1500. Richard Hengist Horne to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 8, 154–155.
[London]
Tuesday Morng [Postmark: 9 January 1844]
My dear Miss Barrett, I was very glad to see the contents of your last touching Mr Reade. It has all gone as I wished, exactly. Yes, by all means write just the sort of note you mention, to Mr Merry. Let me give you grand-paternal advice to avoid by all possible means theological discussions which will only vex and torment your nerves, brain, and time; and also do not be led into any correspondence with friend Reade. He writes interminably wordy notes, in a difficult hand, and is apt to need long answers—or, at all events, to wish for them. The cause of his writing to Mr Merry is because he could not make me write word back to him that I was convinced he was incapable of saying anything depreciatory of a lady—especially of you &c and also that I did not instantly promise to write to you, and swear the same thing! <What a bad memory he must have.> [1]
Of course, I told him you had been informed by some one—I had no idea who—of his nagging and pecking. I chose to do it. I chose to stop him. Also, as he had once taken it into his fancy that (because he knew I thought highly of your criticisms) you were likely to be a contributor to my new work, I thought it an excellent opportunity to “turn the current.” [2] It is turned. <You have all the waters now in your own hands.> [3]
What you arrive at by some remarks of my making up a packet of your notes, or reading them in the air—and all that—I have no idea. [4] I take it for granted you did not mean so in any literal sense!?
So, write just the note you speak of to Mr Merry [5] —and all will go right.
Yours truly
H
P.S. His letters to Mr Merry (touching you) are since I let fall a small brick upon his head.
P.S. 2nd I begin to think that whenever you quarrel with me you will (almost) always be wrong.
Address: Miss E. B. Barrett / 50 Wimpole St / Cavendish Sqre.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. Bracketed sentence is squeezed in as an afterthought.
2. Cf. Hamlet, III, 1, 86.
3. Bracketed sentence is squeezed in as an afterthought.
4. Horne is questioning a comment made by EBB in letter 1495.
5. EBB’s letter to Merry is no. 1497; she had told Horne what she proposed to say in letter 1495.
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