135. Mary Moulton-Barrett to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 132–133.
[Hope End]
[ca. September 1821] [1]
That Thursday may not be a blank day, I must scribble for the post, tho’ I much suspect that an earlier report of the present hour, may reach my beloved Ba, by Papa tomorrow. Sams two last notes have been very cheering, and I trust you continue to go on, “Very well indeed,” which is the blessing I most anxiously pray for. Heavy clouds have hung upon the Malvern Hills all today, & tho I went out after breakfast to see two of the old straggling apple trees cut down, which hung over the carriage road near the house, I found neither Papa’s wit, nor the approving laugh of the delighted & busy audience sufficient to prevent even my shrinking from the cold chill air– these rains however have agreed marvellously with vegetation– the shrubs about the ice house, will soon form a forest in their way, where I trust my beloved Ba, will often wander with Homer or Virgil, as all sufficient compensation for more animated scenes. A poets lasting preference for dirty streets & hackney coaches, would be an unheard-of inconsistency, tho’ to love “the busy haunts of men” [2] for variety’s sake now & then, is both natural & wise– I wish you could hear how brilliantly a duett from the “Creation” [3] sounds, as performed by Mrs O[rme]. & Henrietta. I really hope she is improving, but tho’ fond of music, I do not think she has much more fancy for the mechanical labor of practice, than her elder sister. Mrs O. hears that Mrs Moneys [4] indifferent state of health, prevents their going abroad till the spring, and that they are all gone to her Fathers at Ramsgate. it will be a sad disappointment to them thus to be deprived of one of the winters they had dedicated to the culture of the fine arts, which are not likely to flourish much, in our good English seaport.– I have not yet heard from Fenham, of the bridal festivities– perhaps you have– I trust they are to be followed by that happiness to Jane, which her own affecte heart & amiable temper, are well calculated to bestow, tho’ I hope she has no visionary hopes of finding it upon yours & Mrs Wolstonecrafts system; [5] if so, it may at best be anticipated that she will oftener find herself wrong than right: however it may do very well for an old maids singleness of will &c[.] I would not put you out of conceit with it, as long as it is yr intention to belong to the sisterhood. I assure you it is by mere stratagem I have scribbled thus far my darling Elizth therefore pray do not complain of words & sense unintelligible, for here sits Alfred [6] the little on my knee, doing all he can to get the pen into his own hands, & the paper on the floor—but he is too sweet to be sent away, & you must suffer, my poor Ba, for your Brothers winning ways– I think you would forgive him, could you see how pretty he looks in Grannys blue frock– Stormy George & Henry, are running round the table comforting themselves as well as they can for their confinement to the house, with not much consideration for the ears of fellow prisoners– All are united in loves to you & your dear little circle–
God bless my beloved Ba!
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: British Library.
1. Dated by reference to the forthcoming wedding of Jane Graham-Clarke to Robert Hedley. According to a letter from Mary Moulton-Barrett (SD411) this was to take place on 18 October.
2. Tale of the Secret Tribunal (1819), pt. 1, line 203, by Felicia Dorothea Hemans (1793–1835).
3. Haydn’s oratorio The Creation was first performed in England in 1808. One of Henrietta’s descendants has Mary Moulton-Barrett’s copies of some of his works (see Reconstruction, A1158).
4. Mary Thomasina (née Ffrench), wife of the Rev. Kyrle Ernle Money, Vicar of Much Marcle.
5. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–97), best known for her Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), an argument for the equality of women. EBB wrote “Fragment of an ‘Essay on Woman’” (Reconstruction, D308) at about the time of this letter.
6. Alfred Price Moulton-Barrett, born 20 May 1820.
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