Your Keatsian moments

[Malia]

I agree with Credo--Scotland is so worth a visit! Even in November, I found the Highlands to be exhilarating. Everywhere I turned, there was a perfect picture. I drove through and even visited some of the same places Keats did on his journey and, while they were I'm sure much changed from his day (the cities, at any rate), I could understand *exactly* his awe and wonder at such a magnificent part of the world.

[Raphael]

I don't think I could go to the wilds of Scotland- I would be heartbroken to come back to the city.

[Credo Buffa]

De Quincey also wrote "Recollections of the Lakes and the Lake Poets" which I've only scanned so far (gathering dust as usual) but it seems to be a wonderful read too. He writes predominantly about Wordsworth, Coleridge and Southey and there are little insights into Lakeland community - great for anyone into that sort of thing.

I feel like I read this for my British Romantics class once upon a time. . . Shall have to hunt it down in my lit anthology and re-read it. This discussion is bringing back such wonderful memories!

I don't think I could go to the wilds of Scotland- I would be heartbroken to come back to the city.

But at least you would have seen it, right? It's kind of like falling in love--well, it IS falling in love, just with a place rather than a person. As they say, "better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all."

Plus, it gives you a continuing goal: to go back there again!

[Raphael]

But at least you would have seen it, right? It's kind of like falling in love--well, it IS falling in love, just with a place rather than a person. As they say, "better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." Plus, it gives you a continuing goal: to go back there again!

No the pain would be too great.

[Credo Buffa]

No the pain would be too great.

I suppose for me the pain of knowing its out there and never seeing it would be worse. To each his/her own.

[Maureen]

I did 'Recollections of the Lakes...' at school too, and still enjoy reading it. I know what you mean about falling in love - I felt like that about the Lake District when I first went there - and of course did the touristy things of visiting Dove Cottage, Wordsworth's grave etc. One the way back we stopped for a day in Blackpool - and the contrast from the beautiful tranquility of the lakes and the busy seaside resort was just too much - I wanted to turn round and go straight back.

Part of the delight of moving to the Isle of Wight for me was the Keats connection (and Tennyson etc) - and I have the added advantage that I don't have to leave!

[Raphael]

Lucky you!

[Credo Buffa]

One the way back we stopped for a day in Blackpool - and the contrast from the beautiful tranquility of the lakes and the busy seaside resort was just too much - I wanted to turn round and go straight back.

I had a similar experience when I visited the Lakes the second time around (I loved it so much the first time that I made a point of going again!). My first trip was just for a day, and I went through Grasmere and saw Dove Cottage--I'll never forget the moment I first stepped through the door, but that's a story in and of itself--ending up in Keswick. On my second trip, I began in Windermere with the intention of walking up to Ambleside. It was the height of the tourist season, and Windermere was so overrun that I wondered if the magic of that day in Grasmere was merely a fluke. Thankfully things improved greatly as I continued up to Ambleside, even if the weather got much worse!

[Raphael]

I've only been to the Lakes about twice- shameful really as they are not far on the train from where I live!

[Maureen]

I love visiting places with literary associations, and I was delighted when I found that Junkets was clearly the same - I'm sure he'd be astounded but incredibly pleased to know that the delight he obviously had in visiting Shakespeare's and Burns' birthplaces is now mirrored in thousands of people visiting Wentworth Place (I know it's called Keats House now but I can't think of it as anything other than what he would have known it as).

My husband and I spent a couple of weeks in Devon and Cornwall late last year and I trawled him round Tintagel; various places associated with the Poldark novels; yes- Teignmouth; Ottery St Mary (Coleridge); Boscastle and St Juliot's Church (Hardy) and East Coker (TS Eliot). He was very understanding, bless him. Luckily I have a close girlfriend who shares my obsession with visiting graves and literary haunts - we're thinking of 'doing' Oxford later this year - and she is happy to come with me in search of the Keats statue at Guys when we're next in London. So more Keatsian moments to look forward to.

My greatest Keatsian moment was standing under a tree in the garden of Wentowrth Place reciting 'Nightingale' to myself, more or less on the spot where it was composed. I forbore to take a chair from the house out with me though....

[Credo Buffa]

It's nice that you have people to share those experiences with, Maureen. When I was in Rome, I had to deviate from my group on several occasions to see the Keats/Shelley House and the Protestant Cemetery because I couldn't convince them that they were places worth their time. On the one hand, it was nice to be able to make that a personal experience, but it was also kind of isolating.

[Raphael]

Nice folks- i've been to the Bronte's house- that was years ago- I hope to go again in the near future.