The sonnet gives an intimate glimpse into the world of DGR's circle in 1851. WMR's substantial note on the sonnet in his edition of 1911 identifies the topical references. The two sculptors DGR mentions are John Hancock, a member of the Cyclographic Society, and Berhard Smith (1820-1885)—the latter was a painter as well and he shared a studio in Stanhope Street with Thomas Woolner. William North (d. 1855) was a minor Victorian writer, author of the posthumously published The Slave of the Lamp.
The sonnnet was written on 20 January, St. Agnes Eve. DGR wrenches the title to laugh at himself and his friends as a group of wags.
Textual History: Composition
No manuscript of the sonnet is known.
Printing History
First printed in WMR's
Family Letters, 83
, where WMR comments on the sonnet. It was first collected in 1911.
This collection contains 5 texts and images, including:
1911
Scholarly Commentary
Introduction
The sonnet gives an intimate glimpse into the world of DGR's circle in 1851. WMR's substantial note on the sonnet in his edition of 1911 identifies the topical references. The two sculptors DGR mentions are John Hancock, a member of the Cyclographic Society, and Berhard Smith (1820-1885)—the latter was a painter as well and he shared a studio in Stanhope Street with Thomas Woolner. William North (d. 1855) was a minor Victorian writer, author of the posthumously published The Slave of the Lamp.
The sonnnet was written on 20 January, St. Agnes Eve. DGR wrenches the title to laugh at himself and his friends as a group of wags.
Textual History: Composition
No manuscript of the sonnet is known.
Printing History
First printed in WMR's Family Letters, 83 , where WMR comments on the sonnet. It was first collected in 1911.