11. Edward Moulton-Barrett (father) to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 10.
[Hope End]
[Docket: 24 April 1814]
To the dear Child, whose offering this day has contributed so much to the gratification of her Papa, who views in it not alone the Germs of <Geni>us [1] but the assurance that the Love of Virtue has taken such ea[r]ly Root in her mind. A Ten Shilling Note is sent for dear Ba to give pleasure to herself in adding to the comforts of others– [2]
EMB.
Address, on integral page: Miss Barrett / Poet-Laureat of / Hope End—
Docket, above address, in Mary Moulton-Barrett’s hand: April 24th 1814 Keep this dear note as long as you live my darling Ba! MB.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: British Library.
1. Ink blot.
2. EBB wrote of this note in her “Glimpses into My Own Life and Literary Character” (see Appendix III, part 2): “In my sixth year for some lines of virtue which I had penned with great care I received from Papa a ten shilling note enclosed in a letter which was addrest to the Poet Laureat of Hope End; I mention this because I received much more pleasure from the word Poet than from the ten shilling note– I did not understand the meaning of the word laureat but it being explained to me by my dearest Mama, the idea first presented itself to me of celebrating our birthdays by my verse.” (In return for his honorarium, the Poet Laureate was expected to celebrate in verse the sovereign’s birthday and other occasions of national rejoicing.) As EBB’s first known birthday ode was given to her mother on 1 May 1814, this appears to corroborate the docket, but EBB was then in her ninth year, not in her sixth as stated in “Glimpses into My Own Life.” The lines on virtue are probably those printed in HUP, I, 33 (Reconstruction, D23).
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