336.5. Edmund Henry Barker to EBB
Addendum to The Brownings’ Correspondence, vol. 2.
Thetford,
May 12, 1829.
My dear Madam,
I gave to myself the pleasure of lending your Poems to the Bishop of Limerick, Dr John Jebb, & mark the consequence of the mischief:—
“The fair authoress of Mind unites to attainments, which prove whoever may be our Aschams, that England still has her Lady Jane Greys,—an union of thoughtfulness & imagination, not too common in our pretending days. I am glad to see her testimony to my honest & philosophic countryman, Dr Miller. Do you think she would do me the honour to accept a copy of my Sermons? If so, it shall be gladly dispatched, wherever you may have the goodness to direct. Might I beg too that, when opportunities occur, you would make like communications on my behalf, to Mr Boyd & Mr Stewart? Have you seen Mahometanism Unveiled, just published by Messrs Duncan & Cochran? It is the work of my friend, the Rev. Charles Forster, whom I know too intimately, & love too dearly, to trust myself by expressing what I feel, of his genius, originality, industry, learning, and sober-mindedness. With all that Mr Boyd says of St. Basil, I heartily concur. Have you read his Epistles? Many years ago I read several of them with great pleasure.”
John Limerick, May 11, 1829.
5 York-Terrace, Regent’s Park.
We must not approach Sultanas, you know, without a present, & so I will transcribe for your perusal Lord Grenville’s versions of Carlisle’s translation of some Arabic verses, (which have been better translated by Sir Wm Jones, On parent knees etc.) They occur in his Hugae Metricae, of which he has sent to me a copy: it is an unpublished work, & therefore may not pass under your eye:—
carlisle.
When born, in tears we saw the drowned,
Whilst thy assembled friends around
With smiles their joy confest;
So live that in thy latest hour
We may the floods of sorrow pour,
And thou in smiles be drest.
lord grenville
Infans.
Dum tibi vix nato laeti risere parentes,
Vagitu implebas tu lacrymisque domum:
Sic vivas, ut summa tibi cum venerit hora,
Sit ridere tuum, sit lacrymare tuis.
Idem Graece:
῎Αςτι γεγὼς κλαύθμων ἐξήςχεο δακςυοέντων,
Τηθοσύνη δὲ φίλοι, σός τ' ἐγέλασσε πατήζ
Ψς δὲ ϭίον διάγοις, ὡς δὴ θονάτοιο παζόντος,
Ε῏ιναι σοὶ τὸ γελᾀν, ἀμμὶ δὲ δακζυχέειν.
I remain, dear Madam,
Ever your friend & servant,
E. H. Barker
P.S. The good Bishop will be directed to send the Sermons to Mr Boyd along with the copy for Mr B.
Address, on integral page: Miss Barrett / Hope-End / Ledbury.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
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