This is a loose page torn from one of DGR's typical lined notebooks. The page
is from a notebook that contained—like this
page—heterogenous material, including household memoranda. The
recto contains a draft version of the poem eventually titled
The page was probably disbound from DGR's notebook after DGR's death by his brother. It dates from 1871.
The Ashley Catalogue
For Safe. Turn key once to release handle.
Then turn
handle. Then turn key
open.
To paint Virgin & Child — child climbs
up mother's
bosom. Angels behind might
hold branches of the Tree of Life &
Tree
of Knowledge. In distance might be seen
Eden & flaming sword.
I make this note after a conversation with
a friend who had been reading in the
British
Museum, a ridiculous
called “Sir Hugh the
Heron,” which was printed
when I was 14, but written, except the last
page or two, at 12, as my family wd probably
remember. When I was 14, my
grandfather
(who amused himself by having a small private
printing-press)
offered, I if I would finish it,
to print it. I accordingly added the
last
precious touches two years after writing the
rest. I leave this important
explanation,
as there is no knowing what fool may someday
foist the absurd trash
into print as a
production of mine. It is curious & surprising
to
myself, as evincing absolutely no promise
at all,—less than should
exist even at 12.
When I wrote it, the only
po English poet
I had read was Sir Walter Scott, as is plain
enough
in it. D. G. Rossetti.