Correspondence

1292.  EBB to Mary Russell Mitford

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 194–196.

[London]

June 19. 1843.

Only some twelve or fifteen flowers came my dearest friend, & it was evident to us from the first by the loose string, that somebody had committed felony, .. & by the beauty of the roses which did reach us, that we had lost a great deal by it. Yet let Ben calm his perturbed spirit, [1] & by no means think of knocking people down. You know an apple cdnt hang long in Eden—still less was it likely that such flowers cd flourish without a hand on them, upon a railway. It was a temptation beyond human nature’s fortitude: we must not expect impossible virtues. Why if I myself had been there, … I, who am particularly virtuous in my indignation just now, .. even I might have taken a rose … I dont know! Yes, I am of opinion that just emerging from London & unused to the glory of gardens, I might have stolen a rose! And now you have only to multiply my viciousness by … all the jars in the house! Dearest dearest Miss Mitford, how very very kind of you!– I am as obliged to you as if I wrote to you up to my chin in roses, & with a crown on my head, nodding over them! Oh, to rob your garden so .. & that your basket shd be robbed afterwards! Indeed I am not patient under the infliction! [2] Only you see, I have so much left, in despite of the filching, that a murmur comes with a bad grace from me—I am ashamed to murmur in the presence of your geraniums. Thank you a hundred times!–

I have written your message to Mr Horne from whom I had just heard, .. he having the kindness to send me three copies, besides an order for getting for you tomorrow, five & twenty copies from the third edition!—& he is not at all better, I am sorry to say, .. so that I am gladder than I shd be at all events, of his being likely to visit you & take refreshment from the airs under your bay-tree. Afterwards,—I hope it will be only afterwards, but he says to me, ‘directly’,—he is going down to his mother at Brighton, away from all the work & wisdom, dust & glorious tribulation [3] of this London of ours, .. & there, will learn, I trust, to be better. From what I can understand, he overworks himself in mind, hands, & imagination. He seems to me to talk all tongues, from Spanish to Syriac—is a director in a South American mine company,—writes reviews in divers quarterleys,—& commissioner-reports for government,—& dissertations upon the folios of Albertus Magnus,—& tragedies, & comedies, & histories of Napoleon—& Orions in the interstices of all!– The body will fail & faint sometimes under such a load of soul-work, & nobody can wonder at it. I am very glad for other reasons too, that he is going to see you. Tell me what your judgement is. When you have seen the man, & I, only the picture, you will have an advantage over me; & I expect to profit from it through your communicativeness. Tell me everything—do!–

Dearest Miss Mitford—I have seen my uncle Hedley! He has come from abroad with three of his sons, [4] to settle one at Oxford, & two at school,—& then to return to his family at Lausanne,—or Paris. It was a terrible struggle for me to see him .. with the great gulf of these three years between the last time & this now, & such thoughts as wd be present—but I was able to cry, [5] .. & cried till I was half blinded, & disabled with a headache for five days. ‘My dear child—my dear child!—” he said–—he is very tender. The tears stood in his eyes & ran over. He knew & loved the Dearest in the world to me,—& felt, I am sure, what was in my heart in my silence––for it was impossible for me to speak even then.

Dearest Miss Mitford .. you cannot think how I have dreaded to see him, ever since March when I heard that he meant to come “in the summer.” I dreaded it so much that I cd not speak of it even to you .. & when I heard his voice down stairs my heart seemed to move away from its place:—& to look in his face, seemed impossible. But it is over now—I thank God for that. He is the only one of my uncles whom living I love—& he is not really my uncle .. not in blood—only by marriage & kindness. And what an “only” that last is!–

Why I shd have been more silent than usual, you will understand now––but I slept well last night, & have quite lost my headache this morning, & am not worth thinking of any more. Your visitor does not appear enchanting indeed. [6] Ask her if she is related to the Vignolles, who have Brabazons belonging to them, & one of whom, turned matrimonially into a Martin, Mrs Martin of Colwall, Herefordshire, is an old & dear friend of ours … full of strong sense, & quick sympathies, & as white from Pen & Ink as you cd desire—? Wilberforce—Hannah More!—very good .. & a little narrow even in their goodness: for their greatness, it is unimaginable!–

As to O’Connell, he has not a cloven foot I believe,—but really I wd as soon rank him second to Napoleon, as Wilberforce first among great men. Can you guess what Stormie said to your opinion of Napoleon O’Connell? “Second to Napoleon,”—said he!—“Why Napoleon is not to be compared to him!”

I think so too.

After all, great or little, what is he doing or about to do in Ireland? Displaying singular & unscrupulous ability—playing at ninepins with the souls of men? and what more? Not carrying the Repeal certainly! [7] Perhaps (& that will be a just & happy result) destroying the Irish Church Establishment!– But considering the blind apathy in England & the blind fury in Ireland, what may happen before such a result, is frightful to imagine. His power is the only certain thing. Is he not amusing the world by causing the Irish Nation to stand balanced on one toe on the single air-hung rope—— “This can I do”. It makes me giddy to look on.

There! Now I am to go down stairs for the second time—& I shall be in a chair out of doors presently, though I dont “sleep on a ground floor.” [8]

Oh! the perverseness of certain persons!–

Your own

EBB–

Say how your ankle is. You do not walk lamely? Tell me!–

Publication: EBB-MRM, II, 250–253.

Manuscript: Folger Shakespeare Library and Wellesley College.

1. Cf. Hamlet, I, 5, 182. EBB refers to the theft of roses sent by Miss Mitford (see letter 1290).

2. Cf. II Corinthians, 6:4.

3. Cf. Romans, 5:3.

4. Robert (Robin), John and George Hedley.

5. The Hedleys were living in Torquay at the time of Bro’s death in 1840.

6. The Miss Brabazon mentioned further in letter 1297.

7. In 1840, O’Connell had founded the Repeal Association with the object of working for the repeal of the Act of Union of 1801, which created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

8. As Miss Mitford did.

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