THE HOUSE OF LIFE A Sonnet-Sequence by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Disclaimer: Some images in the original version of this book are not available for inclusion in the eBook To view the image on this page please refer to the printed version of this book Rossetti’s pen-and-ink design for his Sonnet on the Sonnet S 258 Private Collection See p 38 note THE HOUSE OF LIFE A Sonnet-Sequence by Dante Gabriel Rossetti Variorum Edition with an Introduction and Notes by Roger C Lewis Boydell & Brewer 2007 Disclaimer: Some images in the original version of this book are not available for inclusion in the eBook The author and publishers are grateful to all the institutions and individuals listed for permission to reproduce the materials in which they hold copyright Every effort has been made to trace the copyright holders; apologies are offered for any omission, and the publishers will be pleased to add any necessary acknowledgement in subsequent editions ANNAE UXORI For my wife Nancy Table of Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Note on Edited Text and Apparatus List of Abbreviations and Sigla Introduction Sonnet Texts and Notes [PROEM Sonnet] x xi xiii xvi 27 35 Part I Youth and Change Sonnet I Love Enthroned Sonnet II Bridal Birth Sonnet III Love’s Testament Sonnet IV Lovesight Sonnet V Heart’s Hope Sonnet VI The Kiss Sonnet VIa Nuptial Sleep Sonnet VII Supreme Surrender Sonnet VIII Love’s Lovers Sonnet IX Passion and Worship Sonnet X The Portrait Sonnet XI The Love-Letter Sonnet XII The Lovers’ Walk Sonnet XIII Youth’s Antiphony Sonnet XIV Youth’s Spring-Tribute Sonnet XV The Birth-Bond Sonnet XVI A Day of Love Sonnet XVII Beauty’s Pageant Sonnet XVIII Genius in Beauty Sonnet XIX Silent Noon Sonnet XX Gracious Moonlight Sonnet XXI Love-Sweetness Sonnet XXII Heart’s Haven Sonnet XXIII Love’s Baubles Sonnet XXIV Pride of Youth Sonnet XXV Winged Hours Sonnet XXVI Mid-Rapture Sonnet XXVII Heart’s Compass Sonnet XXVIII Soul-Light 39 39 40 42 44 46 47 48 52 55 56 58 61 63 65 67 68 70 71 72 73 76 78 80 82 83 85 86 87 88 viii Table of Contents Sonnet XXIX The Moonstar Sonnet XXX Last Fire Sonnet XXXI Her Gifts Sonnet XXXII Equal Troth Sonnet XXXIII Venus Victrix Sonnet XXXIV The Dark Glass Sonnet XXXV The Lamp’s Shrine Sonnet XXXVI Life-in-Love Sonnet XXXVII The Love-Moon Sonnet XXXVIII The Morrow’s Message Sonnet XXXIX Sleepless Dreams Sonnet XL Severed Selves Sonnet XLI Through Death to Love Sonnet XLII Hope Overtaken Sonnet XLIII Love and Hope Sonnet XLIV Cloud and Wind Sonnet XLV Secret Parting Sonnet XLVI Parted Love Sonnet XLVII Broken Music Sonnet XLVIII Death-in-Love Sonnets XLIX, L, LI, LII Willowwood Sonnet LIII Without Her Sonnet LIV Love’s Fatality Sonnet LV Stillborn Love Sonnets LVI., LVII., LVIII True Woman I Herself II Her Love III Her Heaven Sonnet LIX Love’s Last Gift End of Part I 90 91 92 94 96 97 98 100 102 103 104 106 107 109 111 112 113 115 116 117 119 129 130 131 133 133 137 139 142 142 Part II Change and Fate Sonnet LX Transfigured Life Sonnet LXI The Song-Throe Sonnet LXII The Soul’s Sphere Sonnet LXIII Inclusiveness Sonnet LXIV Ardour and Memory Sonnet LXV Known in Vain Sonnet LXVI The Heart of the Night Sonnet LXVII The Landmark Sonnet LXVIII A Dark Day Sonnet LXIX Autumn Idleness Sonnet LXX The Hill Summit 144 144 146 147 149 151 154 155 157 158 161 164 Table of Contents Sonnets LXXI., LXXII., LXXIII The Choice Sonnets LXXIV., LXXV., LXXVI Old and New Art I St Luke the Painter II Not as These III The Husbandmen Sonnet LXXVII Soul’s Beauty Sonnet LXXVIII Body’s Beauty Sonnet LXXIX The Monochord Sonnet LXXX From Dawn to Noon Sonnet LXXXI Memorial Thresholds Sonnet LXXXII Hoarded Joy Sonnet LXXXIII Barren Spring Sonnet LXXXIV Farewell to the Glen Sonnet LXXXV Vain Virtues Sonnet LXXXVI Lost Days Sonnet LXXXVII Death’s Songsters Sonnet LXXXVIII Hero’s Lamp Sonnet LXXXIX The Trees of the Garden Sonnet XC “Retro Me, Sathana!” Sonnet XCI Lost on Both Sides Sonnets XCII., XCIII The Sun’s Shame Sonnet XCIV Michelangelo’s Kiss Sonnet XCV The Vase of Life Sonnet XCVI Life the Beloved Sonnet XCVII A Superscription Sonnet XCVIII He and I Sonnets XCIX., C Newborn Death Sonnet CI The One Hope End of The House of Life Appendix One Dating and Ordonnance Appendix Two Poems: Proof States Appendix Three Poems: Chronology 1868–71 Appendix Four Poems: Bibliographical Summaries Appendix Five Ballads and Sonnets: Chronology 1879–82 Appendix Six Ballads and Sonnets: Bibliographical Summaries Appendix Seven Locations of Sources Appendix Eight Unpublished and Excluded Sonnets Bibliography of Works Cited or Consulted ix 167 172 172 174 177 179 181 184 186 187 189 191 193 195 196 197 200 202 204 207 209 212 214 215 216 218 219 223 223 227 247 250 254 261 274 278 288 298 ... Grylls (Lady Mander), Roger W Peattie, Allan and Page Life, Mark Samuels Lasner and Jerome J McGann The co-operation of collectors and family custodians of rare material is essential in work of this... Arabic number and all 1870 sonnets by their Roman number List of Abbreviations and Sigla Frequently-recurring names and frequently-cited sources are usually abbreviated in the notes and apparatus;... Research Grants awarded by the Canada Council and its successor the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRCC); many smaller SSHRCC Grants were made through Acadia University,