Rossetti Archive Textual Transcription
Document Title: This day I excuse thee
Author: William Holman Hunt
Date of Composition: 1848 September
Type of Manuscript: holograph
The
full Rossetti Archive record for this transcribed document is available.
page: [1]
Manuscript Addition: 12345678910
Editorial Description: Hunt's notation at the top of the page.
Manuscript Addition: ? 1848 / Sept.
Editorial Description: WMR's pencil notation above the text
- This day I excuse thee
- That is only on Plea,
- Setting forth that the sea
- Was too distant for thee
- To get there by eleven,
- [?] home yet by [?]
- [W]ill you ever go to heaven
- Yes I think and tell stories,
- For I heard the marsh more is
-
10Under water than sin
- Drowneth thee, Devil's Finn
- You know [damn?] well the din
- You made after your kin
- That is me, P. R. B.,
- Came. I made in a Cab
- Away. Did you not dab
-
With your
- If [?] like a crab
- I made [?]
- [?] back soon
-
20Oh! then
have
? right after the noon
- For
spoon? If thou had left me to pining
- I'd not be about Dining
- spoil been like
- And out your sulks
- For she is from the hulks
- more [?] and lively. So she
- Shares thy [?]earied beauty
- And averred unto me
- Its not Obstinacy
-
30 That
? act with Dignity
- So
more absolved thee
Column Break
- And say that on Friday
- If you come. Bona Fide
- en propria personne,
- To me key & money,
- You'll find Holman Hunt
- In the very same punt
- You thought fit for Etty
- And not for Rossetti,
-
40You make one quite fretty
- In saying a jetty
- To paint from should be fit
- For him, or the whole kit
- Of sloshies, little wit
- Hast thou, virginity
- Plenty, which swallow it
- All, oh take a virgin
- And give to her, purging
- Thy folly, you see, you
-
50Can spare what maidens few
- Have, so do give unto
- Them such balloah boo-
- ly, (that very much better,
- Of course the last letter,
- Than the continuance
- Which made the connivance
- Of the
maid servant betty
- Quite requisité
- In yours): It's getting late
-
60So without more debate,
- For the fly
- With monotonous hum
- Knocks the glass drum
- A drum with his head
- And sings get to bed
- So I go *********
- Hilloa
page: [2]
- This morning
- That's dawning
-
70So clearly.
- Not dearly, I say, but buy
- Without asking why
- A tube of Lake Yellow
- For me, do not look sallow
- I'll pay thee again,
- If it does not rain
- And I see thee, on
- Friday so jour bon
Holman Hunt
Manuscript Addition: buy it at Winsor and Newton or Roberson's
Editorial Description: Hunt's pencil note to his correspondent (below the text) specifying two sources for buying the paint he requests (Winsor and
Newton or Roberson's)
Electronic Archive Edition: 1
Copyright: Published with the permission of Iziko Museums of Cape Town