SD455. Henrietta Moulton-Barrett to Mary Moulton-Barrett

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 333 (in part).

[Hope End]

To dearest Mama

On her birthday

May 1st 1822 [sic, for 1823]

_________

Hail lovely May!

Oh hail this day!

Come Flora in thy sunshine hours

And strew the earth with wreaths of flowers,

For it has brought us joy and mirth,

Ah! yes, it has, with this our parents birth!

I love her well, I must do so

For she is kind, and charitable too!

But who did make her so? t’was surely God,

And we must shew our thanks, by being good!

HBB

May dearest Mama live to see many many of these happy days—

Address, on integral page: Mrs Barrett / Hope End.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Eton College Library.

___________________