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Recipient:
Fanny Keats (1803-1889) was Keats's younger sister. Sent to live
with their guardian Richard Abbey's family, she was deliberately separated
from her brothers. Abbey did not allow visits and even discouraged
letters. Nonetheless, Keats, always protective of his siblings,
wrote often and visited when he could. But his illness prevented
visits during his last months in England; he left for Italy without saying
goodbye. In 1826, Fanny married a Spanish poet, Valentin Maria
Llanos y Guieterrez, who had admired Keats and visited the poet just three
days before his death. Fanny and her husband left England in 1833
and never returned. They lived in Italy from 1861-1864, where she
became friendly with
Joseph Severn.
Introduction: In this letter, Keats discusses his
lingering illness as well as neighborhood activities. It is a
light-hearted letter, typical of those sent to his sister.
Wentworth Place - Tuesday Morn -
My dear Fanny,
I had a slight return of fever last night, which terminated
favourably, and I am now tolerably well, though weak from small quantity
of food to which I am obliged to confine myself: I am sure a mouse would
starv[e] upon it. Mrs Wylie came yesterday. I have a very
pleasant room for a sick person. A Sopha bed is made up for me in
the front Parlour which looks on to the grass plot as you remember Mrs
Dilkes does. How much more comfortable than a dull room up stairs,
where one gets tired of the pattern of the bed curtains. Besides I
see all that passes - for instanc[e] now, this morning, if I had been in
my own room I should not have seen the coals brought in. On sunday
between the hours of twelve and one I descried a Pot boy. I
conjectured it might be the one o'Clock beer-Old women with bobbins and
red cloaks and unpresuming bonnets I see creeping about the heath.
Gipseys after hare skins and silver spoons. Then goes by a fellow
with a wooden clock under his arm that strikes a hundred and more.
Then comes the old french emigrant (who has been very well to do in
trance) whith his hands joined behind on his hips, and his face full of
political schemes. Then passes Mr David Lewis a very goodnatured,
goodlooking old gentleman whas [for who] has been very kind to
Tom and George and me. As for those fellows the Brickmakers they
are always passing to and fro. I mus'n't forget the two old maiden
Ladies in well walk who have a Lap dog between them, that they are very
anxious about. It is a corpulent Little Beast whom it is necessary
to coax along with an ivory-tipp'd cane. Carlo our Neighbour Mrs
Brawne's dog and it meet sometimes. Lappy thinks Carlo a devil of
a fellow and so do his Mistresses. Well they may - he would sweep
'em all down at a run; all for the Joke of it. I shall desire him
to peruse the fable of the Boys and the frogs: though he prefers the
tongues and the Bones. You shall hear from me again the day after
tomorrow-
Your affectionate Brother
John Keats
Notes: Mrs Wylie was George Keats's
mother-in-law. Keats quotes from A Midsummer Night's Dream.
to Keats: Letters
to
Chronological List - to
Letters Grouped by Recipient
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