1223.5. John Kenyon to EBB

Addendum to The Brownings’ Correspondence, vol. 7.

4 H. P.

Friday [28 April 1843]

Dear E.B.B.

Why, bribed by your promise to copy it out, have not sent you the Living Dead Pan ere this– Has it been to give you the more time to read that Carlyle that I might all the sooner tire some one else with him.— I have been sending your “Soul’s expression” and one or two of your Stanzas to Mr Bezzi, glorifying myself in my cousinship all the while and that owing to my dulness whose perpetual prayer is “lighten our darkness[”]—(That Miss B– is the beginning of a prayer in Our liturgy) you have been obliged for once to write clearly—so that even that Sonnet of Sonnets—none but a beetle-eyed Benthamite could fail to understand it—! How much you owe to me and yet I dare say you hate ungratefully hate my profitable dimness of Sight–

In transcribing the Oread Stanza—it struck me that instead of not “a Sound[”] (which has not an instant precise application to your questioning the Oreads—but might possibly mean any Sound—and so for a moment threw me out)– Might you not repeat. “Not a Word”—or put—“No response the silence trills” or “Answer—none—the silence trills”–

—Do you feel my film of objection?

So good bye—commending you to great patience and a good pen– J. Kenyon.

Address: Miss E. B. Barrett.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

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