Correspondence

549.  EBB to Hugh Stuart Boyd

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 212–213.

[London]

Tuesday– [20 December 1836] [1]

My dear friend,

I am very very much obliged to you for the two copies of your poem, so beautifully printed, with such “majestical” types, on such “magnifical” paper, as to be almost worthy of Baskett himself. [2] You are too liberal in sending me more than one copy—& pray accept in return, a duplicate of gratitude.

I have heard nothing more of Mr Barker. Perhaps Dr Friedemann may have inspired him into a balloon, & sent him out of London. Are you quite sure that he knows your address?

As to my “Seraphim”, they are not returned to me, as in the case of their being unaccepted, I expressly begged they might be. Had the old Editor been the present one, [3] my inference would of course be, that their insertion was a determined matter: but as it is, I dont know what to think. A long list of great names, belonging to intending contributors, appeared in the paper a day or two ago—and among them was Miss Mitford’s.

Are you wrath with me for not saying a word about going to see you? Arabel & I wont affirm it mathematic[al]ly—but we are, metaphysically, talking of paying our visit to you next Tuesday– Dont expect us, nevertheless.

Yours affectionately

E B Barrett.

What are my Christmas good wishes to be? That you may hold a Field [4] in your right hand, & a Baskerville in your left,—before the year is out? That degree of happiness will satisfy at least the bodily part of you.

You may wish in return, for me; that I may learn to write rather more legibly than “at these presents.”

Our love to Annie.

Wont you send your new poem to Mr Barker, to the care of Mr Valpy, with your Christmas benedictions?–

[Continued on address page in hand of Arabella Moulton-Barrett] If we go on Tuesday, it will be very early, directly after breakfast, as we are obliged to go away early–

Why does not Annie fulfil her promise of coming to dine with us?

Address, on integral page: H S Boyd Esqr / 3 Circus Road / St John’s Wood.

Publication: EBB-HSB, pp. 220–221.

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Dated by EBB’s reference to Christmas and “The Seraphim.”

2. We have not been able to identify Boyd’s poem; it was perhaps privately printed, as the British Library catalogue does not list any work by Boyd later than the 1835 prose Essay on the Greek Article.

3. Theodore Edward Hook (1788–1841) had just assumed the editorship of The New Monthly Magazine, in place of Samuel Carter Hall (1800–89).

4. Richard Field (fl. 1579–1624) printed handsome editions of Ovid, Plutarch, Shakespeare and others.

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