1603. Richard Hengist Horne to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 8, 305–306.
[London]
Tuesday Morng [23 April 1844] [1]
My dear Miss Barrett–
Your kind and good advice is not lost upon me, as to replying to critics. I shall not do so hastily, nor by wholesale; nor perhaps at all in the Second Edition. [2] But either in 2nd or 3rd (for I think a third very probable) I shall ‘make an example’ (except I find that scorn can do better) of two or three of these pests of Literature. The “Morning Chronicle” is only worth a laugh (turned back, though, upon the writer of that silly article) and perhaps I shall not address Mr Thackeray by name, but rather as an Irish Moon-raker. [3] As for the Athenæum, which led the way, and gave the tone to the press, it was certainly Mr Chorley. [4] I am told this on all sides. I wonder if he is the Pen that has been screeching on paper after every work I have published for some years—and in the Athenæum? I shall find him out, if so, and then stop him, unpleasantly.
By the way, who is Beta? [5] I sh’d say he must be some eminent cheesemonger in the city. I mean literally.
You never told me about the review in Graham’s Magze of “Orion” which I have just got. Of course, you wd never mind any honest attacks and vigorous differences of opinion, when combined with such stout sympathies as that. Mr Poe is a traveller “by flood and field” [6] and has seen many of the things he marks in “Orion” or alludes to. When will your new vols be out?. If you have any idea or fancy touching my pre-vision of any Poem (as you once asked me) do let me see a proof by all means and I will give it my best attention.
I have received many nice letters from strangers about the “New Spirit of the Age”. It seems to be making way in the country.
I am dear E.B.B.
Yours truly
H.
I thought your poem in “Graham’s” very beautiful. [7] But there are few of your poems which I do not think beautiful—in parts, if not wholly.
Address: Miss E. B. Barrett / 50 Wimpole St / Cavendish Sqre.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. Dated by postmark of following day, 24 April 1844.
2. However, Horne added 21 pages of “Introductory Comments” to the second edition, in which he attempted to defend himself against some of the adverse criticism directed at A New Spirit.
3. i.e., one pursuing idle thoughts. We have been unable to substantiate Horne’s assertion that Thackeray was the author of the unsigned review in The Morning Chronicle (for the text of this, see pp. 387–390); Horne repeated it in his “Introductory Comments.”
4. The reviews in The Athenæum bore no byline, but Chorley was the principal dramatic and literary critic. (For the text of these reviews, see pp. 371–373 and 378–381.)
5. Not identified.
6. Othello, I, 3, 135. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49) was the author of a review of Orion in the March 1844 issue of Graham’s Magazine (pp. 136–141).
7. EBB’s poem, “Loved Once,” appeared in the same issue of Graham’s Magazine (p. 65).
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