John Keats poetry
famous and familiar quotations

John Keats was born in London in 1795 and was drawn away from an intended medical career into a literary circle involved with the poetry of the Romantic movement.

He died in Rome in 1821 having journeyed to Italy although seriously ill with tuberculosis. Quite apart from much sublime poetry John Keats left behind "Letters", first published in 1848, which are well regarded by literary posterity.

Here are some famous and familiar quotations from the poems of John Keats:-

We read fine things but never feel them to the full until we have gone the same steps as the author.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness.

Beauty is truth, truth beauty, that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

The poet and the dreamer are distinct,
Diverse, sheer opposite, antipodes.
The one pours out a balm upon the world,
The other vexes it.

Then felt I like some watcher of the skies
When a new planet swims into his ken;
Or like stout Cortes when with eagle eyes
He stared at the Pacific - and all his men
Look'd at each other with a wild surmise-
Silent upon the peak in Darien.

To Autumn:

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

More John Keats poetry is to be found on our Introductory famous and familiar quotations page and on our "Central" poetry insights page.

Introductory quotations

Dryden

Robert Frost

Milton

Start of John Keats poetry
famous and familiar quotations page

John Keats poetry famous and familiar quotations

John Keats poetry
famous and familiar quotations