1904. EBB to Hugh Stuart Boyd
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 10, 196–197.
[London]
April [sic, for May] 3d 1845. [1]
My very dear friend,
I have been intending every day to write & tell you that the Cyprus wine is as nectareous as possible,—so fit for the gods, in fact, that I have been forced to leave it off as unfit for me, .. it made me so feverish. But I keep it until the sun shall have made me a little less mortal, .. and in the meantime, recognize thankfully both its high qualities, & your kind ones. How delightful it is to have this sense of a summer at hand– Shall I see you this summer, I wonder!– That is a question among my dreams.
By the last American packet I had two letters, one from a poet of Massachusetts and another from a poetess,—the he, Mr Lowell,—& the she, Mrs Sigourney. [2] She says that the sound of my poetry is stirring the “deep green forests of the new world”—which sounds pleasantly,—does it not? And I understand from Mr Moxon that a new edition will be called for before very long .. only not immediately. [3]
You will be delighted to hear that Wordsworth is in London,—having been “commanded” up to attend the queen’s ball. The majesty of England, when she saw him, was quite “fluttered,” Mrs Jameson heard from one of the maids of honour—and I am well contented that it should be so.
Also I hear that a learned Greek of my acquaintance sees more virtue in the cutting of throats, than in mending the ragged stockings of the ragged Maynooth priests. I humbly hope that he is eclectic in his philosophy about the throats, .. & does not mean throats in general, or even the throats of his own friends in particular.
Seriously & without a jest, if there cannot be love among Christians .. as this loud party-cry through England disproves, .. I think there ought to be a sense of equal justice, at least. Not that I discuss the point with you, my dearest friend!– I would rather say that I affectionately think of you every day, and that I beg you to think of me as your affectionate & grateful friend
Elibet.
Arabel & Mr Hunter talk of paying you a visit some day——
Address: H S Boyd Esqr / 24 (a) Grove End Road / St John’s Wood.
Publication: EBB-HSB, pp. 275–276 (as 3 April 1845).
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Month provided by postmark.
2. See note 15 in the previous letter.
3. EBB had previously mentioned the possibility of Poems (1844) going into a second edition, which it never did; e.g., see letters 1826 and 1880.
___________________
