1298. EBB to Richard Hengist Horne
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 204–206.
[London]
June 27. 1843.
“And on this syde fastë by
Sate the harper Orion—
∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙
And smale harpers with their glees
Sate under him in divers sees.” [1]
If Orion shd have any suspicion as to the ‘smale harpers,’ they, the harpers, will not, perhaps cannot, escape from such an over-seer; & only supplicate of him, the great harper, to observe what he observes, silently.
In truth I confess to the article in the Athenæum [2] —to the article as it is—neither more nor less––uninterpolated, & unabbreviated except by one word .. which possibly slipped from the press .. for I will not accuse them of malice since they have been so goodnatured to me—the word “true” before the other word “poet.” [3] And if you are of opinion as I am myself that I might have spoken out more admiration for the poem than appears,—you are to consider as graciously as you can, that it was less a piece of criticism that I was about, than a piece of diplomacy—that I had to write up to the probabilities of being accepted, & of doing some degree of good. You see I know nothing personally of any of the Athenæum people & have no influence; the sort of intercourse I had with the editor last year, being a mere matter of business, in the dry & short forms of it—and the Orion article was the only paper I ever sent to them unsolicited & upon a subject unsuggested. I was ’ware [4] however of being in some slight favor with them—& so I thought that my favor & your disfavor might run a race to try which wd come in at the … life. In order to give myself a chance, it was necessary to exercise my steed & starve his rider by ever so many stones, & ride light that I might ride successfully. So do not reproach me!– Do not imagine that I have one measure for you & another for the public—because it isn’t so. I explain, that you may understand the precise case—which is not such a truism as it looks, because people often explain, that you may not understand. You wd forgive me if you cd enter into my triumph of forcing that Journal to say “Mr Horne has forced us to believe in his power”—every word of which phrase was written advisedly. [5]
The roses held their breath & kept their smile until I saw them—not a leaf looked as if it had ever heard of fading .. & now, this morning, they are really blowing close to me as if nothing had happened, or at least with a very green & dewy memory of the fields. Thank you—! And tell me how you are–
Ever & truly yours
EBB.
May I ask you not to say to anyone that the article in question is mine? I dont like to pass for a reviewer—by no means on account of my dignity, but on account of my convenience. I have not mentioned even to Miss Mitford the Athenæum business,—nor shall I—& I wd tell you the why, which is not a great why but is sufficient, if I had time this morning.
Do you really think that the last advertisement annuls the hypothesis of mania? The trouble which your Miller takes, to impress upon the public that he is selling absolutely no better flour at the raised price, was particularly amusing to me. [6] You seem to disdain the bare wits of the public, as befits your sphere—and if as I begin to suspect, the poem will ultimately more than pay its expenses, besides considerably enlarging your reputation, you will turn out to be, whether in commerce or literature, a very wise man .. mad or not! Papa however who does not believe in poetry, & wd drive me sometimes ‘distract’ with melancholy, if I believed in him, .. opens rather his eyes than his hopes at every new advertisement of ‘Orion.’
Address: R H Horne Esqr / 36. New Broad Street / City.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: R.H. Taylor Collection.
1. Chaucer, “The House of Fame,” III, 114–120.
2. The review of Orion in the issue of 24 June (no. 817, pp. 583–584).
3. The text of the review read: “To thoughtful minds the poem will be welcome for its original cast and elevated cheerful teaching; and by poetical minds it will be received cordially as a poet’s gift” (p. 584). Apparently, EBB’s manuscript had “as a true poet’s gift.”
4. Romeo and Juliet, II, 2, 103.
5. In concluding her review, EBB wrote: “Mr. Horne has obliged us to believe in his power where we least believe in his epic … we recommend his poem to the public, pointing significantly to the fate of Akinetos, the great unmoved, which adorns it.”
6. The Examiner of 24 June, and other magazines, announced the fourth edition of Orion, priced at one shilling, to be available on 26 June. “To prevent any misconception as to the alteration of the price, the Publisher begs to state that the Author having directed him to print and publish three entire editions of ‘Orion’ at less than the value of waste paper, has now permitted him to make a little change. For transmission by post, the weight and payment will require the enclosure of one shilling and six penny stamps. There are no important revisions or interpolations in this Edition; no illustrations; no wrappers; no hot pressing; and the paper is very little better than before. Nor will there be any difference when the price is raised to half-a-crown.”
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