. John Keats; a literary biography ... d meaningless offenses w^hich setHunt, Haydon and Reynolds a-jangling. Hismoods, to be sure, were fitful. He was talkative,brilliant, when the talk was to his liking; whenit was not, he sat silent. In the intimate circlethe window seat was reserved for Keats. Therewe may best fix a picture of him in the character-istic attitude of one foot on the other knee andthe hand clasping the instep. The sitting postureobscures the fact that he was only five feet shoulders, depth of chest suggest the stat-ure of a larger man. The profile invites affection
. John Keats; a literary biography ... d meaningless offenses w^hich setHunt, Haydon and Reynolds a-jangling. Hismoods, to be sure, were fitful. He was talkative,brilliant, when the talk was to his liking; whenit was not, he sat silent. In the intimate circlethe window seat was reserved for Keats. Therewe may best fix a picture of him in the character-istic attitude of one foot on the other knee andthe hand clasping the instep. The sitting postureobscures the fact that he was only five feet shoulders, depth of chest suggest the stat-ure of a larger man. The profile invites affection;brown curling hair; forehead receding; noseslightly tilted; a finely rounded chin; an upperlip rather thick, as if stung by a bee and in needof some gentle unguent. The full face, as heturns to speak, shows the distinction and theconsciousness of the high calling. The hazeleyes glow with some inward light as his wordsissue in a low musical voice. There is self-assur-ance in his modesty; at times he is petulant,fiercely assertive. 114. WELL WALK Where Keats first met Coleridge OF THE ^*^^ DIVERSITY ] OF JUNKETS The tradition has been perpetuated by severalEnghsh writers that Keats had a taint of offen-sive Cockney manners. Mr. WiHiam Watson —who takes virtue unto himself for not readinorthe Brawne letters — says that the other lettersare near Cockney vulgarity always. And hesmartly summarizes his opinions in this epigram:It is Apollo with an unmistakable dash ofArry. The survival of this tradition is no doubt dueto the aristocratic contempt of humble birth andto the English lust for class distinctions. But tosome of us on the other side of the Atlantic thisinsistence on Keats Cockneyism seems like theself-infatuation of a Malvolio. The originalmeaning of Cockney is an effeminate spoiltchild. It is inoffensively applied also, we un-derstand, to one who has always lived withinthe sound of Bow-bells. The Blackwoodsreviewer, who foamed with rage because Huntonce addressed a nob
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