2340.5. EBB to Mary Howitt
Addendum to The Brownings’ Correspondence, vol. 12.
50 Wimpole Street
May 1. [1846] [1]
My dear Mrs Howitt,
It is painful to me & sounds in the ears of my heart almost like an ingratitude, to have to answer ‘no’ to the first request you ever did me the honor of making to me, you who have done me so much pleasure in various ways! I hoped to be able to escape this painfulness; but there is no use in waiting & considering, .. I find that it is impossible for me to contribute at present to your journal, though I yield to none in respectful admiration of yourself, & in sympathy towards the great aim of helping the People by lights, in order that they may help themselves into Rights. Oh some future day, I desire, for my own part, to be able to prove this to you: and today you lose nothing, .... not even my good wishes.
I have seen & appreciated thankfully Mr Fox’s notice of my poetry. My only reply to his kindness & yours on the same subject, must be an earnest striving to do better,—that good work may justify friendly words. It would be as ungrateful as unworthy, I think, if I were to lie down at noonday, because the sun shines a little.
Allow me, dear Madam, to remain, with every due regard & respect to Mr Howitt & yourself,
faithfully yours always
Elizabeth Barrett Barrett
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Year provided by EBB’s reference to Mr. Fox’s “notice” that appeared in The People’s Journal for 7 March 1846 (see BC, 12, 388–404).
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