Keats,
John (1795-1821) English Romantic
poet, born in London. The subjects of his poems were widely used by pre-Raphaelite
painters.
Isabella, or The Pot of Basil, poem. Isabella is an Italian
maiden, was in love with Lorenzo, who did not satisfy her brothers. They
murdered their sister's lover and secretly buried him. She dug up the head
and kept it in a pot, where she grew basil.
See: Sir John Everett Millais Lorenzo
and Isabella illustrates the following passage from the
poem:
Fair Isabel, poor simple IsabelSee: William Holman Hunt Isabella and the Pot of Basil illustrates another theme of the same poem.
Lorenzo, a young palmer in Love's eye
They could not long in the selfsame mansion dwell
Without some stir of heart, some malady;
They could not sit at meals but felt how well
It soothes each to be the other by.
----------------------------
These brethren having found many signs
What love Lorenzo for their sister had
And how she loved him, too, each unconfines
His bitter thoughts to other, well-negh mad
That he, the servant of their trade designs,
Should in their sister's love be blithe and glad When 'twas their plan to coax her by degrees
To some high noble and his olive trees.