2121. EBB to Anna Brownell Jameson
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 11, 211–212.
50 Wimpole Street.
Decr 1. [1845] [1]
My dear Mrs Jameson
I receive your letter, as I must do every sign of your being near & inclined to think of me in kindness, .. gladly, .. and assure you at once that whenever you can spend a half hour on me, you will find me enough myself to have a true pleasure in welcoming you .. say on any day except next saturday or the monday immediately following.
As soon as I heard of your return to England I ventured to hope that some good might come of it to me in my room here, besides the general good, which I look for with the rest of the public, when the censer swings back into the midst of us again. And how good of you, dear Mrs Jameson, to think of me there where the perfumes were set burning! it makes me glad & proud, that you should have been able to do so. Also the kind wishes which came with the thoughts, (you say) were not in vain—for I have been very idle & very well—the angel of the summer has done more for me even than usual, .. & till the last wave of his wing, I took myself to be quite well & at liberty .. & even now I am as well as anyone can be who has heard the prison-door shut for a whole winter at least, & knows it to be the only English alternative of a grave. Which is a gloomy way of saying that I am well but forced to shut myself up with disagreeable precautions all round—and I ought to be grateful instead of gloomy. Believe me that I shall be so when you come to see me, .. remaining in the meanwhile
most truly yours
Elizabeth Barrett B–
Publication: LEBB, I, 273–274.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Year provided by EBB’s reference to Mrs. Jameson’s “return to England” (see letter 2105).
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