193. Edward Moulton-Barrett (brother) to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 194–195.
[London]
[Postmark: 21 June 1824]
My dearest Bazy
It is now nearly three weeks since I saw you, and during all that time I have not recieved a single line either from you or any one else at Hope End, which if you do not make up for the next [week] I shall take full vengeance upon you next Saturday, but I am sure you will not fail in your correspondence for another, whole, which however if you should by any mishap forget you know what to expect. I am happy to inform you that with the assisstance of a good dish of black soup, more elegantly styled a black dose, I feel no effects from my unfortunate wound except a black eye which however will soon clear off. [1] We have had a great row here this week, Russell has lately been extremely severe with those boys whom he has caught fagging and they being as determined to maintain there [sic] privileges wrote a note to Russell signed by most of the biggest boys in the school to, declare there intention, of still adhering to this custom, [2] and if he refused them, his permission to fag, they threatened to resign their several offices such as Monitors, Sub Mon[i]tors, &c &c this as you may well suppose put the Doctor in a violent passion, and he obliged many of them to sign a paper of his drawing up, the purport of which I cannot atall [sic] learn, however—after giving them a long speech, or pill, I believe the row has ended pretty amicably on both sides. Mr Churton one of our Masters who has been lately made a Revd, gave us his first sermon today in Charter House chapel he certainly has a most monotonous tone of deliver[y], and I could discover no recommendation, of which the sermon could boast greater than that it lasted only one quarter of an hour, however the <…> [3] and he wa<…> as he obtai<…>-tainly <…> Bazy a<…> attached <…>
If you dont write next week—— but I wont put myself in a passion, with so insignificant, little,—— but as I said before, I wont put myself in a passion
Address, on integral page: Miss Barrett / Hope End / Ledbu<ry> / Herefor<dshire>.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. A passage in letter 197 indicates that his “wound” was causd by a cricket ball hitting him in the face.
2. Dr. Russell opposed both the system of fagging and the imposition of corporal punishment, and attempted to abolish both, substituting fines for the latter. The boys “thought flogging was very gentlemanly … but fines most ungentlemanly … and burst forth one day in School in a general cry of ‘no fines.’ Dr. Russell was induced to reconsider his intention” (Charterhouse Past and Present, by William Haig Brown, 1879). As this letter indicates, his efforts to abolish the traditional fagging were also opposed.
3. Bottom corner of page, with signature, torn off.
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