290.5. Henry Cotes to EBB
Addendum to The Brownings’ Correspondence, vol. 2.
[Bedlington Vicarage, near Morpeth]
March 17th 1828
Dear Miss Barrett
Excuse the familiarity of The Dear. It is so seldom that minds congenial meet, that I am constrained to use the Term. I love your adhering to Authority. But Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri—is the maxim of every true-born Poet. For, what is Poetry other than Feeling—or, rather “A right, a quick Perception of Feeling,” & “A Due Expression” of that Feeling?! You should judge & determine for y’rself what is right. Aver not in Authority Because Pope said it, or Milton wrote it Ergo Adopted. Pope often wrote bad English, & sometimes Nonsense. To be convinc’d Read his Messiah—the first 6 lines will prove the Assertion. Milton, who seldom wrote ungrammatically, often wrote Fustian. To be convinc’d Read the introduction of Gunpowder in his Battle of the Angels. I would not have you to follow Pope in his Nonsense or Milton in his Bombast; but consult your own MIND; don’t mind that I say, who am not one Under Authority. Never tell me of Campbell or of any other Scot’s [1] Writer! As the Burr of Northl’d sticks in the Throat of a Newcastle man to his Dying Day, so the Will & the Shall—the Would & the Should are inveterating, are invincible obstacles to good, clear, prospicuous English both to Poets & Prose writers in Scotland. As to Prose, Blair, who writes 3 vols of Belles Lettres Lecturing on Elocution—and Robertson in his Hist. of Chars the Vth & Beattie, are not exempt from the Taint. Beattie’s Minstrel is a Beautiful Poem. His Essay on Truth is not exempt. By the way—Did you ever read a too much neglected Poem “Dyer’s Fleece”? He read & profited by Virgil’s Georgics. Virgil, I agree with you, seldom ascends to Sublime. Addison in his “Rider in the Whirlwind & directs the Storm” takes his Idea from Virgil’s Geo: Lib 1. line 328.
Ipse Pater in media nimborum in nocte coruscâ
Fulmina molitur dextrâ: quo maxuma motu
Terra tremit: fugere ferae et mortalia
Per gentis humilis stravit pavor.”
Here Virgil ascends to Sublimity. But Addison was no Poet—unless assisted by the Ancients. Ex. gr.
“The Lord my Pasture shall prepare
2nd And feed me with a Shepherd’s care
His presence shall my wants supply
2nd And guard me with a watchful eye.
My Noon day walks he shall attend
And all my Midnight hours defend.
Here the last cited line is the only one where there is a New idea. For, in the preceding lines the 2nd invariably is only an extension of the same idea as given in the 1st Thus Amplication supplies the place of Thought. Addison, however, is a most correct Prose writer and A. has written the best Critique on Milton’s Paradise Lost in the 3rd & 4th vol of the Spectator.
I have not y’r Letter by me: I gave it y’r Aunt yesterday (Sunday 16th). She was anxious to see it, but having an hour’s leisure, I can’t employ it more agreeably than just to enter into a lively Chat with one who knows how to develope MIND. But mind, my Dear, that MIND may be too oppressed by BODY: it may be worn down, & worn out by excess of Work. MIND therefore requires Relaxation—i.e., Variety as a Relief from dwelling on the same Subjects, the Same Passion &c. The BODY also as the Vehicle or Sheath (as S.S. terms it) is so connected with the MIND that often it exhibits deplorable Instances of this Debility of its Inhabitant in the decline—or before the Decline of Life—Dean Swift is an instance of the this—Before the Separation takes place and we are called to inhabit the World of Spirits.
I am now in my 70th year addressing a young Lady of 20—one who is (rather ought to be) 50 for Reason & Reflection, for Thought & Attainments. I forgot to name to you that my Criticisms upon your Poem were elicited by your Aunt. They were not exactly voluntary. She requested my full & fair & clear Opinion upon that Work– She did not say by whom written, only whom sent to her. This was on a Saturday & on the following Monday I sent her my rough Draft. So that I lay myself open to a Return of Censure [2] for haste, & found having revised what I wrote, a body would say writ. Do not contend for “writ”—or for “begun” upon Authority. Be above Authority. Think for yourself & think your own Thoughts & write your own words—fervidly “Sed Tu Vera puta”. I advise you—as a Father, who loves your Mind– In language as in Sentiment be above Authority– Let the Cui Boni be always uppermost. To what Intent—the Work is designed. The Glory of God; the Ultimate object of all our Thoughts, & all our Views, sh’d direct every word: I grant you The Object should not be prominent in the Foreground of the Picture [illegible word] Picturæ P<…> But miserable is the Man or Woman wh<o> writes without <…> Primum Mobile in view. This makes me quarre<l> with Lord Byron from whom no good thing can proceed. A Tendency to promote Good sh’d pervade everything we do, & the Means whereby Good sh’d follow should also be good—Agreeable. They must be otherwise they would not be swallowed by us, But the bitter Pill is so often gilded that one would think that it never was to be Analysed to discover the Cheat; or that we were all well content to be cheated.
“Damus vicissim”
Give & Take
Tit for Tat.
With best wishes for your Heath, Both of Body and of Mind
I have the Honor to be Dearest Miss B.
your ob’t & obliged Serv’t
Henry Cotes.
P.S. Being at Hartford & having an opportunity of seeing your Letters—I find I have omitted to mention several points to w’ch you admit viz—“Uncouth” words in your Preface. I mistook the Citation from our gr’t Dramatic Poet for your own words & beg pardon.
Page 3 l 14. Here also I plead Guilty.
P. 22. l 2. “Vindicate” against the world–
P. 36. l. 14 The Poor Owl & the Eagle equally roasted! I submit. But the Sun is not hot to its Inhabitants tho’ its Atmosphere is irritating.
Why is Pitt called Heav’n-born minister? I cannot say. I can only say that you are sent to question Heaven born Nonsense—a Dieu! More I would, but I plead guilty to many of the questionless—unquestioned—unanswered—unanswered.
Address, on integral page: Miss Barrett / Hope-End Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Interpolated over “Scotch.”
2. Interpolated over “Criticism.”
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