Correspondence

641.  EBB to Mary Russell Mitford

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 46–47.

[London]

Monday– [?June] [1838] [1]

I do not know how to thank you ever dearest Miss Mitford for these lovely flowers, so full of sun & air & you, that whether their perfume travels fastest to my senses or my heart is almost a doubtful thing! Almost!—not quite! And indeed I am not sure of the ‘almost’. And I never should have thought of such a word in looking at flowers from you, if a more than two years imprisonment in London [2] had not made me “high fantastical” [3] in affection for everything from the country. And after all, our affections towards the natural & the human are more identical than some of us wot of. One thing I know, that I delight in these flowers both for being themselves & for coming from yourself.

They came as brightly as if they were unconscious of not growing still,—and we have filled four or five large vases with them—& now but for the thought of having stolen a Pleiad [4] from your garden & darkened some of its brightness, what have we to do but to thank you—gladly? But my sisters have another gift from you—and they thank you for it gladly & gratefully .. the pretty little book which I, for one, value without having read, for the sake of one page in it, & two lines written on another [5] —notwithstanding a certain formality which, as Mr Kenyon very justly observes, is not Greek. I have not seen him, nevertheless, since I received the hamper, & sent the contents belonging to him, to Harley Place. [6]

I was going to tell you that Mr Crosse was with him still—but there is more thankfulness belonging to you, behind,—& I must not forget to say how your “Miss Barrett” & “Isobel” shame me & mine, & make me pleased, & grateful to you for an honor so much brighter than the bay. Beautiful blossoms they are, [7] —but the best of the beauty is that it is

<…> [8]

And so you thought that Papa was not grateful to you! I have half a mind to be angry! but I will offer you his acknowledgments & regards instead.

Publication: EBB-MRM, I, 78–79.

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Dated by the reference to “two years imprisonment in London” and to “Isobel.”

2. The Barretts had moved to London from Sidmouth during the first week of December 1835; this reference therefore provides the year.

3. Twelfth Night, I, 1, 15.

4. The Pleiades were the seven daughters of Atlas, who were transformed into a cluster of stars.

5. We cannot identify this book; it did not survive to form part of Browning Collections. No doubt it was a collection of Miss Mitford’s stories.

6. Kenyon’s residence, on the edge of Regent’s Park, not far from Wimpole Street.

7. Flowers named by Miss Mitford for EBB and her poem “Isobel’s Child.” As letter 627 makes it clear that Miss Mitford had not seen EBB’s manuscript prior to publication, the naming of “Isobel” suggests that the letter was written after Miss Mitford received a copy of The Seraphim at the beginning of June.

8. The remainder of the letter is missing. The final paragraph was cross-written at the top of the first page.

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