Correspondence

3100.  EBB to Mary Russell Mitford

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 18, 203–204.

58 Welbeck street.

Wednesday– [1 September 1852] [1]

I am so vexed, my dearest friend, that the vexation is unutterable, .. & this, in despite of your kind letter, & the comfort of the assurance (cold comfort!) that you are all the better for not seeing me. The weather here had been heavy strangling weather, & I suddenly broke down as I do sometimes, just when I want the advantage of my full stature—and Robert was afraid for me, & I had to give up a “handfull of engagements,[”] the rose among them. As to the fatigue of going to Reading, I would joyfully pass through much more than that, for the sake of half an hour of you .. when I am able .. that is, in my usual competency of strength. But when you tell me that I may do you harm after all .. why, it frightens me—only I have a sort of rankling envious spite against Mr Harness & Mrs Newton Crosland who were happy enough to see & hear you– Oh, most vexatious it all is! Now, .. I could not go, for the next fortnight, on account of the child, because Wilson goes to visit her mother & leaves him on my hands, poor darling, to be washed & dressed & not let out of my sight– So, I have to renounce the world, for the fortnight at least,—I get me to a nunnery [2] … no, nursery, .. & expect to be thoroughly worn out, as I was last year, in this honourable service. Robert wanted me to engage another nurse for the time—but the child is very loving of friends & hateful of strangers, & if I did not stand by him, he would quite break his little heart after Wilson. And now I am well again & able to exert myself—so, will!

But whenever I am free, shall I be any nearer you, I wonder? It will vex me to the heart to have to leave England without seeing you—yet still worse would it be certainly, to hurt you, or to run the least risk of hurting you. Therefore I leave the question to future decision—understanding meanwhile that quiet must of all things be best for you—better even than the love in my face or any friend’s. Be careful—dont let yourself be tired out by visits & talkings .. keep yourself safe for all our sakes. And make it up to me, .. do .. by writing as often as does you no harm, to say how you are– Would not the seaside this autumn be good for you? I should fancy it would.

Did you see Mr Chorley, who talked of catching a sight of you when he left London? We went to dine with him in his new house & liked host & house as they deserved. [3] A most pretty house it is,—& the host is what we all know—though he let me quarrel a little with him about chrystal balls & clairvoyance generally. [4] I wish we had seen more of him—I wish we had. God bless you– I mean to write you a letter with more news in it in a day or two. Mr Kenyon has not returned yet. God bless you.

Your ever affectionate

Ba

Arabel’s love—(she is sitting here) & Robert’s——

Address: Miss Mitford / Swallowfield / near Reading.

Publication: EBB-MRM, III, 367–368.

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. This letter is postmarked 2 September 1852, a Thursday.

2. Cf. Hamlet, III, 1, 120.

3. In 1851 Chorley had moved from 15 Victoria Square to 13 Eaton Place West, Belgrave Square.

4. Chorley had been present and evidently unhappy at the spirtualist gathering held on 28 July at Fanny Haworth’s house, to which Lord Stanhope had brought his crystal ball (see letter 3075).

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