Ballads and Sonnets (1881), proof Signature B (Delaware Museum, third revise, printer's copy) Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1 Text courtesy of The Delaware Art Museum Ballads and Sonnets Dante Gabriel Rossetti F. S. Ellis Chiswick Press, C. Whittingham and Co. London 1881 April 22 proof [1-3], 7-10 4 DGR B1-2, B Library, Delaware Art Museum 10 point; 6 point leading roman 17 2 cm 3.8 cm 2 cm 2.5 cm 19 x 12.8cm (crown octavo) Commentary
Introduction

This imperfect and unmarked set of proofs for Signature B (dated 22 April 81) is a duplicate of the third revise. A perfect set of the third revise exists with WMR's notes and suggested revisions.

Textual History: Composition

Textual History: Revision

The library of the Delaware Art Museum has six distinct sets of proofs for this signature, each but the last numbered and all date stamped by the printer Charles Whittingham, of Chiswick Press. In addition to this imperfect set of third rvise proofs, the other sets at Delaware are: the the first author's corrected proofs (numbered 1; perfect, dated 5 April), the set that he retained in his possession; a first printer's revise (numbered 2; imperfect, dated 7 April); a second printer's revise (numbered 4; perfect, dated 14 April); a third printer's revise (numbered 5, perfect, dated 22 April, with WMR's notes and corrections), which duplicates this proof; and what appears to be the final proof (unnumbered; perfect, dated 21 May). The Delaware library also has a fragment (pages 9-10) of what must have once been a complete second copy of the first revise proof. The British Library has a nearly complete set of proofs for DGR's book, including the first author's corrected proofs for this signature.

Printing History

Reception History

Historical

Literary

Translation

Autobiographical

Bibliographic

5 Printer's proof-sequence number in upper left corner. [Charles Whittingham and Chiswick Press Printer's Stamp, dated 22 Apr. 81] Stamped at upper left. X Printer's mark in upper right corner. B <hi rend="c"> <hi rend="center">ROSE MARY</hi> </hi>. blank page <hi rend="c"> <hi rend="center">ROSE MARY</hi> </hi>. Of her two fights with the Beryl-stone: Lost the first, but the second won. <hi rend="c"> <hi rend="center">PART I.</hi> </hi> “MARY mine that art Mary's Rose, Come in to me from the garden-close. The sun sinks fast with the rising dew, And we marked not how the faint moon grew; But the hidden stars are calling you. “Tall Rose Mary, come to my side, And read the stars if you'd be a bride. In hours whose need was not your own, While you were a young maid yet ungrown, You've read the stars in the Beryl-stone. “Daughter, once more I bid you read; But now let it be for your own need: Because to-morrow, at break of day, To Holy Cross he rides on his way, Your knight Sir James of Heronhaye. “Ere he wed you, flower of mine, For a heavy shrift he seeks the shrine. Now hark to my words and do not fear; Ill news next I have for your ear; But be you strong, and our help is here. “On his road, as the rumour's rife, An ambush waits to take his life. He needs will go, and will go alone; Where the peril lurks may not be known; But in this glass all things are shown.” “Spirits who fear the Blessed Rood Drove forth the accursed multitude That heathen worship housed herein,— Never again such home to win, Save only by a Christian's sin. “All last night at an altar fair I burnt strange fires and strove with prayer; Till the flame paled to the red sunrise, All rites I then did solemnize; And the spell lacks nothing but your eyes.” Low spake maiden Rose Mary:— “O mother mine, if I should not see!” “Nay, daughter, cover your face no more, But bend love's heart to the hidden lore, And you shall see now as heretofore.” Paler yet were the pale cheeks grown As the grey eyes sought the Beryl-stone: Then over her mother's lap leaned she, And stretched her thrilled throat passionately, And sighed from her soul, and said, “I see.” Even as she spoke, they two were 'ware Of music-notes that fell through the air; A chiming shower of strange device, Drop echoing drop, once twice and thrice, As rain may fall in Paradise. An instant come, in an instant gone, No time there was to think thereon. The mother held the sphere on her knee:— “Lean this way and speak low to me, And take no note but of what you see.” “I see a man with a besom grey That sweeps the flying dust away.” “Ay, that comes first in the mystic sphere; But now that the way is swept and clear, Heed well what next you look on there.” “Stretched aloft and adown I see Two roads that part in waste-country: The glen lies deep and the ridge stands tall; What's great below is above seen small, And the hill-side is the valley-wall.” “Stream-bank, daughter, or moor and moss, Both roads will take to Holy Cross. The hills are a weary waste to wage; But what of the valley-road's presage? That way must tend his pilgrimage.” “As 'twere the turning leaves of a book, The road runs past me as I look; Or it is even as though mine eye Should watch calm waters filled with sky While lights and clouds and wings went by.” “In every covert seek a spear; They'll scarce lie close till he draws near.” “The stream has spread to a river now; The stiff blue sedge is deep in the slough, But the banks are bare of shrub or bough.” “Is there any roof that near at hand Might shelter yield to a hidden band?” “On the further bank I see but one, And a herdsman now in the sinking sun Unyokes his team at the threshold-stone.”