SD343. Edward Moulton-Barrett (brother) to Edward Moulton-Barrett (father)

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 322 (in part).

Hope End

May 28th 1820

Charissimo Patri

die natali.

Oh Pater charus, qu ’amicus

Accipe carmen indignum

Accipe que voluntates

Accipe Musam.

Volo te vivere longum

Volo que vivere beatum

Volo me esse gratum,

O Tibi Pater!

Edward.

To dearest Papa on his birth day. May. 1820

No Muse I call

To aid my lay

To greet thee on this happy day

’Twere vain to Call

They would not come

I knew, I’m sure they’re not at home

For as last night

I lay awake

Thinking of Elderberry wine and Cake

Phantoms bright

Of Phoebus and the Muses nine

Before my pin’s head eye ball shine

Phoebus an invitation

Gave to grace his famous route, the day

He said should be, the twenty eighth of May!

The ladies signed their acceptation

They bobbed & smirked, (could do no less)

By all the rules of politesse.

Excuse my jokes

With joy my brain o’erflows about

Like soda water the cork’s pulled about

The pleasant folks

At Wathy’s I should quite astonish

They’d say I’d grown so very clownish!—

I had almost forgotten my dearest Papa to wish you many happy returns of your birth day, which I do not neglect to do now, with all my heart.–

E M Barrett

Publication: None traced.

Source: Copy, in Mary Moulton-Barrett’s hand in “Poems by EBB,” at Berg Collection.

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