2934. EBB to Henrietta Cook
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 89–90.
26 Devonshire Street. Devonshire Place.
Thursday– [31 July 1851] [1]
Ever dearest Henrietta, I had your letter to George Street yesterday, & was digging out the mystery of it with a palpitating heart, when another arrives to confirm me in my hope—you are really coming to London! How grateful I am to both of you, for your great kindness in thinking us worth all this expence– How happy, happy, happy, I shall be, to see you, Henrietta, & dear Surtees, & your darling … which is mine also–
Listen, Henrietta–. Why go to Mrs Minto’s house—why? It is so far, [2] —that if we meet frequently, the expence of carriages would almost pay the price of a lodging– Also, it appears that the Mintos could not receive you for two days out of the precious week (see the enclosed note),—& to take lodgings for two days might be nearly as expensive as for the week. We could get rooms for you on a first floor it appears, in High St (close by) for two guineas, or for something less perhaps—or even in this street—it is possible, Arabel thinks. Then we should be all together & have a joy rounded to perfection.
I write in the greatest haste. I am confounded with the confusion of London .. overwhelmed with kindnesses .. suffocated almost. I take half a cup of tea or coffee, morning & evening, & then am sure to be interrupted by somebody. We dined at dear Mr Kenyon’s the day before yesterday (but I have vowed to dine nowhere else) & met Barry Cornwall, Carlyle, Forster of the Examiner, Chorley of the Athenæum, Miss Jewsbury of “Zoe or the two lives”, Mrs Jameson & others. Mr Forster told me he liked me, which was satisfactory. Write & tell us if we shall take rooms for you or not. [3] We pay two pounds a week for these .. two rooms on the ground-floor, & one with a dressing-room in a garret– Very dear, of course, but we are near Arabel, & shall stay here while we are in England, & not go to New Cross. Arabel looks very well I think & is the dearest & darlingest just as she always was– It was great joy to me to have her with me, to look in her face, dear thing! Shall I look in yours on Saturday? What a dream, indeed!
your ever affecte
Ba.
Write directly .. Arabel sits by me while I scribble this distractedly.
Address: Mrs Surtees Cook / Wilton / Taunton / Somersetshire.
Publication: Huxley, pp. 137–138 (in part).
Manuscript: British Library.
1. Dated by EBB’s reference to the 29 July 1851 dinner at John Kenyon’s, “the day before yesterday.”
2. The Mintos lived at 32 Cambridge Terrace, on the east side of Regent’s Park.
3. The Cooks took rooms at their old quarters, 15 Bentinck Street. Arriving on 2 August, they remained until the 9th. They were accompanied by their child, their landlady Mrs. Hickman, and, presumably, their maid Martha Bundy (Surtees, 2 August 1851).
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