Correspondence

1701.  EBB to Julia Martin

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 9, 117–119.

[London]

Thursday. [29] August 1844 [1]

Thank you, my dearest Mrs Martin, for your most kind letter,—a reply to which should certainly, as you desired, have met you at Colwall,—only, right or wrong, I have been flurried, agitated, put out of the way altogether, by Stormie’s & Henry’s plan of going to Ægypt!– Ah!—now you are surprised! Now you think me excusable for being silent two days beyond my time!—yes, & they have gone .. it is no vague speculation. You know, or perhaps you dont know, that, a little time back, Papa bought a ship, [2] put a captain & crew of his own in it, & began to employ it in his favorite ‘via lactea’ [3] of speculations. It has been once to Odessa with wool, I think: and now it has gone to Alexandria with coals. Stormie was wild to go to both places: & with regard to the last, Papa has yielded– And Henry goes too. This was all arranged weeks ago; but nothing was said of it, until last monday, to me: & when I heard it, I was a good deal moved of course, .. & although resigned now to their having their way in it, & their pleasure, which is better than their way, .. still I feel I have entered a new anxiety, & shall not be quite at ease again till they return. The return is to be at Christmas or before—two days at Gibraltar, .. and three weeks or four at Alexandria, .. & a prospect of getting down to Thebes while the ship is in the process of being unloaded. Altogether, & although it is a good stout vessel, with excellent airy cabins, beds & sofa, & nearly every luxury provided by Papa’s kindness (even to the detail of the preserved cream & champagne) I cannot but think that the anxiety will be greater than the advantages. It will be all voyage .. or nearly all—& even if they stay six weeks in Ægypt, .. the longest possible period .. why, what are six weeks for Ægypt? The best of it, in my eyes, is, that I have had nothing to do with it, from first to last: and the next best, is, that they have chosen it themselves for a chief pleasure, & that Stormie, yes, & Henry too, were quite singing for joy to the last moment, as if they were crowned kings of the earth by it! And so, may God be merciful to us,—that is all left for me to say! They went to Dovor [sic] yesterday, to join the ship at the Downs: & I shall not be at ease again, till I see them.

I believe I have made a mistake—for the ship takes out coal, & is to bring back wool. Also, they will touch at Malta besides Gibraltar, & will write from both places. George has just come into the room (parenthetically) to find a map, & desires his affectionate regards to both of you. What a happy visit he had at Colwall lately! Again & again he says, “I do like being there, so very much! Nothing of the kind gives me half the pleasure”.

And now to thank you, my ever dearest Mrs Martin, for your kind & welcome letter from the lakes! I knew quite at the first page, & long before you said a word specifically, that dear Mr Martin was better,—! & I think that such a scene, even from under an umbrella, must have done good to the soul & body of both of you. I wish I could have looked through your eyes for once! But I suppose that neither through yours, nor through my own, am I ever likely to behold that sight! In the meantime it is with considerable satisfaction that I hear of your failure of Wordsworth, [4] which was my salvation in a very awful sense! Why, if you had done such a thing, you wd have put me to the shame of too much honour. The speculation consoles me entirely for your loss, in respect to Rydal Hall & its poet. By the way I heard the other day that Rogers who was intending to visit him, said, .. “It is a bad time of year for it. The god is on his pedestal; & can only give gestures to his worshippers, & no conversation to his friends.”

And now, what are you going to do? For the winter, I mean? To hear of your intending to go on the continent for the winter, wd give me very great pleasure: and I long & hope to hear of it, although at present, you say nothing. The variety wd be so good for you both,—& the escape from our pestilent climate during its ‘hour of might,’ [5] so desirable for everyone who has wings to fly withal. If I had, I never wd spend a winter or an early spring in the three kingdoms,—not, if I were a patriot three times over.

Although you did not find a letter from me on your return to Colwall, I do hope that you found me .. viz .. my book! which Mr Burden [6] took charge of & promised to deliver or see delivered. When you have read it, do let me hear your own & Mr Martin’s true impression,—& whether you think it worse or better than the Seraphim. The only review which has yet appeared or had time to appear, has been a very kind & cordial one in the Athenæum– [7]

Are you interested in Magnetism? Are you believers, or not? I have a great mind to be a traitor, & send you (to read) some notes of a “matinèe magnétique,” taken by an evidently true & candid, & I understand, very acute & observant friend of Mr Kenyon’s, [8] & which he left with me when he left town. He talked then of seeing Malvern,—& if he happens to see you, .. dont betray my falseness to him. For, I must be a traitor & send you the notes. You heard of the Alexis who practised magnetism here, in the season, & had so many disciples? [9] During this “matinèe magnetique,” he was received at a private house, .. the only persons present, besides the host, being the reporter & her brother, & professor Wheetstone [10]  .. is that the name?

Read it, if you like,—but, in any case, return it to me in a few days.

May God bless you. I think I always write in a hurry now–

Your ever affectionate

Ba.

Publication: LEBB, I, 189–190 (in part).

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Dated by reference to the review of Poems (1844) in The Athenæum on Saturday, 24 August. The following Thursday was the 29th.

2. Initially, Edward Moulton-Barrett was probably a major shareholder, rather than sole owner, of the Statira (see letter 833, note 1). However, EBB’s comment here, and one to Miss Mitford in letter 1704 indicate that by this time he was the principal shareholder. According to Lloyd’s annual Register of British and Foreign Shipping, the Statira is described as a first-class ship of 357 tons, built at Bristol in 1828. The principal shareholder in 1843 was “Morrice”; no owner is listed in 1844. “Barrett” appears in 1845.

3. “Milky Way.” Cf. Ovid, Metamorphoses, I, 168–169.

4. Evidently the Martins had attempted to visit Wordsworth on EBB’s behalf.

5. We have not located the source of this quotation.

6. Presumably a mutual acquaintance in the Colwall area.

7. For the text, see pp. 320–324.

8. We have been unable to identify this person.

9. See letter 1643, note 12.

10. Probably Charles Wheatstone (1802–75), a professor of experimental physics at King’s College, London, who was well known for his discoveries in the areas of light, optics, and electricity.

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