Correspondence

626.  EBB to Hugh Stuart Boyd

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 25–26.

129 Crawford St.

Monday. [16 April 1838] [1]

My dear friend,

I was thinking of writing to you when your kind enquiry came. In the Athenæum of saturday is a notice which is likely, or rather, sure, to interest you. It is to this effect.

“The examination of a m.s. entitled [“]The Homilies of St Chrysostom,” which was bequeathed to the Royal Library of Dresden, has discovered five homilies of St Chrysostom which have been hitherto unedited, & in fact unknown. A copy has been forwarded to Dr Becken, a distinguished theologian and Greek scholar at Leipsic, with orders for him to make a Latin translation of them.” [2]

Thank you for your notices of seraphical passages in Gregory,—tho’ I had examined them previously & found nothing reflecting any particular light on my subject. I have just sent away a proof sheet up to the 216th page.

There can be no question as to your being perfectly in the right, with regard to Lady Olivia Sparrow,—so much so, that upon reconsideration it must appear [so] to whomsoever your view of the subject was displeasing. Do not be angry with me, my dear friend,—but I would not let Henrietta apply for an opinion elsewhere. You will at once know my reasons: and after abusing me for a quarter of an hour by the clock, are sure to forgive me in your abundant indulgence—particularly when I tell you that Dr Chambers condemned me yesterday to two applications of leeches before Wednesday. And so for my sake, you must smooth your frowns away—I mean such as were meant for others, as well [as] for me!——

He found me yesterday in a very weak state—with what he calls a ‘miserable pulse’: & it could not be expected to be much better today, after ‘Leeches the first’ last night. I feel however better this morning in some respects. He says that he “hopes to overcome the complaint in time,[”]—& considers it a favorable circumstance that all the warm weather shd be before me!——

I wish I had a prospect of seeing you! May God bless you dear Mr Boyd!—— Mr Kenyon’s book is splendid—I mean as to type & paper,—& beautiful, as to composition. [3] You ought to read some of it at least? Will you? Would you, if I were to send it to Circus Road? Give my kind remembrances to Miss Holmes.

Affectionately yours

E B Barrett

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

Publication: EBB-HSB, pp. 227–228.

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Dated by the reference to The Athenæum.

2. The Athenæum, 14 April 1838 (no. 546, p. 277).

3. Poems: For the Most Part Occasional, which EBB had criticized in manuscript (see letters 613, 614 and 616).

___________________

National Endowment for the Humanities - Logo

Editorial work on The Brownings’ Correspondence is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This website was last updated on 3-28-2024.

Copyright © 2024 Wedgestone Press. All rights reserved.

Back To Top