2079. RB to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 11, 146.
[London]
Wednesday Night. [29 October 1845] [1]
Like your kindness,—too, far too generous kindness,—all this trouble and correcting, [2] —and it is my proper office now, by this time, to sit still and receive, by right Human, (as opposed to Divine). When you see the pamphlet’s self, you will find your own doing,—but where will you find the proofs of the best of all helping and counseling and inciting, unless in new works which shall justify the unsatisfaction, if I may not say shame, at these, these written before your time, my best love–
Are you doing well to-day? For I feel well; have walked some eight or nine miles—and my mother is very much better .. is singularly better. You know whether you rejoiced me or no by that information about the exercise you had taken yesterday– Think what telling one that you grow stronger would mean–
“Vexatious” with you! Ah, prudence is all very right, and one ought, no doubt to say, “of course, we shall not expect a life exempt from the usual proportion of &c. &c.” but truth is still more right, and includes the highest prudence besides, and I do believe that we shall be happy,—that is, that you will be happy: you see I dare confidently expect the end to it all .. so it has always been with me in my life of wonders; absolute wonders, with God’s hand over all .. and this last and best of all would never have begun so, and gone on so, to break off abruptly even here, in this world, for the little time.
So try, try, dearest, every method, take every measure of hastening such a consummation– Why, we shall see Italy together! I could, would, will shut myself in four walls of a room with you and never leave you and be most of all then “a lord of infinite space” [3] —but, to travel with you to Italy, or Greece—very vain, I know that, all such daydreaming! and ungrateful, too,—with the real sufficing happiness here of being, and knowing that you know me to be, and suffer me to tell you I am yours,
ever your own
God bless you, my dearest.
Address: Miss Barrett, / 50 Wimpole St
Postmark: 12NN12 OC30 1845 B.
Docket, in EBB’s hand: 70.
Publication: RB-EBB, pp. 253–254.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Date provided by postmark.
2. See preceding letter.
3. Cf. Hamlet, II, 2, 255.
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