Correspondence

249.  EBB to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 29–31.

Eastnor Castle.

Friday. [23–24 February 1827] [1]

My dearest Henrietta

I met a returning carriage as I went into the Castle Court, and entered the hall with a good deal of

Illus.

expecting of course to find in the library those strangers who had just arrived before me. And, there, indeed, they were! and on my first entrance I had to make one of my awkward curtsies to Mr & Mrs Fenwick—from Worcester! Lady Margaret recieved me very cordially & kindly, & said that she was “much obliged by my consenting to come to see her again”—to which I replied of course “in choice Italian.” [2] After an hour’s dull sitting we went up stairs, & her Ladyship introduced me to this room—Mr Cocks’s, who, she said, was unfortunately unable to come as he had expected, & regretted very much the pleasure of being introduced to me. She added that I might however amuse myself with his books in lieu of his conversation. I, in return, regretted Mr Cocks’s absence, & rejoiced in the presence of Mr Cocks’s books, exactly in the proper degree—at least so I flatter myself! [3]

At dinner I found that besides Mr & Mrs Fenwick, the two Miss Martins, Miss Baker, my old acquaintance Mr York, & Col. Cocks were staying here. [4] I sat between Miss Baker & Miss Martin, to neither of whom I had been introduced, & had to talk to each– I made some dozens of mistakes which I cannot immortalize by putting on paper—& never was so glad in my life to sit down to dinner, as I was then to get up! When we went into the library Lady Margaret introduced me to Miss Baker, whom I find to be a particular friend of hers—a very pleasing unassuming, & well-read person—tho’ she “cant get thro’ Irving’s Orations” [5] —her age a good deal past “the certain age”! & the Miss Martins’s ditto

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Saturday morning.

I could not get the above ready for the post yesterday—& am now able to tell you dearest Henrietta, that the two Miss Martins went away at seven this morning—& that Mr & Mrs Fenwick go to-day also. I dont know who is coming, or whether any one is coming. I should suppose not.

You wanted to know all about myself & Lady Margaret. We have had no catechising whatever—as Miss Baker prevented that. As we were going down stairs yesterday Lady M. said to me– “I am reading a little book now called Miriam—if you should happen to meet with it you will find in its early part, one page which puts me strongly in mind of you—of your character—but you shall not see it here.” I did not know what to say, but felt very uncomfortable & looked very foolish—promising myself to lay hold of Miriam & of Lady Margaret’s opinion respecting me, at the first opportunity. [6]

By the bye I must tell you a very high compliment Miss Baker paid me yesterday. She is making a collection of autographs, & after mentioning several of which she was in possession Mrs Hemans’s Miss Edgeworth’s Walter Scott’s—&c she expressed a wish to have mine. I was of course “much flattered” & so on—but declined what would make me rather too ridiculous, offering at the same time to let her have Campbell’s & Mr Price’s– So she got, what many people get, & expect to get, .. something for her compliment.

We go up stairs rather later than when I was here last—& Lord Somers is extremely animated & in apparent good health. The poor Moneys are abused thro’ thick & thin, every day, by every body—not Ellen! Mary is accused of ass<uming> very much, & of having little claim to assume any thing. Her beauty & manners, & information, are canvassed elaborately.

Yesterday, for want of something better to say, I said I liked going on the ice—upon which Lord Somers called out from the bottom of the table— “So, Miss Barrett, you skate”– Talking of skating, this frosty morning makes me think of the pond in addition to your dearest selves, & makes me wish to be on it as well as with you! Happy day after tomorrow! I shall be dreadfully incensed, if you dont write–

“Write all, write always, write like Henrietta” for I am sure, no one can be a better correspondent that she is.

I have scratched this—not written—& I am sure every word & thought must be jumbling its neighbour.

My best of loves to beloved Mama & every body——

Always my most dear Henrietta’s

Attached Ba.

I anxiously hope to hear dearest Arabel’s cold is the better–

Every body here black as pitch. The mourning has not changed yet.

Cards in the evenging—not a sign of music.

Address, on integral page: Miss Henrietta Barrett / Hope End.

Publication: None traced.

Source: Transcript in editors’ file.

1. Dated by Henrietta’s reply (letter 250).

2. Hamlet, III, 2, 273.

3. James Somers Cocks (1790–1856), Prebendary of Hereford and Worcester, Lady Margaret’s brother.

4. James Martin, of Old Colwall, had three unmarried sisters. Harriet Baker (d. 1837) was a close friend of Lady Margaret. Mr. York cannot be positively identified; he was probably Joseph Yorke (1765–1830), the husband of Earl Somers’ cousin Catherine Yorke (née Cocks), but might have been one of the three grandsons surnamed Yorke of the 1st Baron Somers. Col. Philip James Cocks (1774–1857), eldest son of the 1st Baron Somers by his second wife Anne (née Pole-Carew), was Earl Somers’ half-brother.

5. For the Oracles of God, Four Orations (1823) by Edward Irving (1792–1834), founder of the Irvingite church.

6. Miriam; Or, The Power of Truth (1826), by Charlotte Anley. The passage Lady Margaret had in mind was probably that in chapter II: “Although scarcely seventeen, Miriam was far beyond the general standard of that age, in acquirement and understanding; for besides being naturally gifted with great intellectual quickness, she had been so completely modelled by the rigid tutorship of Mendez, that she was very early led to the study of all that could strengthen and enlarge her mind; so that now her thirst for knowledge was unbounded … Her whole character was decisive, vigorous, and enthusiastic; her feelings lofty, and her imagination vivid; yet with much of what the world would call romantic …”

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