3559. John Ruskin to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 178–179.
Dover
June 19th [1855] [1]
Dear Mrs Browning
I was truly glad to have your letter yesterday—being a little anxious lest you should have been made ill by this bitter spring—and when I got it—I was very sorry to hear that you were coming north– I am afraid for you. You say—I cannot understand how difficult it is to leave Florence– But the only thing I can’t understand is—why you should come here—in such a year as this at all events and no dear Miss Mitford to see– I should like to see you, myself, truly—but if I had any influence with you—I should say nevertheless,—go & look at the exhibition—wave your handkerchief to the Emperor—give a kind thought & hope to the empress—and away with you back to the Val d’Arno.
However—this is a strange welcome—and yet I cannot help it– I wonder if the wind whistles down the Avenue des C.E. as it does round this Dover Harbour—stretching all the pendants out on a perfect rack of undulations– But if you are foolishly kind enough to come—you will make us very happy—if you keep well.
I merely send you this line to say we are going home to Denmark Hill to morrow—and to beg you to let me know where you are as soon as you arrive in town– I suppose I am more frightened for you than is reasonable—having suffered much myself this spring, from the bitter cold of it– It quite beat me at last—and I was forced to leave London and come down to Tunbridge Wells—in a very shaky state indeed– When you have succeeded in all your designs upon the English language, I might perhaps most graphically describe it as
Tesseric—pentic—hectic—heptic*–
Phoenico-daemonic—and dyspeptic,
Hipped-ic, Pipped-ic—East-wind-nipped-ic–
Stiffened like styptic—doubled in diptych—
Possi-kephaly-chers-ecliptic- [2]
That last line, by the bye—is really a triumph of expression, at least—it will be—when it is “distributed to the multitude.” [3] Apropos of that same distribution—it is all very well in theory—but if you over-bake your verses in the poetic fire—who is to chop them up? We will have it out, when we meet.
*Anglice—all at sixes and sevens.
I was truly obliged to you for introducing Mr Tilten & Mr Jarvis [4] —I liked them both exceedingly– I have’nt been able yet to look at Mr Jarvis’s book [5] with any care but it seems well felt. —I hope the Americans will soon create a school of art for themselves.
—Accept all our sincerest regards, both for yourself & Mr Browning– I am so glad I like the same poem that he does. [6]
Goodbye and Goodspeed.
Ever most faithfully yours.
J Ruskin.
My mother’s especial & most sincere thanks for the bit about your boy.
Address: Affranchie. / Mrs Browning. / 138. Avenue des Champs Elysées. / Paris.
Publication: Cook, pp. 215–216.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. Ruskin playfully alludes to EBB’s defense of her use of the word “nympholepsy” (see letter 3554) by inventing ridiculous Greek-English words.
3. Cf. EBB’s remark in the third paragraph of letter 3554.
4. Sic, for Tilton and Jarves.
5. Art-Hints. Architecture, Sculpture and Painting (1855) by James Jackson Jarves. An advertisement placed by the publisher, Sampson Low & Son, in The Athenæum of 26 May 1855 listed the book as “Now ready” (no. 1439, p. 605).
6. “Catarina to Camoëns,” as mentioned in letter 3554.
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