52.5. EBB to Lord Somers
Addendum to The Brownings’ Correspondence, vol. 1.
Hope End.
Oct. 1817. [1]
My lord, [2]
I will not presume to hold forth my opinion in comparison to that of the unknown tho’ obvious able author of the Pamphlet in answer to your lordships. May that zealous defender of the true constitution ever enjoy the reward of his love of liberty in seeing with delight England shooting up again in defiance of the nobility—the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act & my lord Cast[l]ereagh himself. But let not this son of Britain complain he is the only one who will have the courage to stare the Ministers in the face by contradicting their principles. In bespite of my sex I believe I venture to mark my name in the list of those who are sincerely attached to their country[.] I will even my lord go so far as to declare myself what I am proud of declaring—a whig[.] In ancient times Mankind were taught to look to their superiors for example[.] In these latter ages nothing could give us more pleasure[—]it would be a heartfelt gratification to the patriot in being assured that our superiors were such as were worthy of the charge– But answer me (I speak to the Tories particularly[)] is there one who wd be fit to mould the Character of an Englishman who has beaten moderation & honesty enough to complete the task: if I should be willing to distinguish such a man I wd spare my Lord C. the pain of making the (I must say) dishonorable comparison, neither shd I fix my eyes on yr Lp for he who renounces one party for anr with the same composure he wd walk across a room, cannot be the man desired[.] Finally my Ld I have the sad mortification of announcing that out of all the trusted Nobty of this once proud Isle there are few indeed who cd freely be trusted with the Education of a true bred Englishn What shame for us & what triumph for the rest of Europe. Where is the Patt who can restrain his noble indignation when the H. C. Act was suspended when yr Lp aided by the Ministers to lift those heavy chains which they let fall on the bosom of Ed Happily strong as they were, the Noby could not Enslave all those who were in their minds free, that noble part [illegible words] thr fetters & Heav’n be praised will still have the boldness or in ministerial language the audacity to love thr Country & to appeal to Justice. How many groans, how many tears have been shed on this occasion yr Lp is ignorant of & most likely have never troubled yrself to enquire[.] I wish the Noby Ministers my Ld C. always included, in their graves or in Hen if they like it, any where so we were rid of them, & now my Ld you will pardon me if I make one more illustration of yrself, certainly not much to yr Lps advantage but I obey the call of truth yr Ld is like the butterly who sips the juice out of a flowr which when you have drained of all its sweets you, desert for one more plentiful. Even this might be pardoned if yr Lp had any good use to make of the fame acquired so unworthily of your immortal ancestor.
Publication: None traced.
Source: Author’s draft at Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Location and date is in the hand of EBB’s mother.
2. For a similar draft see letter 51.
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