Correspondence

466.  EBB to Julia Martin

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 56–58.

[Sidmouth]

Wednesday. [26 September 1832] [1]

How very kind of you dearest Mrs Martin, to write to me so much at length & at such a time. Indeed it was exactly the time when, if we were where we have been; we should have wished you to walk over the hill & talk to us; and altho’, after all that the most zealous friends of letter writing can say for it, it is not such a happy thing as talking with those you care for, yet it is the next happiest thing. I am sure I thought so when I read your letter.

To part with our dear kind Bummy, was a great grief to us. How could it be otherwise? But we know the truth of what you say; and more far more than you say, we feel respecting the sacrifice of time convenience & tranquillity which she has made for our sakes. It is only just & right—indeed it is only what we wish; that she should be freed from the trammels in which, for more than a year, her kindness & affection towards us, have bound her. If we could but be sure that she is gone to be happy!! but reading her last letter was almost like parting with her over again, for she seemed, by it, to be uncomfortable & uneasy, & not at all as we would have her be!– Did she tell you that her plan was to meet Mrs Butler at Manchester? On her arrival there she met nobody; & suffered her dread of the cholera & her anxiety about the non-arrival, all night & nearly all the next day. At five in the afternoon they came; & all got safe to Darlington the night afterwards. At Darlington they found two letters,—one from Bradley the place of their destination to announce Mrs Hedley’s unfortunate accouchement, which prevented her receiving them there,—and the other from Mr Clarke [2] to announce his departure for London: so that even at Fenham, there was nobody to welcome them. He is however to return in a week; (which may be a prophetical week .. as near seven years as seven days .. if he is as uncertain as he used to be): and Mrs Hedley is quite out of danger & getting rapidly better. Poor Bummy seems to be uneasy now about Mrs Butler, whom she thinks very unwell indeed. She sighs too over the ugly scenery of Northumberland, & talks of coming to live in the South: she “must do it”: I hope she must: and in the meantime, I hope & pray that her anxieties may wane quite away. The change of scene, & the happiness,—happiness always does people good,—of being with her sisters, may do a great deal of good to Mrs Butler. She cannot walk now at all. Lady Butler has taken apartments in Warren’s Hotel for six months, & goes there in November. It seems to me that people should be very near relations to Crœsus to do such a thing; but she is anxious to have masters for her daughters. Sir Thomas stands for Carlow—positively. [3]

And now, I must tell you about ourselves. Papa & Bro & Sette have made us so much happier, by coming! and we have the comfort of seeing dear Papa in good spirits and not only satisfied but pleased with this place. It is scarcely possible,—at least it seems so to me,—to do otherwise than admire the beauty of the country. It is the very land of green lanes & pretty thatched cottages. I dont mean the kind of cottages which are generally thatched,—with pigstyes & cabbages & dirty children,—but thatched cottages, with verandas & shrubberies, & sounds from the harp or piano coming thro’ the windows. When you stand upon any of the hills which stand round Sidmouth, the whole valley seems to be thickly wooded down to the very verge of the sea, & these pretty villas to be springing from the ground almost as thickly & quite as naturally as the trees themselves. There are certainly many more houses out of the town than in it; and they all stand apart yet near, hiding in their own shrubberies, or behind the green rows of elms which wall in the secluded lanes on either side. Such a number of green lanes I never saw,—some of them quite black with foliage, where it is twilight in the middle of the day; & others letting in beautiful glimpses of the spreading heathy hills or of the sunny sea. I am sure you would like the transition from the cliffs,—from the bird’s eye view to … I was going to say, the mole’s eye view: but I believe moles dont see quite clearly enough to suit my purpose. There are a great number of people here. Sam was at an evening party a week ago where there were a hundred & twenty people: but they dont walk about the parade & show themselves as one might expect. We know only the Herrings & Mrs & the Miss Nolands & Sir John Kean. [4] Mrs & Miss Weekes, & Mr & Mrs James have called upon us; but we were out when they came. I suppose it will be necessary to return their visits & to know them; and when we do, you shall hear about them, & about everybody whom we know. I am certainly much better in health,—stronger than I was, & less troubled with the cough. Every day I attend <…> [5] their walks on my donkey, if we do not go in a boat which is still pleasanter. I believe Henrietta walks out about three times a day. She is looking particularly well, & often talks & I am sure, still oftener thinks of you. You know how fond of you she is!– Papa walks out with her—& us; & we all, down to Occyta, breakfast & drink tea together. The dining takes place at five o’clock. Tomorrow, if this lovely weather will stand still & be accommodating, we talk of rowing to Dawlish which is about ten miles off. We have had a few cases of cholera: at least suspicious cases: one a fortnight before we arrived, & five since, in the course of a month. All dead, except one!– I confess a little nervousness; but it is wearing away. The disease does not seem to make any progress; & for the last six days there have been no patients at all.

Do let us hear very soon my dear Mrs Martin, how you are,—how your spirits are,—and whether Rome is still in your distance. Surely no plan could be more delightful for you, than this plan!—and if you dont stay very long away, I shall be sorry to hear of your abandoning it. Do you recollect your promise of coming to see us? We do.

You must have had quite enough now of my “little hand” & of my details. Do not go to Mathon or to the Bartons or to Eastnor without giving my love. How often my thoughts, are at home! I cannot help calling it so still in my thoughts. I may like other places, but no other place can ever appear to me to deserve that name.

Dearest Mrs Martins affectionate

E B Barrett.

My very kind regards to Mr Martin. I am sorry he did not like Mr H’s [6] first appearance. Indeed I wish you both to like him: & from what I had heard of his talents & manners, believed that you wd

Address, on integral page: Mrs Martin / Colwall / Ledbury / Herefordshire.

Publication: LEBB, I, 13–15 (in part).

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. This letter is postmarked 27 September 1832; Wednesday was the previous day.

2. James Graham-Clarke, EBB’s uncle.

3. Despite the positively, he was not a candidate in the general election of 1832.

4. Sir John (later Baron) Keane (1781–1840). The other people named by EBB have not been identified.

5. Seal tear.

6. Thomas Heywood, the new owner of Hope End.

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