"The Bluebell", p. 15
Collection of poems : autograph manuscript signed : [Haworth]
The Henry Houston Bonnell Brontë Collection. Bequest of Helen Safford Bonnell, 1969
“Verses to a Child” (pp. 12–15)
Composed 21 August 1838, when Brontë was eighteen. Written in the voice of Alexandrina Zenobia. First published in Poems (1902), pp. 195–97. Poem 8 in Chitham (1979); pp. 461–63 in Alexander (2010).
“The Bluebell” (pp. 15–18)
Composed 22 August 1840, when Brontë was twenty. First published in Poems (1902), pp. 198–200. Poem 10 in Chitham (1979).
But though thy Father loves me not,
Yet I shall still be loved by thee,
And though I am by him forgot,
Say wilt not thou remember me?
I will not cause thy heart to ache,
And for thy regreted Father’s sake,
I’ll love and cherrish thee.
Alexandrina Zenobia
56 lines Anne Brontë August 21 1838
The Bluebell
A fine and subtle spirit dwells
In every little flower,
Each one its own sweet feeling breathes
With more or less of power.
There is a silent eloquence,
In every wild bluebell,
That fills my softened heart with bliss,
That words could never tell
Yet I recall not long ago,
| Attachment | Size |
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 BronteMA2696_5.pdf | 20.04 MB |
"The Bluebell", p. 16
Collection of poems : autograph manuscript signed : [Haworth]
The Henry Houston Bonnell Brontë Collection. Bequest of Helen Safford Bonnell, 1969
“The Bluebell” (pp. 15–18)
Composed 22 August 1840, when Brontë was twenty. First published in Poems (1902), pp. 198–200. Poem 10 in Chitham (1979).
A bright and sunny day
’Twas when I led a toilsome life
So many leauges away;
That day along a sunny road
All carelessly I strayed,
Between two banks where smiling flowers
Their varied hues displayed
Before me rose a lofty hill
Behind me lay the Sea
My heart was not so heavy then
As it was wont to be,
Less harassed than at other times
I saw the scene was fair,
And spoke and f laughed to those around,
As if I knew no care.
But as* I looked upon the bank
*Note: Chitham (1979) transcribes the starred word as “when,” but the manuscript reads “as.”
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| BronteMA2696_5.pdf | 20.04 MB |
"The Bluebell", p. 17
Collection of poems : autograph manuscript signed : [Haworth]
The Henry Houston Bonnell Brontë Collection. Bequest of Helen Safford Bonnell, 1969
“The Bluebell” (pp. 15–18)
Composed 22 August 1840, when Brontë was twenty. First published in Poems (1902), pp. 198–200. Poem 10 in Chitham (1979).
My wandering glances fell
Upon a little trembling flower
A single sweet bluebell.
Whence came that rising in my throat
That dimness in my eyes*?
Why did those burning drops distill –
Those bitter feelings rise?
O that Bluebell lone flower recalled to me
My happy child-hood’s hours
When blue bells were a seemed like fairy gifts
A prize among the flowers
Those sunny days of merriment
When heart and soul were free
And when I dwelt with kindred hearts
That loved and cared for me
*Note: Chitham (1979) transcribes the starred word as “eye,” but the manuscript reads “eyes.”
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| BronteMA2696_5.pdf | 20.04 MB |