resembling insanity, that he contemplated suicide, &c.? Not any document
has been published whereby this information could have been imparted to
Shelley: his chief informant on the subject appears to have been Mr.
Gisborne, who had now for a short while returned to England, and some
confirmation may have come from Hunt. As to the statements themselves,
they have, ever since the appearance in 1848 of Lord Houghton's _Life of
Keats_, been regarded as very gross exaggerations: indeed, I think the
tendency has since then been excessive in the reverse direction, and the
vexation occasioned to Keats by hostile criticism has come to be
underrated.

Shelley addressed to Keats in Naples another letter, 'anxiously
enquiring about his health, offering him advice as to the adaptation of
diet to the climate, and concluding with an urgent invitation to Pisa,
where he could assure him every comfort and attention.' Shelley did not,
however, re-invite Keats to his own house on the present occasion;
writing to Miss Clairmont, 'We are not rich enough for that sort of
thing.' The letter to Miss Clairmont is dated 18 February, 1821, and
appears to have been almost simultaneous with the one sent to Keats. In
that case, Keats cannot be supposed to have received the invitation; for
he had towards the middle of November quitted Naples for Rome, and by 18
February he was almost at his last gasp.

Shelley's feeling as to Keats's final volume of poems is further
exhibited in the following extracts, (To Thomas Love Peacock, November,
1820.) 'Among the modern things which have reached me is a volume of
poems by Keats; in other respects insignificant enough, but containing
the fragment of a poem called _Hyperion_, I dare say you have not time
to read it; but it is certainly an astonishing piece of writing, and
gives me a conception of Keats which I confess I had not before.' (To