TO JOSEPH SEVERN¹

Pisa. 7^th Nov^r 1822.

My dear Severn,

I got your letter yesterday.² If not too late, pray reflect a little more on the inscription for our Keats. Remember it was his dying request that his name should not be on his tomb-stone, and that the words "Here lies one whose name was writ in water" should be there. I thought you liked my inscription, for you said so.³ All his friends, Hunt, Richards, Dilke,⁴ and every one I showed it to, were greatly pleased with it. You seem to imagine it does not honour him enough, but, to our minds, it says more in his praise than if his name were mentioned. You have done right in not accepting of any assistance from strangers to his worth, in erecting this grave-stone; but I insist on bearing my share, and I will pay it you when we meet in Florence, — you shall not have all the pleasure, — a mournful one, — but still a pleasure.⁵ I told you all I could, all that Hunt could tell me, about Shelley’s ashes,⁶ — M^rs Shelley had then set off to Genoa. As for M^r Taylor, I have no correspondence with him whatever. When we meet, if it live in my remembrance so long, and it is hardly worth it, I will tell you the whole story. Even my friends allow, and that I have found a rare thing, that he has behaved badly towards me, and, to my mind, unfeelingly towards the memory of Keats. Hunt wrote to me the other day asking me for your direction; I gave it, except that I said N^o 43 instead of N^o 18. If Hunt has written to M^r Murray, under your care, please to forward it as under — to Lord Charles Murray,⁷ Poste restante, Naples, — for he is a Lord, and I may now say so, as he has reassumed his title at Naples, — he is the youngest son of the Duke of Athol. He has given me a long account of the erruption of Vesuvius, — did you see it? You will be distressed to hear that Miss Brawne has been dreadfully bitten on the hand by a large dog.⁸ Dilke has sent me the most minute particulars of this accident, which I need not copy, as I can assure you they satisfy me tolerably well that the dog was not mad, — as well as if you read them yourself, perhaps better. In the mean time, the chance of his having been mad disturbs me not a little. Good God! the worst that may happen is frightful to think of. I am glad you are at last wise enough to take care of your health.⁹ It is death, or lingering illness, for a sedentary man, as you & I are, not to watch your bowels. I have now no fear of you, — you are stout & impudent, as a Gentleman should be. I can find no fault with your description of the Greeks & the Eagle,¹⁰ nor can I propose any addition, — it seems to me a very beautiful idea, and well filled up. I cannot give you any account of Lord Byron’s & Leigh Hunt’s work, except that it is called "the Liberal", and that the 1^st number came out on 14^th of Oct^r. To write in such good company I feel a great honour.¹¹ What I shall be paid I know not; but it can’t be less than what the New Monthly paid me, 12 Gu^s per sheet. I hear they are much pleased with my article on "Les Charmettes & Rousseau";¹² and they have another, called "William Lentile & Thomas Walt",¹³ which Hunt saw in Pisa, and said it was very good indeed. Oh! I’ll work ’em out of the dubs, — they shan’t compliment me for nothing. I’m now about, and it’s nearly finished, an article on "Shakespear’s Fools",¹⁴ which I have written very joyously, & with the sensation of a Cap and bells on my head, — though now I have got to Lear’s Fool, I am obliged to put it on one side. Next I think of giving them one on "Letter writers",¹⁵ and afterwards a Critique on an Italian Poet,¹⁶ who is little known even in Italy, — or at least little talked of, for certain State reasons, — and he’s a dirty dog into the bargain; but all Pisa jumps up to assist me with facts &c, (for he was a Pisan poet,) through the good offices of an Italian, a friend of Hunt’s when he was here. I think I have now said enough of my works, to encourage you to write about your’s. No, — I must tell you the Genoese authorities, Lords & Commons, have nick-named me Carluccio , so that will designate my papers in the Liberal. You have not mentioned whether we are to meet at Florence on 1^st April or 1^st May.¹⁷ I fancy it is dearer to live there than at Pisa or Rome, but our keeping house together will make it up again. God bless you, my old painting boy!