Correspondence

777.  EBB to Julia Martin

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 303–304.

[Torquay]

Decr 11th 1840

My ever dearest Mrs Martin,

I should have written to you, without this last proof of your remembrance—this cape, which, warm & pretty as it is, I value so much more as the work of your hands and gift of yr affection towards me. Thank you, dearest Mrs Martin—and thank you too for all the rest—for all your sympathy & love. And do believe that although grief had so changed me from myself, & warped me from my old instincts, as to prevent my looking forwards with pleasure to seeing you again, yet that full amends are made in the looking back, with a pleasure more true because more tender than any old retrospections. Do give my love to dear Mr Martin, & say—what I cd not have said even if I had seen him.

Shall you really, dearest Mrs Martin, come again? Dont think we do not think of the hope you left us. Because we do indeed.

A note from Papa has brought the comforting news that my dear dear Stormie is in England again, in London, & looking perfectly well. It is a mercy which makes me very thankful—& would make me joyful if anything could. But the meaning of some words change as we live on. Papa’s note is hurried– It was a sixty day passage—& that is all he tells us. Yes—there is something besides about Sette and Occy being either unknown or misknown, through the fault of their growing. [1] Papa is not near returning I think. He has so much to do & see, & so much cause to be enlivened & renewed as to spirits, that I begged him not to think about me & stay away as long as he pleased. And the accounts of him & of all at home are satisfying I thank God.

How soon you were in London! [2] May you come here in a proportionate velocity to your dreams … & ours, dearest Mrs Martin.

We have heard from Bummy, who speaks of our Cousin John Clarke’s marriage being imminent—immediately after Christmas—& of his having left his father’s house by mutual declaration ‘for ever’. I wonder how people can use such expressions—& from such motives. For ever is a word for God. John & Miss Eagles [3] are both at Clifton—or near Clifton. Dear Bummy, quite well–

Henrietta will be too glad—be sure of that—to make herself in any way useful to Mrs Hanford—& I only hope that the latter may be as sure of as many good reasons for liking to remain here. There is an east wind just now, which I feel– Nevertheless Dr Scully has said, a few minutes since, that I am as well as he cd hope, considering the season.

May God bless you ever–

Your gratefully attached

Ba.

Henrietta’s & Arabel’s best love–

Publication: LEBB, I, 85–86 (in part).

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. In SD1142, telling Henrietta of Charles John’s return, Edward Moulton-Barrett wrote that Storm “made some strange mistake about the two younger boys, Ockey he knew nothing of, & Sette he took for Harry.”

2. Presumably a reference to the spreading network of railways, making travel so much faster than by stage-coach.

3. EBB’s cousin’s prospective bride was the daughter of John Eagles, the Curate of Kinnersley; Kinnersley Castle was the home of the parents of John Altham Graham-Clarke the younger, which EBB says he had left “for ever.” The marriage took place on 29 December.

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