivaIed the Wells
and Bath. and decided 10 the poor OF Lon
don when tickle fancy turned away.
When the plague last visited London.
Parliament was held on the nearby hiIl-
side. and from this bOuntiful supply OF
water nauS drank The pumphouse has
given way 20 a villa, and a contractor ac-
CideHtaIly tapped the source os the
stream, % now only a few drops fan into
the basin where once so gallons a day
l poured. These drors are considered good
for sore eyes. and visitors take away
/ tiny walls OF water for that purpose. 50
the walk can SIN be called Flask. though
the flask be pygmies-
The wei IS stin marked with the ducai
arms of tae doner ard the great over
arching trees stand namesake for Keats:
/ bet would II not be suitable II America
returned the compliment 70 Lowell BY
some tribute 20 the brilliant life that hsa
50 Influenced American literature.