Correspondence

137.  EBB to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 134–135.

October. 5th 1821.

There now! we have turned them all out of the room and I have cocked my learned companion Master Bro by the side of my classical couch hurling a look of contempt at Doctor Baron and of defiance at little Tommy Cooke [1] while I prepare to chat for half an hour with my own Addles. First of all let me reiterate my grateful thanks for that unceasing affection which ever prompts my beloved Henrietta to give me such pleasure, by sacrificing at my altar the sweetest flowerets of her epistolary garden—and now I suppose I am expected to give the bulletin of my health. Indeed my dear Addles upon that subject Hope speaks eloquently and casts so soft a gleam of happy sunshine over future scenes blest with the delightful visions of returning health, that your kind heart must be gratified, my sufferings are much diminished in consequence of the seatons [sic for setons], which have certainly relieved me wonderfully, by striking into the very center of the disease as Mr Carden expresses it. [2] Indeed my dearest Hen I now admire the little man quite as warmly as you do, and I am sure I have reason to exclaim blessed is the hour when Mr Carden entered Spa Hotel. I wish you to take my memorandum book out of my little room and if you turn over the leaves, you will come to an article entitled “Bro’s character and mine compared” tear the whole article out and keep it, [3] for as I do not wish it to be read I commit it entirely to your care; If you would then my dearest Addles send me the book, by the first conveyance you really oblige me much. Little Tommy Cooke is quite divine and excels at my toilet with as much grace as ever. God bless all the beloved inhabitants of Hope End. And may Henrietta sometimes think—

[continued in EBB’s hand]

of her own most tenderly attached

Ba–

A thousand loves!

Isnt that well written considering

a spine complaint!

[Continued in hand of Edward Moulton-Barrett] I wish you would see if Mrs Hartfords children [4] are all well stocked with flannel peticoats, stockings shifts &c &c and send me a full account of them. Treppy sends her very best love to Arabel and returns many thanks for her present and letter and will write to her soon.

Address, in hand of Edward Moulton-Barrett, on integral page: Miss H. Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury.——

Publication: None traced.

Source: Transcript in editors’ file.

1. Several families of Cooks/Cookes lived near Hope End. Tommy probably was the son of Thomas Cook, one of the Hope End tenant-farmers. He appears to have been in Gloucester during the whole of EBB’s illness.

2. On 8 May Mr. John Carden wrote from Worcester to Edward Moulton-Barrett, advocating a change of air for EBB (see SD379). A seton is a piece of thread or tape drawn through a fold of skin to facilitate the discharge of matter.

3. Henrietta did as directed. The essay “My Character and Bro’s Compared” was cut from the notebook. The essay (Reconstruction, D1324) is published in Appendix III, part 3. The notebook has not been identified.

4. Mrs. Hartford (or Harford) and her children (three of whom are named in later letters) seem to have been under EBB’s especial care, receiving gifts of charity.

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