Throughout May 1818 Keats was ‘very much engaged with his friends’ (L. i. 286) in London. The idea of a walking tour in Scotland with Charles Brown had been under discussion for some time, and this now began to take shape. It was to provide materials for the further attempt at a long classical poem, which had been hinted in the published Preface to Endymion. This was Hyperion, for which Keats had undertaken serious reading, at Bailey's prompting, in Milton, Wordsworth, and Henry Cary's recently published translation of Dante. But once again concentration on literary projects proved difficult for Keats to sustain in the face of pressing distractions. His brother George married Georgiana Wylie on 28 May. Keats signed the register as a witness, troubled and depressed by George's imminent departure, the continuing difficulty of contact with his sister Fanny (still living under Richard Abbey's disapproving guardianship), and Tom's serious illness. Keats was himself unwell in early June. His doctor instructed him not to go out for several days. There were financial worries. Keats needed cash to cover the expenses of his walking tour. George had debts to clear and costs to meet before his voyage to America. Tom had hoped to travel to Italy for his health, but was clearly too weak for the journey, so money had to be found to pay Mrs Bentley at Well Walk to look after him in Keats's absence. All this put pressure on Abbey's trust fund, and on the mutual understanding of the three brothers.

The financial arrangements surrounding George's departure for America were to become a matter of serious controversy after Keats's death. George himself stated later that when he left for America he left his brother with nearly £300. This was later hotly disputed by Brown, who took George to mean that he had given money to Keats, whereas George probably meant that Keats had at that time some £300 of his own left in trust with Abbey. George had cashed his trust on coming of age in February 1818, and by his own account left £500 of the £1,600 cashed to clear debts and leave some means to his brothers. Keats lived on this money during and beyond Tom's illness.