1299. EBB to George Goodin Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 206–207.
[London]
June 27. 1843.
My ever dearest George you are the most beneficent of barristers, not “ever” indeed, but at times. Arabel came up stairs herself with your note, knowing what gold it was to me– Thank you dearest dearest Georgie!
Inside you will find Mr Horne’s letter to me yesterday, which came embedded in hay which did in its turn embed a posy of hedge-rosebuds, looking as if they considered themselves still on their hedge at dew-time– I have put them near your roses,—& I took the opportunity of entreating the last to hold their breath & live until you come back again– You will see from the note that Mr Horne suspects me before he has evidence against me—& that he is not a little pleased to find his Dragon of the Athenæum turned into such an innoxious sucking Dove by supernatural agency–
Uncle Hedley dined here yesterday—& Mr Bell [1] of course .. & one or two other Mr’s besides .. whom I am persuaded he wd have preferred the absence of– Robin comes this morning to say that he (Robin) is likely to go to Dresden with a travelling tutor who is ‘going that way’, because somebody has been preaching “nonsense” to his father about the impropriety of his remaining idle until October– [2] The Dresden plan appears to be anything but agreeable to the principal—but he will go I dare say!–
Hear all you can of Tenysoniana [sic], [3] & prepare to be amusing when you come back—. And I suggest that you write down such facts as are the hardest to recollect, in a pocket book, .. not to beguile me as you did before. Now I am going down stairs. Perhaps I might have gone out: but the wind which was for half an hour in the west, returned to the east, & disappointed or relieved me .. as you think sounds wisest or most natural– I leave my character to you–
May God bless you my dear dear George!
Your own attached Ba.
Address: G G M Barrett Esqr / [Continued in Henrietta’s hand] Miss Graham Clarke / Oriel Lodge / Cheltenham. / If not there, to be forwarded. [Oriel Lodge has been deleted and letter redirected to:] 9 Lansdowne Place.
Publication: B-GB, pp. 97–98.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. The brother-in-law of EBB’s distant cousin, Samuel Goodin Barrett.
2. i.e., when he was due to go up to Oxford.
3. From George Stovin Venables, another lawyer on circuit, who had been at Cambridge with Tennyson and remained friendly with him.
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