The Poems of Felicia Hemans
Mary Magdalene bearing Tidings of the Resurrection _ib._
SONNETS, DEVOTIONAL AND MEMORIAL.
The Sacred Harp 600
To a Family Bible _ib._
Repose of a Holy Family. From an old Italian Picture _ib._
Picture of the Infant Christ with Flowers 601
On a Remembered Picture of Christ--an Ecce Homo by
Leonardo da Vinci _ib._
The Children whom Jesus Blessed _ib._
Mountain Sanctuaries _ib._
The Lilies of the Field _ib._
The Birds of the Air 602
The Raising of the Widow’s Son _ib._
The Olive Tree _ib._
The Darkness of the Crucifixion _ib._
Places of Worship _ib._
Old Church in an English Park 603
A Church in North Wales _ib._
Louise Schepler _ib._
To the Same _ib._
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
The Two Monuments 604
The Cottage Girl _ib._
The Battle-Field 605
A Penitent’s Return _ib._
A Thought of Paradise 606
Let us Depart _ib._
On a Picture of Christ Bearing the Cross--painted by Velasquez 607
Communings with Thought _ib._
The Water-Lily 608
The Song of Penitence. Unfinished 609
Troubadour Song _ib._
The English Boy _ib._
To the Blue Anemone 610
SCENES AND PASSAGES FROM GOETHE.
Scenes from “Tasso” 611
Scenes from “Iphigenia.” A Fragment 616
RECORDS OF THE SPRING OF 1834.
A Vernal Thought 617
To the Sky _ib._
On Records of Immature Genius _ib._
On Watching the Flight of a Skylark 618
A Thought of the Sea _ib._
Distant Sound of the Sea at Evening _ib._
The River Clwyd in North Wales _ib._
Orchard-Blossoms 619
To a Distant Scene _ib._
A Remembrance of Grasmere _ib._
Thoughts connected with Trees _ib._
The Same _ib._
On Reading Paul and Virginia in Childhood 620
A Thought at Sunset _ib._
Images of Patriarchal Life _ib._
Attraction of the East _ib._
To an Aged Friend 620
A Happy Hour 621
Foliage _ib._
A Prayer _ib._
Prayer continued _ib._
Memorial of a Conversation 622
RECORDS OF THE AUTUMN OF 1834.
The Return to Poetry 622
To Silvio Pellico, on Reading his “Prigione” _ib._
To the Same released _ib._
On a Scene in the Dargle 623
On the Datura Arborea _ib._
On Reading Coleridge’s Epitaph _ib._
Design and Performance _ib._
Hope of Future Communion with Nature _ib._
Dreams of the Dead 624
The Poetry of the Psalms _ib._
Despondency and Aspiration _ib._
The Huguenot’s Farewell 626
Antique Greek Lament 627
THOUGHTS DURING SICKNESS.
Intellectual Powers 627
Sickness like Night _ib._
On Retzsch’s Design of the Angel of Death _ib._
Remembrance of Nature _ib._
Flight of the Spirit _ib._
Flowers _ib._
Recovery 629
Sabbath Sonnet. Composed by Mrs Hemans a few days before
her death _ib._
----
Appendix 630
Index 642
Index to first lines 647
CHRONOLOGY OF MRS HEMANS’ LIFE AND WORKS
1793.
Felicia Dorothea Browne, born at Liverpool, Sept 25.
1800, (æt. 7.)
Removes with family from Liverpool to Gwrych, near Abergele,
Denbighshire.--Shortly afterwards composes Lines on her Mother’s
Birthday.
1804, (11.)
Spends winter in London.--Writes thence letter in rhyme to brother and
sister in Wales.
1808, (15.)
Collection of poems printed in 4to.--England and Spain
written.--Becomes acquainted with Captain Hemans.
1809, (16.)
Family remove to Bronwylfa in Flintshire.--Pursues her studies in
French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.--Acquires the elements of
German; and shows a taste for drawing and music.
1812, (19.)
Domestic Affections and other poems published.--Marries Captain
Hemans.--Takes up residence at Daventry, Northamptonshire.
1813, (20.)
Son Arthur born.--Returns to Bronwylfa.
1816, (23.)
Publishes Restoration of the Works of Art to Italy; also Modern Greece.
1818, (25.)
Makes Translations from Camoens and others.--Publishes Stanzas on the
Death of Princess Charlotte, (_Blackwood’s Magazine_, April.)
1819, (26.)
Tales and Historic Scenes published.--Gains prize for best poem on the
Meeting of Wallace and Bruce.--Captain Hemans takes up residence in
Italy.--Family consists of five sons.
1820, (27.)
Publishes poem of Sceptic.--Becomes acquainted with Bishop Heber and
his brother Richard.--Corresponds with Mr Gifford.--Contributes papers
on Foreign Literature to _Edinburgh Magazine_.--Publishes Stanzas
to the Memory of George the Third.--Visits Wavertree Lodge, near
Liverpool, (October.)
1821, (28.)
Poem of Dartmoor obtains prize offered by Royal Society of
Literature.--Corresponds with Rev. Mr Milman, and Dr Croly.--Writes
Vespers of Palermo.--Extends her German studies. Writes Welsh Melodies.
1822, (29.)
Siege of Valencia, and Songs of the Cid written;--also dramatic
fragment of Don Sebastian.
1823, (30.)
Contributes to Thomas Campbell’s _New Monthly Magazine_.--Voice of
Spring written, (March.)--Siege of Valencia published, along with Last
Constantine and Belshazzar’s Feast.--Vespers of Palermo performed at
Covent Garden, (Dec. 12.)
1824, (31.)
Composes De Chatillon, revised MS. of which unfortunately lost.--Writes
Lays of Many Lands.--Removes with family from Bronwylfa to Rhyllon.
1825, (32.)
Treasures of the Deep, The Hebrew Mother, The Hour of Death, Graves of
a Household, The Cross in the Wilderness, and many other of her best
lyrics written.
1826, (33.)
The Forest Sanctuary published, together with Lays of Many
Lands.--Commences correspondence with Professor Norton of Boston, U.S.,
who republishes her works there.
1827, (34.)
Mrs Hemans loses her mother (11th January.)--Writes Hymns for
Childhood, which are first published in America.--Corresponds with
Joanna Baillie, Anne Grant, Mary Mitford, Caroline Bowles, Mary Howitt,
and M. J. Jewsbury.--Writes Körner to his Sister, Homes of England, An
Hour of Romance, The Palm-Tree, and many other lyrics.--Health becomes
impaired.
1828, (35.)
Publishes with Mr Blackwood Records of Woman, and collected
Miscellanies, (May.)--Contributes regularly to _Blackwood’s
Magazine_.--Visits Wavertree Lodge early in summer.--Removes to village
of Wavertree with family in September.
1829, (36.)
Writes Lady of Provence, To a Wandering Female Singer, The Child’s
First Grief, The Better Land, and Miscellanies.--Voyages to Scotland,
(June,) and visits Mr Henry M’Kenzie, Rev. Mr Alison, Lord Jeffrey,
Sir Walter Scott, Captain Hamilton, Captain Basil Hall, and other
distinguished literati.--Returns to England, (Sept.)--A Spirit’s Return
composed.
1830, (37.)
Songs of the Affections published.--Visits the Lakes and Mr
Wordsworth.--Domiciles during part of summer at Dove’s Nest, near
Ambleside.--Revisits Scotland, (Aug.)--Returns by Dublin and Holyhead
to Wales.
1831, (38.)
State of health delicate.--Quits England for last time, (April,)
and proceeds to Dublin.--Visits the Hermitage, near Kilkenny, and
Woodstock.--Returns to Dublin, (Aug.)--Writes various lyrics.
1832, (39.)
Health continues greatly impaired.--Writes Miscellaneous Lyrics, Songs
of Spain, and Songs of a Guardian Spirit.
1833, (40.)
Feels recruited during spring.--Writes Songs of Captivity, Songs for
Summer Hours, and many of Scenes and Hymns of Life.--Composes Sonnets
Devotional and Memorial.--Commences translation of Scenes and Passages
from German Authors, (December.)
1834, (41.)
Hymns for Childhood published (March;) also National Lyrics and Songs
for Music.--Paper on Tasso, published in _New Monthly Magazine_,
(May.)--Writes Fragment of Paper on Iphigenia.--Records of Spring
1834 written, (April, May, June.)--Is seized with fever; during
convalescence retires into county of Wicklow.--Returns to Dublin
in autumn, and has attack of ague.--Composes Records of Autumn
1834.--Writes Despondency and Aspiration, (Oct. and Nov.)--The
Huguenot’s Farewell and Antique Greek Lament, (Nov.)--Thoughts during
Sickness written, (Nov. and Dec.)--Retires during convalescence to
Redesdale, a country-seat of the Archbishop of Dublin.
1835, (42.)
Returns to Dublin, (March.)--Debility gradually increases.--Corresponds
regarding Sir Robert Peel’s appointment of her son Henry.--Dictates
Sabbath Sonnet, (April 26.)--Departs this life, (16th May.)--Remains
interred in vault beneath St Anne’s Church, Dublin.
THE
POETICAL WORKS
OF
MRS HEMANS
JUVENILE POEMS
ON MY MOTHER’S BIRTHDAY.
WRITTEN AT THE AGE OF EIGHT.
Clad in all their brightest green,
This day the verdant fields are seen;
The tuneful birds begin their lay,