Correspondence

165.  Edward Moulton-Barrett (brother) & Mary Trepsack to EBB

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 162–163.

July. 28th 1822

Though it threatens us rain, yet dear Granny is gone

To see “old mother Simpson” & “Good Mrs Dun,” [1]

Where your verses my Basy will make a commotion

Like Burdet or Hume [2] on some Popular motion

The end of each sentence, & oft in the middle

With the sense incomplete & doubtful as riddle,

Dear Granny will sing till her cough interferes,

And respite is given to her auditors ears.

“What a wonderful child, what a pity it is

That her brother should have such a Mandarin phiz!

What a wonderful child, of all knowledge no lack

What a contrast the brains to her leachy [3] old back,

Her strains are well worthy the very best of the Nine,

And her head how deserving a far better spine–

But look at her extracts—Tis not to abuse you

Though in Latin it is “tempore et usu” [4]

Greek, Latin, & Hebrew, serve her for quotation,

And in Justice, she brings them out in rotation,

To Italian & French she will only descend,

In writing to Minny, or some Hereford friend,

Or to Bummy her aunt, or some mean burgage holder

Some reformer, Huntite, [5] or “Worthy Freeholder”–

At all languages used she turns up her nose

And declares against Pittites [6] all placemen & Prose.

Dear wonderful child I would fain she wore bree<ches>

That her back was reformed, and abandon’d the leaches<.>”

In chorus all cry, “We would fain she wore breeches

That her back was reformed & abandon’d the leaches”

Thus in church at our prayers, for “fruits in due season” [7]

And many more things in and out of all reason

When the Parson is done and complete is his word

We cry out “we beseech thee to hear us good Lord.” [8]

It were useless to tell you the talk of Patch work

Or their female idea on the famine at Cork

Dear Granny’s returned & complains of my prose

My “blue little pins eyes” and scarce visible nose

She adds too with her love (so well as she knows you[)]

Her wonder you can’t find a good rhyme for Brozy.

Your wit Mrs Ba as I’ve always declared

To your impudence certainly can’t be compared

With respect to your wit, I must say without pause

I’ve heard many worse things in a far juster cause.

In one line you call me a piece of perfection

<In the> next on my head piece you make a re<flection>

A <word> to yourself may be justly applied

Which you cooly gave me when you lied.

The Boys returnd to school last Eve in perfect health, looking forward with the highest pleasure to Wednesday, your Ladyship must not be too impatient– The small Esq[uir]e is desirous of paying a visit to Soho Bazaar & as St. Swithin may weep on Thursday & not on friday, we keep them those two days, Saturday they will proceed on their Journey, that is If your father does not counter order– God bless you dear Girl—

[Illegible scrawl]

Address, in Edward Moulton-Barrett’s hand, on integral page: S. M. Barrett Esqr M.P. / Hope End / near Ledbury / Herefordshire.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Eton College Library.

1. Mrs. Dunn is mentioned several times in secondary material in a social context, mainly in letters from EBB’s brother Sam. In one to Henrietta (SD715) he mentions attending a ball at Mrs. Dunn’s, and in one from Henrietta (SD835) Sam is stated to be a “great favorite” of Mrs. Dunn.

2. Francis Burdett (1770–1844) and Joseph Hume (1777–1855), contemporary politicians. According to DNB, the latter spoke “longer and oftener and probably worse than any other private member” of the Commons.

3. A reference to the use of leeches during EBB’s illness.

4. “By time and practice.”

5. An adherent of Henry Hunt (1773–1835), a radical politician and advocate of universal suffrage, who had been imprisoned for two years for his part in the Peterloo massacre of 1819.

6. Followers of William Pitt the Younger (1759–1806), statesman and one-time Prime Minister.

7. Cf. Matthew, 21:41.

8. Cf. Acts, 26:3.

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