342. Henrietta Moulton-Barrett to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 201.
[Hope End]
[3 July 1829] [1]
My beloved Ba– I am very sorry I cannot obey your commands as strictly as I could desire in sending you “two or three letters” as there are none for you. I will send you the first that come for you we have not received a line from any soul. You do quite right I think in staying with Mrs Trant. She would miss you very much were you to leave her before Dominic comes– Do not fancy we are pining very much after your society for we find that we can do without you & I think at present you are of more use where you are—nevertheless we shall not be very sorry when you come home– It is a blessing that Mrs Trant is so well may it please God to make her every day more reconciled to her great loss– Poor Henry appears wonderfully well– I have not much news & what there is I suppose Bummy has communicated therefore you shall not be troubled with a repetition— How much we sympathized with you in your woeful disappointment in not seeing the Monies—to think that they should have called the very day you went away it is enough to try even your patience. we dine every day at four o’clock go out to walk at about six & drink Tea at eight– Is this not edifying? I cannot send your note by this days post as I have not written mine & also I have to write to Sam– It cannot go till Sunday now [2] – Occyta laughed at your message to him & said with a look of the utmost consequence “I don’t care about Ba”– They all send you their best loves they were all a little disappointed when they heard you were not coming today– Shall we have any communication tomorrow, or not? Certainly if there are any letters for you as to your pretending even to hint at a probability of your coming that is nonsense– come when you like it & when Mrs Trant likes it. Give her my best love & thank her for the few lines she sent us.–
God bless my beloved Ba.
Her own affectt Henrietta
Have you seen the rising Sun yet[?] You could not think of lying there to sleep after such a sight–
Address, on integral page: Miss Barrett. / Malvern Wells.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
1. The opening sentence indicates that this is a reply to letter 341. The reference to sending EBB’s note to Angela Owen “by this day’s post” suggests that Henrietta wrote immediately upon receiving it.
2. Sam received and answered her letter on 6 July 1829 (SD701). “Dominick leaves us tomorrow morning.”
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