enchanting island, their residence being a large romantic quinta called the "Angustias."[1] But here the languor which had already shown itself greatly increased. She pined for England and enjoyed little of all that lay or lived around her; and those who came across her, grave and quiet, while "her peers and playmates" were revelling in the glad rush of young life, hardly knew what to make of her. Yet even then her poetic genius was unfolding in its own springtide fulness; but the poems which were poured out incessantly, and which even at fifteen show a wonderful ripeness and strength of feeling, were seen by no one save her one sister. She wrote from sheer delight in the employment, without a thought of exhibition or any idea of merit in the production. She had indeed even in childhood written verse, and was haunted by distressing childish night-dreams, in which she fancied others of her family surprising and persisting in reading aloud her verses in spite of her terrors and tears.
Various changes of residence followed upon the return from Madeira in 1840. Her first
- ↑ Meaning "sorrows," from a chapel in the house dedicated to "Our Lady of Anguish."
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