734. EBB to Mary Russell Mitford
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 242–243.
[Torquay]
Thursday. [27 February 1840] [1]
Ever dearest Miss Mitford,
I send the Feast of the violets [2] —because I do fancy you will like to see them your own self. And now that you cant walk out to pick them, it is but fair that I shd bring them to you. There is occasional coarseness—which Leigh Hunt cant help or does’nt help—& the poem is less finished perhaps than the ‘Feast of the poets’– But still it is clever & will make you laugh. Will you—when you have quite done with it—let me have it back?– It was published in 1837. How he came to put me into the violet beds (so long ago too) is a mystery for which I am very much obliged to him. Perhaps it is in illustration or coincidence with the parable of the tares!—— [3]
But dont set it down to pure gratitude, if I admire Leigh Hunt as a poet, more than you seem to do. I think I admire him more. The story of Rimini [4] stands very near Chaucer’s knight’s Tale to my apprehension—& if Dr Scully ever caught me reading it, he wd certainly say “Well! there is no reasoning on such subjects”. And I do not cry for nothing, even over poetry I assure you. Oh! he is surely a true poet!– His affectations (I mean verbal affectations) have a certain poetesqueness about them—suited to the tastes of such as “in trim gardens take their pleasure”. [5] The Legend has just lain down upon my bed. I have not read a word of it.
Here too is a letter from dear Mr Kenyon! dated Novr 20th & brought from Florence by private hand!! [6] I am to write to him at Rome & to tell him “how dear Miss Mitford is” & all about the Tableaux which dont penetrate into Italy. His “life is a very quiet one” .. that is, I suppose considering that it is Mr Kenyon’s. He seems to have made four or five friends worth calling so at Florence, & talks of how the Americans are winning honors on all sides of him, & how he was to dine the day he wrote, with two American sculptors.
And here is his “way of living” “done into English verse” .. very Kenyonianly–
Italy.
Fair blows the breeze! Depart—depart—
And tread with me the Italian shore;
And feed thy soul with glorious art,
And drink again of classic lore!–
Nor sometimes wilt thou deem it wrong
When not in mood too gravely wise,
At idle length to lie along
And quaff a bliss from bluest skies!–
Or—pleased more pensive joy to woo—
At falling eve, by ruin grey,
Muse oe’r the generations, who
Have passed, as we must pass, away.
Or mark oer olive tree & vine
Steep towers uphung; to win from them
Some thought of southern Palestine
Some dream of old Jerusalem.
JK.
Your story of dear Dr Mitford going back from Reading to Three Mile Cross with my letter quite moved me. May God bless you both. My beloved friend how I thank you for yr letter!– The days of the ‘Malvern flirtation[’] were years ago—seven eight or nine!—& the poor heroine very young. But her feelings are rather quick than deep. [7]
You will like to hear of dear Mr Kenyon. I am so glad! He details no plan—but desires me to write to him at Rome & speaks cursorily of his going there previous to a return home– May God bless you. Love to dear Dr Mitford–
Your own
EBB–
Publication: EBB-MRM, I, 180-182.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Dated by the further reference to Leigh Hunt’s poem, and receipt of Kenyon’s letter, which EBB says in no. 738 arrived at “the close of February.”
2. See letters 732 and 733.
3. Matthew, 13:36ff.
4. Leigh Hunt’s The Story of Rimini, a Poem was published in 1816.
5. Cf. Milton, “Il Penseroso” (1673), line 50.
6. Letter 738 identifies the bearer as Mr. Fisher.
7. The brief Henry Mitford/Annie Boyd relationship mentioned in the previous letter.
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