3617. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 249–251.
[London]
Thursday. [6 September 1855] [1]
Dearest darling Arabel, if you have cried, I have cried—that’s all I can say– Everything has gone wrong ever since I touched English ground, and I shall remember it against England, .. which has grown wholly detestable to me, now that you are not here—the one lump of sugar in the cup! Penini & I have groaned together, I assure you. When your letter came yesterday with the sea-weed .. such a piteous piece of work there was! He went about the room, sighing,—“Oh—poor Alibel! when shall I see her again?” such sighs, a full yard long!– Then, said he—“I sint I will put this beautiful sea-weed in Alibel’s bible, [2] to remember her. I will put it just under her writing—” (meaning where you had written his name on the first leaf). But, finding that the bible would’nt shut with this heap of sea weed, he deposited there only a little sprig, & then went about selecting your other gift-books to hold the rest,—Mrs Stowe’s Geography [3] for instance. Quite his own idea! The child has a great deal of sentiment. And so sweet he is in his disappointment– He told Wilson all you had said about the pic nics, the donkey &c &c—and then, interrupting himself .. “Oh, it’s more better, not to sint about it any more, now.”!
I have written to beg dear Henrietta not to come,—to wait till next year early, when we shall be here again,—because really it is’nt worth her while in expense & fatigue to come to see only me (you all being away!). Also, my ill-luck is so great just now, that certainly, if she came, she would have a miscarriage in consequence! that would be certain! & I am not in a condition to bear the responsibility of any risk of the kind, indeed–
Think of my having a note from Mr Spicer this morning .. (who wrote three volumes & a corollary on the Spirits) [4] to ask if at last (he has just returned from the east) he might call on me. I felt inclined to go to bed & be extremely ill till I set out for Paris,—but Robert said I was to say we would see him. So he comes tonight, when Mr Ruskin does, & Mrs Sartoris, who has suddenly come up to town again for a day or two, impelled by hooping-cough among her children; & I shall entreat her to sing so loud & long, that not a word will be utterable or audible about the spiritual world: nor in fact is Mr Spicer likely to say much that wd be very sympathetical even to me—leaning, as I believe he does (with all his knowledge and experience) to the physical solution of the phenomena.
I have had a letter from Isa Blagden who saw a medium [5] at Knebworth—a lady—a friend of Sir Edward’s staying in the house– The rappings came—and a great heavy table which Gibson the sculptor could’nt move with all his natural strength, was made responsive to the touch of the tip of her finger– Of course, say nothing upon this subject when you write.
Miss Macintosh [6] has called about half an hour ago, on me. She seems to wish to get her mother to Eastbourne or somewhere; only, she is afraid, that if she succeeds in this, she wont get her back again. Our card was left on the poor Strattens yesterday—& the answer was that “Mr & Mrs Stratten were pretty well.” You dont mention Trippy’s cap. Do tell me. Robert Sarianna Peni & I went to call on her yesterday, & found her looking well & in good humour. The wind was so bitter, I shall have to take care in going out again– One thing is, dearest Arabel, .. perhaps, if I had gone to Eastbourne I could’nt have borne it above a week or two or so, without decidedly suffering,—the east winds having plainly a tendency to set in. Isa Blagden at Broadstairs was shivering over a fire, she says in her letter today. But so vexed I am, so profoundly vexed, that all attempt at self-comfort is mere aggravation,—I cant, & I shant, and I wont, & I must’nt be comforted—there’s an end.
What did I ever come to England for, but just for you? Answer me that. Robert might have had his proofs at Paris perfectly well, through the embassy. If you were to go occasionally to the continent, I would shake the dust of my beloved country from my feet [7] for ever & ever!—not because I would not have England blessed—but because the very dust of her, is bad for my very shoes, I feel.
The new maid [8] comes on monday, because Wilson cant stay with us beyond next week she says– Not that Orestes is to be born immediately, [9] but that she feels too unwell for the going up & down stairs– She will follow to Paris as soon as possible, she says besides.
Tell me of Trippy’s cap—& do, do write. Pray for me, dearest.
Your ever own Ba–
Say how your headaches are.
Address: Miss Barrett / 12. Cornfield Terrace / Eastbourne.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 167–169.
Manuscript: Gordon E. Moulton-Barrett.
1. Date provided by EBB’s mention of Ruskin’s impending visit of the same day. In letter 3615 he writes that he will be with the Brownings “tomorrow evening.”
2. Probably Il Nuovo Testamento (Torino, 1846) that Pen inscribed: “Robert Wiedeman Barrett Browning from dearest Arabel. London. 1855” (see Reconstruction, A235). The front of the book has been damaged, and the leaf with Arabella’s inscription is missing.
3. Harriet Beecher Stowe, A New Geography for Children (Revised by an English Lady, by Direction of the Author, 1855). The preface, dated “London, March, 1855,” begins: “This little book having been prepared for the use of children in America, there were many details of that country unnecessary for very young children in England to be made acquainted with; while, on the other hand, there was much needful for them to know connected with their own land, not included in the American edition” (p. xiii).
4. EBB may be exaggerating for effect. Henry Spicer had published two single volumes on spiritualism by this time: Sights and Sounds (1853) and its sequel Facts and Fancies (1853).
5. Unidentified.
6. Charlotte McIntosh; her mother, mentioned in the next sentence, was Frances McIntosh (see letter 3491, note 14).
7. Cf. Matthew 10:14.
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