2608. EBB to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 13, 374–375.
[London]
[16 September 1846] [1]
Dearest, the general departure from this house takes place on monday—& the house at Little Bookham is six miles from the nearest railroad & a mile & a half from Leatherhead where a coach runs. Now you are to judge– Certainly if I go with you on Saturday I shall not have half the letters written—you, who talk so largely of epic poems, have not the least imagination of my state of mind & spirits– I began to write a letter to Papa this morning, & could do nothing but cry, & looked so pale thereupon, that everybody wondered what could be the matter. Oh—quite well I am now, & I only speak of myself in that way to show you how the inspiration is by no means sufficient for epic poems. Still, I may certainly write the necessary letters, .. & do the others on the road .. could I, do you think? I would rather have waited—indeed rather—only it may be difficult to leave Bookham .. yet possible—so tell me what you would have me do.
Wilson & I have a light box & a carpet bag between us—& I will be docile about the books, dearest– Do you take a desk? Had I better not, I wonder?
Then for box & carpet bag–– Remember that we cannot take them out of the house with us– We must send them the evening before[,] Friday evening, if we went on saturday—and where? Have you a friend anywhere, to whose house they might be sent, or could they go direct to the railroad office—& what office? In that case they should have your name on them, should they not?
Now think for me, ever dearest—& tell me what you do not tell me .. that, you continue better. Oh no—you are ill again—or you would not wait to be told to tell me. And the dear, dear little bud!– I shall keep it to the end of my life, if you love me so long, .. or not, Sir! I thank you, dearest.
Your mother!– I am very, very sorry. Would it be better & kinder to wait on her account?—tell me that too–
Yes, they are perfectly kind– We must love them well:—& I shall, I am sure.
Mr Kenyon sends the ‘Faun’, which is Landor’s Faun, [2] & desires me to send it to you when I have done with it– As if I could read a word!– He directs me to write to him to Taunton, Somersetshire. May God bless you, beloved.
No more tonight from your very own Ba
Are not passengers allowed to carry a specific proportion of luggage? What do you mean then, by paying for every ounce? As to Dieppe, the diligence wd be more fatiguing than the river, &, without strong reasons, one wd prefer of course the Havre plan. Still I am not afraid of either. Think.
You might put in the newspaper .. of Wimpole Street & Jamaica, or .. & Cinnamon Hill, Jamaica. That is right & I thought of it at first—only stopped .. seeming to wish to have as little about poor Papa as possible. Do as you think best now.
Address: Robert Browning Esqre / New Cross / Hatcham / Surrey.
Postmark: 10FN10 SP17 1846 A.
Docket, in RB’s hand: <280>.
Publication: RB-EBB, pp. 1081–82.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Date provided by postmark. EBB’s letters to RB were usually postmarked the day after she wrote them.
2. See letter 2599, note 2.
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