Correspondence

477.  EBB to Ann Lowry Boyd

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 76–77.

Sidmouth.

Saturday April 13. [1833] [1]

My dear Mrs Boyd

Mr Boyd desires me to say, that he wishes you to do as you consider best for your health, with regard to going to Bath. I am very sorry to understand from your letter to me, how unwell you have been, and are. I do hope a little more time will bring us better accounts.

Arabel regrets having made you nervous, or annoyed you in any way: and I quite agree with you, that your being made nervous, and over exciting yourself are bad means of bringing you to Sidmouth. [2] For me to say, that I have not deeply regretted your not having come before your illness rendered exertion injurious to you, would not be honest in me. I certainly have been unable to see poor Mr Boyd so solitary, in this strange place, without wishing you had determined otherwise than you did. I have been unable to help thinking that as soon as Annie was strong enough to attend the Bath parties, she was also strong enough to come here. But whether I was right or wrong in thinking this; of one thing, I am quite sure—that Mr Boyd deserved no expressions from Annie which were not affectionate and grateful ones. I have been careful to conceal from him everything of this kind, which was likely to give him pain. From an expression in your letter, you seem to think me more selfish than I am. Whatever pleasure I have received from Mr Boyd’s being here, it has not prevented me from wishing more than once, that he had not come here. But the past is past; and I hope, your being able to come soon, will cause him to forget his four months want of comfort. You know, I am not able to sit with him every day; tho’ I would willingly do it, if I could.

Arabel and I have seen what we think the prettiest lodging house in Sidmouth. It is near the church,—and has colored glass windows, and a treliced staircase, and a beautiful garden and shrubbery. At the rate of an hundred and ten pounds a year; but Jane is afraid of the bed-rooms being too small. I am sure you would like the house, if you were to see it, too much, to care about the smallness of some of the bedrooms. There are a dining room & breakfast room down stairs; and a drawing room upstairs, with balconies—and six bedrooms.

Henrietta & Bro returned to us last Wednesday. Henrietta is looking very well, & in very good spirits, tho’ Mr Boyd recommended strong coffee to her, after her recession from the Torquay gaieties. Bro appears to me, thinner. Uncle Hedley is better than he was, and does not leave Torquay quite as soon as he intended to do. When they leave it, & have visited Plymouth, & some Devonshire friends, they mean to come to Sidmouth for a little while; & then, to make a tour thro’ Southampton and Brighton & London, home to the north.

Mr Boyd is thinking of walking up the Peat hill [3] with Georgie. It is nearly as steep as the Wyche, & much longer; so that, if he really arrives at the top of it he must be well. His books have arrived safely.

Give my love to Annie (who must not be angry with me for my honesty). Perhaps it may be easier to find more fair spoken people at Bath, than there who care more for her than we have done. [4] Arabel is in bed, very unwell with a violent toothache. Her face is swelled out of memory; but I hope she may be better tomorrow—tho’ I am sure she will not be fit to be seen out of doors, for a week at least.

Yours affectly

E.B. Barrett

Address, on integral page: Mrs Boyd / Bathampton / Bath.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. Letter is postmarked 15 April 1833.

2. After settling Boyd in Sidmouth in December 1832, his wife and daughter returned to Bathampton, where they remained.

3. Sic, for Peak Hill, a little over 500ʹ high, one mile west of Sidmouth.

4. We reproduce the Kenyon transcript, although it is probably in error, as the sentence does not make sense.

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