Correspondence

1873.  EBB to Mary Russell Mitford

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 10, 137–139.

[London]

Tuesday morning– [Postmark: 25 March 1845]

Ever dearest Miss Mitford, our letters have crossed—& yet it seems to be my turn, (since I wrote last a sort of moaning desponding letter,) to tell you now that I admit the spring & am alive to hope again. What a change of weather, to be sure!—the thermometer at sixty six, the papering of one of my windows undone for air, & the fire extinguished in the grate!– My heart is not however in a calm yet—it must have time, I suppose. In the meantime I turn to you, & begin (like another bird) to build my nest in the green tree & think of your coming, & how soon it must of necessity be, & how happy, of a greater necessity!—— Write to me, my dearest friend!—& tell me if you are likely to be able soon to be definite about times & seasons—& how Flush is .. for I am not quite easy about him. My Flushie is as well as possible, &, I maintain, (although not without some opposition,) does not grow fatter. He is even thinner, according to me. And except that, during the cold, he made a point of coming back immediately when put into the yard in the mornings & evenings, he has never appeared to suffer at all from the weather, .. & receives with sublime indifference, ‘all seasons & their change.’ [1] But then, you know, he lives in my room—sealed up from the winds, .. & with a fire through the night. And he pushes his nose under the pillow, by the way, with a particular emphasis, when it freezes.

Read George Sand’s ‘Jeanne’. [2] It is full of beauty, of profound beauty & significance, .. & is pure besides. Oh—she has far more than fine speaking,—than eloquence, .. define the quality as you may. This book is exquisite, I think—though the heroine is somewhat too divinely idiotic,—of a stupidity, a little too gross. And yet I am scarcely sure now, .. although I felt so while I was reading the book—it is a noble & singular conception, & gives proof of what may be called an heroic imagination. Certainly if I had written it I could not have resisted giving a little more life of mind to my heroine, & probably I should have spoilt her in the act. Tell me what your thoughts are. And when you send for ‘Jeanne’, specify G Sand’s,—or they may send you Mdme Reybaud’s, which is uninspired .. an apocryphal ‘Jeanne.’ [3]

What does Mr Chorley mean by saying that he is ‘all surface’? Of course it is a “voluntary humility”—but what does he mean by it? I do not like to hear people say such things even in deprecation & melancholy jest—nobody who thinks & feels is all surface, or can really think so of himself—now can he? In relation to Mr Chorley, you know how prepared I am to see a friend in him, in the best sense of being a friend, & to hold the pleasure of it for a privilege. In principle, in feeling, in ability, he seems to draw the esteem of all men & women,—& I am personally obliged to him,—besides having been long personally interested in him for your sake. Then I like the Music & Manners, & Mrs Hemans’s Memoirs, & much besides. You know it all as well as I can,—now do you not? I do not speak meanings “on the surface,” but deep & true.

Think of Mr Tait writing to ask me the other day to contribute to the Edinburgh Tales, edited, you know, by Mrs Johnstone!– [4] It is quite out of my way; but I thought of you instantly—& how it wd be just the sort of light taskwork for you. Mary Howitt & Mrs Gore & others are “in it,” .. & they give twelve pounds the sheet– Suppose you vouchsafe them your ‘Benedicite’! .. supposing that I [5]  dont teaze! Only sixteen pages to the story!––will you think of it? “say yea—say yea” [6] —& above all things, dont be angry with me for my evil devices. [7]

Your ever affecte

EBB.

Do read the Improvisatore– [8] I am a devil in Mr Chorley’s thought, to echo him. And I admit that the expression about Balzac’s fine gentleman is in favor of your view.

Address: Miss Mitford / Three Mile Cross / near Reading.

Publication: EBB-MRM, III, 93–94.

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Daniel 2:21

2. EBB had enquired about Sand’s novel in letter 1779.

3. We have not located a book of this title by Mme. Reybaud.

4. See letter 1871, note 4.

5. Underscored twice.

6. Cf. II Corinthians 1:17.

7. Psalm 37:7.

8. See letter 1861, note 7.

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