3062. EBB to Joanna Hilary Bonham Carter

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 18, 168–169.

58. Welbeck street.

[ca. 12 July 1852] [1]

My dear Miss Carter,

With every sense of your & Mrs Carter’s [2] kindness, we yet cannot contrive to go to you on friday– In fact, we go nowhere to dinner—it is our ‘rule’ both in London & Paris, Mr Kenyon’s house being the exception. Also, our time is crowded into just now, & I go to bed, as I did last night, in a state of absolute exhaustion. How good of you to wish to see us!

I have heard from Mrs Jameson, & she talks of leaving Paris on wednesday.

I hold in my keeping your brown veil, & if I do not carry it to you immediately, it shall at least be safe. With united regards, to you, dear Miss Carter,

Ever most truly yours

Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Will you convey to your cousin Miss Nightingale, [3] who has been so kind as to send me some most beautiful flowers, this enclosed little note of acknowledgement?

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. Approximate dating suggested by EBB’s reference to Mrs. Jameson’s intention “of leaving Paris on wednesday.” 14 July 1852 was a Wednesday, and by 21 July 1852 Mrs. Jameson was in London (see letter 3069).

2. Joanna Maria Bonham Carter (née Smith, 1791–1884), sister of Florence Nightingale’s mother, Frances Nightingale (née Smith, 1788–1880), was the widow of John Bonham Carter (1788–1838), who for many years had been M.P. for Portsmouth. Mrs. Bonham Carter is listed in the Brownings’ address book of this period (AB-3) at 16 St. James’s Street and afterwards at 44 Park Street, Park Lane.

3. Florence Nightingale (1820–1910), reformer and nurse, famous for her services in the field during the Crimean War. She had called on the Brownings with the Bonham Carters, as reported by EBB to Henrietta in a letter of 5–8 November 1854 (ms at Camellia).

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