Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Essay Date C. 1820-22)

SOURCE: Browning, Elizabeth Barrett. "Glimpses into My Own Life and Literary Character." In The Brownings' Correspondence, Vol. 1, edited by Philip Kelley and Ronald Hudson, pp. 348-56. Winfield, Kans.: Wedge-stone, 1984.

In the following excerpt from an unpublished essay, a young Browning discusses her poetic ambitions and her tendency toward sentiment. The essay was likely written during a period of at least two years, beginning when the poet was fourteen and ending sometime after her illness of 1821-22.

I was always of a determined and if thwarted violent disposition—My actions and temper were infinitely more inflexible at three years old than now at fourteen—At that early age I can perfectly remember reigning in the Nursery and being renowned amongst the servants for self love and excessive passion—When reproved I always considered myself as an injured martyr and bitter...