Hopkins (1844-1889) published only a few of his poems during his lifetime, but from 1866 to 1889 he sent copies of many of them to his friend Robert Bridges (later Poet Laureate), who pasted them into this notebook, together with other contemporary poems. The notebook includes Hopkins’s fair copies of such great poems as ‘The Windhover’, ‘Binsey Poplars’, ‘To Henry Purcell’ and ‘Pied Beauty’ (shown here). Bridges included them in his edition of Hopkins’ poems, published in 1918.
Hopkins added graphic symbols into his MS to aid the reader or speaker of the words. These are all but lost today as they weren't replicated in print for various reasons to do with reader expectations and print technologies. More than many other writers, the MS give a new experience and set of ideas about the writing and engagement with it by readers.
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What makes this a treasure?
Hopkins added graphic symbols into his MS to aid the reader or speaker of the words. These are all but lost today as they weren't replicated in print for various reasons to do with reader expectations and print technologies. More than many other writers, the MS give a new experience and set of ideas about the writing and engagement with it by readers.
Posted by Michael WIlson
On 12/03/2013