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0OPENED AS MUSEUMHouse Where Keats and Shelley Lived in Rome.Flowsrs and Vine* Make Enchanting Bower of Little Gallery Where One Can Fancy Two Famoua PoeU Chatted Together.Rome.—Early Id April. In the presence of King Victor Emmanuel III., of Italy, the Keats-Sbelley memorial house In Rome was opened and con-secrated as a museum In memory of the two English poets who were friends. Henceforth this bouse, situated on the right iflfcid side of the old Spanish stairs. In the Piazza dl Spag-na. will be a new resort for English-speaklgg tourists and loves of these poets when In the Eternal city. The house has been bought by English and American lovers of poesy. It cost *60,000. It Is a modest house, which In Keats- and Shelley's day was a pension, or boarding bouse.There Is a quiet seriousness about the premises, as If the shudow still lingered where young Keats breathed his last sigh. In the little entrance hang some old engravings, which give ono an Idea of the Piazza dl Spagna before the Spanish stairs were built and after their construction. The house has been renovated. The central room has been transformed Into a reading room. Around the walls run the book shelves made of dark walnut, the floor Is covered by thick Turkish rugs. Sir Moses Ezekiels bust of Shelley holds a prominent place In this room, as well as that made of Shelley by Severn. It Is rather hard to put oneself In touch with the two poetic spirits who lived In this house, amid the babble of thetourists, and the questions with which they ply the civil Italian gentlemanIder wtl° ac,s 88 curator. I am quite surehe must be almost distracted after his morning's work, for the house Is only open every day to the public from ten o'clock until one p. m.One of the little rooms leads out on the dearest little terrazlonoo, which In these lovely spring days Is a display of beautiful flowers and creeping vines. Here one can easily fanny Keats and Shelley resting and chatting together. In another room the book shelves hold 200 editions of Kents' and Shellcy'B works. Most of these being recent editions, have little value except as evidence of the continuing fame of the poets—but Is not that worth while to show In this way?By far tbe most Interesting room Is the little bedchamber In which Keats died, with Its two windows, one of which looks out over the Piazza dl Spagna and the other on the picturesque stairs leading up to the Church della Trlnlta dc Monte. From (hat window one can gaze down on tbe loveliest flower market In the world all the year round, and watch the ever-passing throng going up and down the Spanish steps. Many of the artists' models group themselvea •bout, or drop off for their open air siestas In tbe most natural of poses.In this small bedroom Keats died In the arms of his faithful friend, Severn. The celling and the little fireplace have been left Just as when Keats lived In the room. In this little sanctuary Is the death mask of Keau. and a small lock of blB chestnut-brown hair. In a sealed vase Is a little bone which Trelawney kept from the heart —ccr cordlum—when the flames reduced all that was once Percy Ryssbe Shelley's frame to a handful of clean ashes.This little bouse where the two poets stayed In Rome puts us In touch with them on different lines from their graves. In the beautiful little English cemetery, under the shadow of the pyramid of Calus Ceatlua, and tbe walls of old Rome. There are several autograph letters of Keats and Shelley carefully treasured In the little museum, as well as their songs set to music. It Is pleasant to feel that these poetic friends—such lovers of Italy!—lived and enjoyed all Italy had offer them In the fulneaa of her wondroua beauty, art and hlatory, and when life’* fitful fever ended for tbem, they rest In har loving bosom.“Victory of Fsacs.
Newspaper Details
The Globe Republican
Dodge City, Kansas, US
Thu, Jun 10, 1909
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
GB 08 Jul 2024
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