1285. EBB to John Kenyon

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 185–186.

50 Wimpole Street.

Wednesday—or is it thursday?– [15 June 1843] [1]

My dear cousin,

We shall hear all details about Mrs Dupuy tonight at least; but it will be probably too late to give you any information on the subject. [2] I do trust she is happily out of her distress.

I have heard from Miss Mitford who is as much under the inspiration of upholstery as you yourself can be,—full of carpets & floor cloths, & breathing of pokers & tongs– Of her letter I send you only the envelope, [3] that you may concentrate your powers of interpretation & make out what particularly concerns you & your guest Mr Eagles. What she says about the flowers refers to a catastrophe affecting the buds of her geraniums–

Ever affectionately yours

EBB–

I send you my friend Mr Horne’s new epic, & beg you, if you have an opportunity, to drop it at Mr Eagles’ feet, .. so .. that he may pick it up & look at it– I have not gone through it (I have another copy!) but it appears to me to be full of fine things. As to the author’s fantasy of selling it for a farthing, I do not enter into the secret of it … unless indeed he shd intend a sarcasm on the Age’s generous patronage of poetry .. which is possible–

Publication: LEBB, I, 145 (in part, as [summer 1843]).

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Dated by the reference to Mrs. Dupuy’s litigation.

2. Judgement in Mrs. Dupuy’s case was to be given on 15 June, and EBB’s prior reference (letter 1275) indicates that George Moulton-Barrett was in attendance; his verbal report of the outcome would, therefore, be given to EBB after the court rose, but probably too late for her to circulate.

3. Of the letter acknowledged by EBB in no. 1275.

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