20 Marlborough Square, Chelsea.—Praises Milnes’s poem on the funeral of Miss Berry, and encloses some poems of his own.
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Transcript
20 Marlbro Sq | Chelsea
1 Dec 1852
My dear Sir
It is not the first time I have had the pleasure of addressing you, having formerly sent to you a small Vol the feeble effort of my Muse, (“Spring Buds 1844”) and also some lines on the Coronation of Her present Majesty. I merely allude to these trifles by way of preface & recalling to your recollection my former correspondence. But the object of my present writing is to express to you my most cordial thanks for the gratification I yesterday derived from reading your simple but touching Poem on the funeral of Miss Berry. 27 Nov 1852. in the Times[.] I know not indeed when I have perused (in recent days) a Poem that has so pleased me Descriptive—simple, solemn—earnest, philosophic—Christian[—]every thing that could be desired[.] If people & poets would but only feel as you express yourself how much of real Poetry if we had but eyes to see & hearts to feel of there is in our every day path & how flowers & affection might be bid to bloom in many a spot now flat, stale, and unprofitable but, thank GOD, there are still left on the Earth some few (though but few I fear) who appreciate the gifts of heaven in Patience, Providence, and Grace; that you my dear Sir may long be spared to adorn our Literature and our Senate is the very sincere wish of
Yours very sincerely
Saml Shepherd F.S.A.
PS. I have taken the liberty of enclosing with this hurried but hearty scrawl—two or three Sonnets & Poems I have recently composed. One on the loss of our great Duke {2} & a small Poetical tribute to the Memory of the late talented Dr G. A. Mantell.
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{1} Brackets supplied. ‘“Spring Buds 1844”’ is interlined.
{2} The Duke of Wellington, who had died on 14 September.