1144. James Martin to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 6, 313–314.
Colwall
2 Febr 42 [sic, for 1843] [1]
My dear Miss Barrett
You are quite right. I am not afraid of writing to such a little bit of a thing as you!—for I can write as small as you,—& the world judge by out-ward appearance. As to your wit & learning I neither desire or fear them, for I have at last found out that “ignorance is bliss” [2] & that wit only creates envy & hatred. This I should have told you last night on reading your letter to Julia, [3] had I not been too tired with killing my last Pheasant & too full with eating my last Mince-Pie, for I did feel very indignant that it should have gone forth into the World that I feared you—real genius & worth are above ridiculing or despising others & therefore why should I be afraid of you? I am sure you would not think I deserved the one or the other if you did but know the useful & innocent life I lead, particularly when you discovered that you & I spend our time much in the same way. You have got a dog, & so have I,—you love your Dog, & talk to him, & he understands you, & so do I to mine, & so does he me. You read Greek in your Room. I read Nature in the Fields & Forests, you study Mankind in the Books, I do the same at the parish-meeting, & in the justice-Room. [4] You cultivate your garden it seems, & take pleasure in it. So do I. What signifies the extent of it. The prettyest Picture, in old Boz, is his description of the pleasure the sick youth took in his one Gilliflower growing in an old earthen Pot at his window in the garret, in an obscure court in the heart of the city! [5] I often remind my wife of it, when she is crying out for a fine gardener, & a larger greenhouse[.] I often think of the last lines of Candide “mais il faut cultiver notre jardin”– [6] This I trust I shall do to the end of my days & then be buried in it for the benefit of my successor. In this wish I fear we differ[.] You have too much ambition to wish to be hid under your cabbage leaves either alive or dead[.] I shall cultivate & endeavour to improve the beauty of my garden & the friendship of my Dog, & I am sure they will neither of them fail me, or turn tail on me. I wish you may succeed as well with the Reviewers, & the rest of mankind–
I suppose I shall shortly be ordered to pack up my best pantaloons, & silk stockings & be off to London, leaving all my Happiness & innocence behind me. I shall however by way of consolation call on your Dog, & shall of course see the rest of the puppies that the barn contains to whom I request you will present my best respects & believe me my dear Miss Barrett
Yours Sincerely,
James Martin
PS: Old mother Barker [7] is paying us a visit & seems in high fires. She says she has been paying a long visit to Miss Price. [8] I hope she has not been led into any bad habits.——
Address: Miss Barrett / 50 Wimpole Street / London.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. Gray, Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College (1747), line 99.
4. Martin was a Justice of the Peace.
5. See Nicholas Nickleby (1838–39), chapter XL.
6. “We must cultivate our garden.” This was said by Candide in Voltaire’s novel when finally settling on a farm after enduring a long succession of vicissitudes.
7. Mrs. Barker had acted as gate-keeper when the Moulton-Barretts lived at Hope End.
8. The daughter of EBB’s old friend and mentor, Sir Uvedale Price.
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