427. EBB to Hugh Stuart Boyd
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 324–325.
[Hope End]
Tuesday morng August 23d 1831.
My dearest friend,
I send Keats’s poems for Miss Boyd, [1] —& will at the same time tell you, that if Dominick goes to see you, which he certainly will do, you must not blame me. I did not say one word about you to him, on my way home yesterday,—but his first words to me were “I had intended to do myself the pleasure of calling upon Mr Boyd today, if—” I forget what subject the “if” introduced. He is “anxious to consult you about the Greek historians”. I took your part so far as to observe that you had not paid much attention to historical subjects: but nothing will save you—depend upon it!—— So I advise you to be as philosophical, if not as historical,—& certainly as grave as you can!–
Dr & Mrs Card, Mrs & Miss Wall [2] & Miss Wall’s uncle, provided with a ticket of admission from Bentley of Worcester, made a party of pleasure to this place yesterday. As the ticket was not a proper one, they were not allowed to go farther than the dining room,—& Bro who was a good deal excited, said to Lane in a voice, meant to be audible, that if Lane did not instantly see them out of the house, he himself would do so. Accordingly they went out of the house,—& had the moderation to be satisfied by walking along the walks, & looking in at the windows of the tent-room & drawing room where my aunt was sitting. I conclude that they were satisfied & pleased, as there was a good deal of very loud laughing & talking,—Miss Wall the coryphæus!– Not long ago I saw a letter from her to Eliza Cliffe in which she professed a strong feeling of “compassion” for “those poor girls”. She is happy in her manner of illustrating it,—& of acting, at the same time, consistently with the delicacy & good feeling & womanly kindness which I ever attributed to her!—— Her acquaintance with us, slight as it has been, places all this in a stronger & more creditable point of view.
You know how little I care about the conduct of people for whom I dont care,—but still it is very painful to be exposed to such intrusions—to live as we have lived lately & have been never used to live: so very painful, that I should long ago have wished myself away, even from Hope End,—if it were not for you!—— Well! I suppose both the pain & consolation will soon be over. I mean, this particular kind of pain—& every kind of consolation.
Ever affectionately yours,
E B Barrett.
Since coming to an end of this note, Bro has received one from our dear Papa, who, in addition to his other troubles, has had a violent attack of cholera. He is weak & low in consequence of it,—& is going out of London for two days, to regain his strength by changing the air. Oh if it had been the will of God to have taken him from us! What should we have done then? It is certainly wrong & sinful to repine, when there might be so much greater reason for sorrow: and as long as he is left to us, I should not have talked of losing every kind of consolation—earthly consolation, of course I meant!——
May God bless you with joy as long as joy will last,—and with all consolation afterwards!——
Papa says nothing about Hope End–
Publication: Diary, pp. 283–284.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Boyd’s only sister, who was staying at her brother’s house. EBB, meeting her for the first time on 30 July, described her as “old fashioned in dress manner & countenance” (Diary, p. 70).
2. Millicent Wall was Eliza Cliffe’s friend, and her family held the manor of Cradley, Herefordshire. Dr. Henry Card, Vicar of Great Malvern, was Boyd’s friend. A sale notice revealing the name of the estate first appeared locally in the Hereford Journal, 27 July 1831. Viewing was permitted by tickets obtained from various agents. The sale was to be conducted on 25 August in London.
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