1798. Harriet Martineau to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 9, 305–307.
Tynemouth
Decbr 30th [1844] [1]
My dear friend
I must give Duty to the winds,—just this ½ hour. — (It is a mild west wind, & duty may get warmer perhaps before she comes back to dinner). I must send you my New Year’s hopes & desires for you,—my blessing for all your love & goodness to me during this great & kind old year, now departing. It has made you one of my chief benefactors. It is something that, when it came in, you were a dim abstraction to me,—an idea involving much respect & some soft feelings of regret & sympathy, in regard to your state of suffering. Now you are a warm, bright, substantial reality to me,—a friend. This is much; but not nearly all. You have given me ideas,—you have roused in me emotions, so far beyond your own former influence, & any other of a kindred sort this year, that I hardly can think of you as the same that bore the name a year ago. So I may well turn to you for this little ½ hour,—even away from a pile of petitions from sick & doctors, who want our counsel & guidance,—today as every day. They shall all be answered; but you must be kissed first. I dare wish you a happy new year, my friend,—though there is mournfulness following, as a shadow, that bright word. Your health may improve, you give me hope: & really, you seem to have every thing else. May all real good be yours! that is all I ever dare pray, for others or for myself.
All is well here. Mrs Wynyard’s power increases with success & the gratificn of her benevolent feelings; & really she does heal the sick visibly & one might almost say infallibly. I am quite well & strong.– My hearing is much as last time. We are idle about that. So many sufferers want relief that I really can’t bear to engross power so rare for an infirmity. My trumpet is a very good one; & if ever you do admit me,—let me leap the (not headland but) devant de frise [2] of uncles, aunts & cousins who fence you, I will hear you. And then, I am a great talker myself,—you must know. —But I don’t come to London this long while. On the 13th we go to a friend’s on Windermere. If you like to write before then, & can easily, I should like to hear. If not, our address will be
“W. R. Greg’s Esqre
Wansfell
nr Kendal.” [3]
We are very happy,—not only passing days of most indubitable usefulness,—but learning at such a rate! Our patients show new & still new manifestns,—& J. now so reflects our minds that, provided our ideas are within her scope, she does not know or care in what language they are spoken. French, Italian, German,—any tongue is the same to her,—this young housemaid! Here came in Lord & Ly Barrington, [4] —with beautiful news of Mesmerism, at Ravensworth, & an offer from Ld Morpeth to travel hither next week for a day with us. — I must finish in a hurry. — Dogs are mesmerizable. Mrs Wynyard makes them motionless, & as if happily paralyzed in a few minutes.– Tell Flush so, with my love.– I am careful, dear friend. I never walk &c to the point of fatigue, & I am quite well. — And no opposition & slanderous or other lies worry me, except for the sinners. — In Dilke I am wholly disappointed. [5] I knew him only fm Chorley’s report. But he is sordid & dishonourable, to a degree impossible to be mistaken, or even exaggerated. I never was before concerned with a person so dishonest. It is not about money, for I stipulated that none shd be offered. But every possible deception, & every interference with my reprint that can be imagined, he is guilty of. The weakness & badness of his “Comment” serves our cause & is to be regretted only for himself. Truth is with us—clear & strong,—& we are happy.
Yours ever
H. Martineau.
Address: Miss Barrett. / 50. Wimpole St / London.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. “Barrier.”
4. William Keppell Barrington, 6th Viscount Barrington (1793–1861) and his wife Jane Elizabeth whose father was Thomas, Lord Ravensworth of Ravensworth Castle, Durham.
5. See letter 1794. See also Harriet Martineau’s Autobiography, vol. 2, pp. 196–200.
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