1492. Julia Martin to EBB

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 8, 143.

[Colwall]

[?6] [January 1844] [1]

Accept dear Ba the flowers I send

To deck your room

With Colwall bloom

And mind you of your friend

As Chiswick [2] boasts they’r[e] not so rare

But picked by me

And sent to thee

We’ll think them just as fair

I fain would twine if I knew how

A garland sweet

For Poet mete

To deck your gentle brow

Since genius bright, would hardly dare

To chuse among

The flowry throng

The Crown for you to wear

But let the sweets These flowers impart

Accepted be

Dear Baby thee

As incense from the heart.

J.M.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.

1. EBB’s acknowledgement (no. 1498) is dated 8 January 1844.

2. The Duke of Devonshire’s gardens at Chiswick attracted many visitors; EBB herself saw them, in the company of Miss Mitford, in 1836 (see letter 527, note 3).

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