2930. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 82–83.
Paris–
Monday. [Postmark: 21 July 1851]
My ever beloved Arabel, we cant leave Paris till Tuesday at one. We had calculated on being able to set out quite early in the morning,—but in that way, we find we shall pay more, & so have decided on the other hour. At one, then, tomorrow (tuesday) we leave Paris, and at nine or thereabouts, the next morning (wednesday) shall arrive (if God pleases) at the London station. It appears that we shall stay some two hours at Dieppe—& perhaps something more at Brighton .. or at Newhaven, close to Brighton .. which makes us longer.
No—dont come directly– I shall be worn out, I dare say—& the dreadful joy of seeing you again requires a little strength. Come, my ever dearest, at six, or later–
No, you cant come, I remember, at Papa’s dinnertime– For Heaven’s sake, do not get into trouble again for me. See how it shall be.
From six & after .. all the evening till ten .. I shall be ready for you; & if you dont come at any hour of those, I shall understand that you could’nt get away safely, & feel quite satisfied– Or you might send me a little note by Edwin [1] to say that you cant come, if you cant. Only dont run any risks. If you cant come on wednesday evening, it shall be on thursday morning after breakfast–
Perhaps Robert will be away on wednesday evening– Perhaps—I dont exactly know—but he talks of going over to New Cross directly—and I certainly wont let him go in the morning.
Well—you wont make out what I am writing. My head is sotto sopra, [2] as we used to say in poor Italy–
Did I tell you that we had spent the evening with Alfred Tennyson. The next day, he called here again, & brought his wife,—& we returned his visit, & were the warmest of friends, all of us together, I assure you. Mrs Tennyson kissed me at parting,—and he insisted .. yes, insisted, .. that we should forthwith take possession of his house at Twickenham & his two servants, & use them as long as we liked to stay in England! He was so much in earnest that we hold in our hands a note addressed to his servants, desiring them to make over the possession to us directly .. with a post[s]cript from Mrs Tennyson, bespeaking for me, “as much attention as for herself” on account of my “delicacy of health.” We accepted the note, as a very precious memorial of his kindness. What could be more kind? What ordinary man, even friend, would have acted so? Robert has been touched to the heart by it. Observe,—there had existed no kind of previous friendship between them– They had only met at dinner-parties in London, & two or three times at most.
I like him very much—& I like her. She has the sweetest manner, the gentlest smile, the softest tone of voice, that a woman can have. And evidently she understands her husband profoundly, & with her heart—which is the best way– But I am afraid she is in a very weak state of health—probably from some accident—for I heard last winter that she was to be confined in April, & they have no child. She had to lie on the sofa, & appeared incapable of much exercise of any kind. He goes out of England, because you English have hunted him half to death– He says you are the greatest nation in the world & the most vulgar—& he hopes to have a little peace & liberty away from you– Amen.
Oh my darling Arabel, it will be better for Robert to get it all over at New Cross—far, far better. He will be happier afterwards. And it was your letter that brought us over, certainly it was– And he’ll be the better for it, & so shall I!
God bless you, dear dearest Arabel. I wont write to Henry now– I shall see him instead– Best love to him & all– Best l<ove> to dearest Trippy– I shall pay her a visit directly, tell her–
your Ba.
Tell them to have breakfast ready at <ten at> George St. 4 (I found the number afterwards– Forgive me & dont send to Hodgson’s—coff<ee & plen>ty of hot milk (to use with the coffee) eggs & bread & butter—perhaps a few slices of <ham> .. we shall want ‘restoration’ in full.
Breakfast, half past ten– Better so.
Address: Angleterre / Care of Miss Tripsack / (Miss Barrett) / 26. Welbeck Street / Cavendish Square / London.
Publication: EBB-AB, I, 402–404.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Edwin Hingson (1827–1908), principal man-servant at 50 Wimpole Street, was born at Torquay, Devon, where he entered the Moulton-Barretts’ service about 1841. He remained with the family until the break-up of the Wimpole Street household in 1857. He married Elizabeth Bonser, Arabella’s lady’s maid the following year. EBB’s brother Alfred drew a sketch of Hingson in 1845; it is reproduced in Michael Meredith’s Meeting the Brownings (Waco, Texas, 1986), p. 32.
2. “Upside down.”
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