184. EBB to Alfred Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 185–187.
To dear Alfred,
On his birthday
Hope End. May 20th 1823 [1]
_________
Saith Locke (I think his system answers)
“Dreams are the scraps of waking fancies,
Touching love, physic, or the weather,
But rather oddly put together.” [2]
If this be so, or not, I ween
Some day, or other may be seen–
At present I’ll content my pen,
With sketching briefly how, and when,
I saw a vision, rather gay,
And quite appropriate to the day.
For as I slumbered yesternight
(My slumbers were not very light,
With my poor cranium cut in two
Between a birthday ode, and loo)
Reclining neath rose twisted bowers,
And weaving garlands for the Hours,
I saw young Hope, to Poets dear,
(Sweet offspring of a smile, and tear,
Caught by the Sylphs in airy ewer)
So luminous and yet so pure!
A veil concealed each feature’s Grace,
For Man shall never see her face,
Till (when yon Heav’n, around him breaking,
Shall greet him in th’ eternal waking)
He, midst the choir of angel song,
Shall find the Hope he loved so long!
The laughing Hours were round her playing,
And, decked with wreaths, seemed gone a maying,
When in a musical voice, & clear,
She called those followers of the year,
Winding her various words together,
Like Sun, and rain, in April weather—!
“Ye—(winged Sons of Time) tomorrow
Shall pay no tax to Care, or Sorrow–
For know, tomorrow’s Sun shall gild
The birthday of a Cherished Child,
Whom, if your memories be not lazy,
You’ll think of by the name of daisy!
Then fetch with speed the seraph Joy,
My offspring, but a truant boy,
Who, like a little selfish elf,
Thinks only how to please himself,
And, mindless of poor Mortals pain,
Just flies from Heav’n & back again.
Catch him in haste, my much loved Hours,
And place him in a Cage of flowers,
At Hope End—where his eye of blue,
Thro laughing wreaths, may just peep thro’,
Making what is lovely brighter—
Light hearts gayer—gay hearts lighter!!”
She ceased—no more with verse I’ll cope—
For what can I [3] say after hope?
_________
Dearest Daisys
Affectionate Ba—
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. His 3rd.
2. A paraphrase of one of the propositions contained in An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1690), bk. II, ch. I, sec. 17.
3. Underscored twice.
___________________
