first edition there was a note acknowledging the frequent translations
from the Greek, and other robberies: and in the second, in which I
altered the spelling, I gave my reasons for that, in so far as it is
unusual. These reasons I need not repeat here, especially as the
spelling is not at all as I should wish to see it. I advocate liberty
in these matters instead of the conventional tyranny. But I will add
here that the main inconsistencies of the punctuation are owing to this
volume being a reprint of three separate books. The stops are intended
solely for the readers’ convenience; and almost anything is better
than the regulations of a methodic punctuation, which by assuming the
possibility of indicating all the varieties of grammatical structure
and rhythmic pause by four symbols, cannot be applied without perpetual
vexation and injury.
NOTE ON THE GROWTH OF LOVE.
It was not my wish or intention to offer these sonnets to the public,
but since they have been published in America without my permission,
and some of them have appeared in collections of poetry in this
country, and have been mentioned in professional criticism, I have
thought it wise to come to their rescue, and include them in this
edition of my poems; to which end I have, while this volume was in the
press, revised them; cutting out ten, and amending the worst places in
others where I could. As they now stand they still make an imperfect
poem, but one for which I need not further apologize.
_Note on Sonnet XIX._--The octett forms part of my ‘Purcell
Commemoration Ode,’ published as No. 2 of Elkin Mathews’ ‘Shilling
Garland,’ 1896, and set to music by Dr. Hubert Parry.
_XXXV._ The argument is partly from Michael Angelo’s Madrigal xix.
_LXIII._ Partly from the anonymous sonnet No. 3793 in the Libro reale,
‘Io vivo di speranza.’
_LXIV._ The first quatrain from Michael Angelo’s Madrigal, ‘Beati voi.’
_LXVII._ ‘The sunsets of five years ago,’ which happen to be described
on p. 83 of this volume.
R. B.
1898.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations
in hyphenation spelling and punctuation remains unchanged.
Italics are represented thus _italic_.
There are many small decorative illustrations within the book. These
have not been indicated