1043. EBB to Benjamin Robert Haydon
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 6, 139–141.
[London]
Novr 5th. 1842–
My dear Mr Haydon,
I am obliged to you, much, for your interesting letter; and you must do me the justice to believe that it did interest me, though I am unlearned in lines & colors, & imprisoned from the sight of them. Yes! I shd like to see the pictures you speak of—only I would go first to your fresco, be sure! [1] From what I have heard of the fresco, it must be magnificent! and then apart from your conception as expressed in it; I never saw any fresco at all, and I have an imagination within me of the probable effect of gigantic creatures floating radiantly along our walls in an atmosphere of their own light!– And then, according to my fancy, the creatures which you conjure for that particular purpose, to live without depth or shadow, ought to be spiritual in a measure at least, removed from the work-day world as far, at least, as your Eve. I fancy, in short, that I shall prefer fresco angels & spirits, to fresco statesmen & heroes. You shake your head,—you will have fresco anything & everything!—and for me, since I speak barely from my fancy & know nothing more about it than my little dog knows, .... perhaps silence wd become me better than this prating.
Dear Mr Haydon, I thank you warmly for your praise of my poems. It is very pleasant to me– I love poetry unto death, [2] & remember nothing before I loved it—and I do hope sometimes to leave some sign of that love, which shall last,—if my body will but last a little longer. In the poems sent to you, you are probably too well aware of the obscurity with which they have been reproached—obscurity being said to be my haunting fault—but you praise me kindly, instead of ‘cutting me up’. And when you say that my thought about “the pathos in his eyes” [3] will be present with you in your next picture of Christ, you praise me better & more deeply to my satisfaction, than the whole generation of critics could, smiling grimly.
Have you sent the Letter? [4] I hope so. I hope also that you considered what I said, said relatively to the best means of proceeding for you. As for myself, I wd not hesitate to do anything in respect to the business which you pleased—being held in no sort of fear, by that particular critical conclave–
Is it possible? And pray what species of Royal Highness had the knack of making such very wise speeches? Or should’nt I ask such a question? Probably not.
Of the Duke of Sussex, altho’ thinking highly, I did not think to the heights of your relation. [5] He is right royal—and this which you have said, is the noblest thing I ever hear of him—& the most uncommon in its nobleness. Do not scold me dear Mr Haydon! I know nothing of German design, but I love the Germans.
Ever truly yours
E B Barrett.
I have heard from our dear friend—& Dr M. remains the same.
Publication: EBB-BRH, pp. 8–9.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. The only fresco so far executed by Haydon was of “Uriel Disturbed by Satan” (see letter 854, note 2), but it appears that EBB is referring to his cartoon, “Adam and Eve,” one of Haydon’s entries in the competition to decorate the new Houses of Parliament with frescos (see letter 1025, note 4).
2. Numbers, 35:25.
3. Cf. “The Seraphim,” 863–866.
4. Haydon resented the influence that German artists exercised at Court. His diary includes drafts of letters of 31 October and 4 November 1842 to his erstwhile pupil, Charles Lock Eastlake (1793–1865), accusing him of pro-German tendencies. Haydon noted that he had sent the second letter, and that Eastlake was “excessively nettled” (Pope, V, 216).
5. Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex (1773–1843), George III’s sixth son, President of the Royal Society 1830–38, sat for Haydon’s “The Reform Banquet,” begun in 1832. Haydon found him “in a little room, richly furnished, smoking, with a red Turkish cap, like Ali Pasha—his hands covered with rings, his voice loud, royal, & asthmatic” (Pope, IV, 19).
___________________
