To George and Georgiana Keats1
[THE VALE OF SOUL-MAKING]
[February 14-May 3, 1819] My dear Brother & Sister? ?' I have this moment received a note from Haslam2 in which he expects
the death of his Father who has been for some time in a state of insensibility?
'negative capability' in his letter to George and 9. Perhaps 'so to press upon me.' Thomas Keats begun on December 21, 1817 1. Keats's brother and his wife, who had emigrated
(p. 942). to Louisville, Kentucky, in 1818. This is part of a 7. Instead of 'in for,' Keats may have intended to long letter that Keats wrote over a period of several write 'informing.' months, and into which he transcribed several of 8. Characters in Keats's Hyperion. Woodhouse his poems, including 'Ode to Psyche.' The date of had recently written Keats to express concern at a this first extract is March 19. remark by the poet that, because former writers 2. William Haslam, a young businessman and had preempted the best poetic materials and styles, close friend. there was nothing new left for the modern poet.
.
LETTERS / 95 1
his mother bears up he says very well?I shall go to [town] tommorrow to see
him. This is the world?thus we cannot expect to give way many hours to
pleasure?Circumstances are like Clouds continually gathering and bursting?
While we are laughing the seed of some trouble is put into he the wide arable
land of events?while we are laughing it sprouts [it] grows and suddenly bears
a poison fruit which we must pluck?Even so we have leisure to reason on
the misfortunes of our friends; our own touch us too nearly for words. Very
few men have ever arrived at a complete disinterestedness3 of Mind: very few
have been influenced by a pure desire of the benefit of others?in the greater
part of the Benefactors of & to Humanity some meretricious motive has sullied
their greatness?some melodramatic scenery has facinated them?From the
manner in which I feel Haslam's misfortune I perceive how far I am from any
humble standard of disinterestedness.?Yet this feeling ought to be carried to
its highest pitch, as there is no fear of its ever injuring society?which it would
do I fear pushed to an extremity?For in wild nature the Hawk would loose
his Breakfast of Robins and the Robin his of Worms The Lion must starve as
well as the swallow?The greater part of Men make their way with the same
instinctiveness, the same unwandering eye from their purposes, the same ani
mal eagerness as the Hawk?The Hawk wants a Mate, so does the Man?look
at them both they set about it and procure on[e] in the same manner?They
want both a nest and they both set about one in the same manner?they get
their food in the same manner?The noble animal Man for his amusement
smokes his pipe?the Hawk balances about the Clouds?that is the only dif
ference of their leisures. This it is that makes the Amusement of Life?to a
speculative Mind. I go among the Feilds and catch a glimpse of a stoat4 or a
fieldmouse peeping out of the withered grass?the creature hath a purpose
and its eyes are bright with it?I go amongst the buildings of a city and I see
a Man hurrying along?to what? The Creature has a purpose and his eyes are
bright with it. But then as Wordsworth says, 'we have all one human heart'5?
there is an ellectric fire in human nature tending to purify?so that among
these human creature[s] there is continually some birth of new heroism?The
pity is that we must wonder at it: as we should at finding a pearl in rubbish?I
have no doubt that thousands of people never heard of have had hearts
completely disinterested: I can remember but two?Socrates and Jesus?
their Histories evince it?What I heard a little time ago, Taylor observe with
respect to Socrates, may be said of Jesus?That he was so great as man that
though he transmitted no writing of his own to posterity, we have his Mind
and his sayings and his greatness handed to us by others. It is to be lamented
