959. EBB to John Kenyon
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 5, 347–349.
50. Wimpole Street.
Sunday night– [15 May 1842] [1]
My dear Mr Kenyon,
Having missed my pleasure today by a coincidence worse for me than for you, I must, .. tired as I am tonight, .. tell you, .. ready for tomorrow’s return of the books, .. what I have waited three whole days hoping to tell you by word of mouth. But mind, before I begin, .. I dont do so out of despair ever to see you again .. because I trust stedfastly to your kindness to come again when you are not ‘languid’ & I am alone as usual—only that I dare not keep back from you any longer the following message of Miss Mitford. She says .. “Wont he take us in his way to Torquay? or from Torquay? Beg him to do so—& of all love, to tell us when.” [2] Afterwards, again—“I think my father is better. Tell Mr Kenyon what I say, & stand my friend with him & beg him to come.”
Which I do in the most effectual way, in her own words–
She is much pleased by means of your introduction. “Tell dear Mr Kenyon how very very much I like Mrs Leslie. [3] She seems all that is good & kind—& to add great intelligence & agreeableness to those prime qualities”.
Now I have done with being a messenger of the gods—& verily my caduceus is trembling in my hand– [4]
O Mr Kenyon! what have you done? You will know the interpretation of the reproach, your Conscience holding the key of the cypher!
In the meantime I ought to be thanking you for your great kindness about this divine Tennyson. [5] Beautiful, beautiful! After all it is a noble thing to be a poet!
But notwithstanding the poetry of the novelties—& you will observe that his two preceding volumes (only one of which I had seen before .. having enquired for the other vainly) are included in these two,—nothing appears to me quite equal to Œnone, [6] & perhaps a few besides of my ancient favorites. That is not said in disparagement of the last, but in admiration of the first. There is in fact more thought, more bare brave working of the intellect in the later poems, even if we miss something of the high ideality, & the music that goes with it, of the older ones. Only I am always inclined to believe that philosophic thinking, like music, is involved however occultly in high ideality of any kind.
You have not a key to the cypher of this at least—& I am so tired that one word seems tumbling over another all the way.
Ever affectionately yours
Elizabeth B. Barrett.
You will let me keep your beautiful ballad & the gods a little longer– [7]
Address: John Kenyon Esqr / 4 Harley Place.
Publication: LEBB, I, 108–109 (as September 1842).
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. This letter falls between no. 958, in which EBB promises to pass on Miss Mitford’s message to Kenyon, and no. 963, telling her that it has been delivered. The only Sunday between these two letters was the 15th.
2. EBB told Miss Mitford of Kenyon’s intention of visiting Torquay in letter 954; by the time of letter 963, however, he had altered his plans.
3. Kenyon’s friend has not been further identified. In a letter to Miss Mitford (31 October 1842), Mrs. Leslie is said to be critical of Kenyon, whom EBB defends.
4. i.e., Mercury, whose wand was usually represented as entwined with two snakes.
5. Kenyon had sent EBB Tennyson’s just-published Poems (see previous letter).
6. “Œnone,” originally published in 1832, was included in volume 1 of the 1842 edition.
7. Kenyon had apparently sent EBB the manuscript of his poem “The Gods of Greece,” paraphrased from Schiller. Published in The Keepsake for 1843 (pp. 77–80), it inspired EBB’s “The Dead Pan” (Taplin, p. 113).
___________________
