3645. EBB to Henrietta Cook
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 289–292.
13. Dorset Street–
Wednesday– [Postmark: 3 October 1855]
My ever dearest Henrietta
You shall have the pattern of the jacket tomorrow, but it is the old Penini fashion .. & I have seen nothing prettier. I shall send you also a pattern of a blouse or little dress which has been much admired with us. Peni has dresses both low & high in this same pattern—tied with a sash behind—buttons in front, a trimming velvet or other, along the edge of the folds– The dress is more boyish than the old frock, yet sits more gracefully to the figure than the ordinary blouses which I always think detestable and like sacks.
Does Altham wear low dresses in the cold part of the winter? I have a jacket to defend Penini, when the temperature is at the coldest,—or a high dress to wear occasionally .. with sleeves. This winter I have provided two high dresses of green & moroon [sic] merino, trimmed with black velvet—& two low dresses of woollen plaids, which are yet unmade– I have also a black velvet jacket, to wear with his black velvet frock, making a complete costume– Yes, he is a singularly graceful child. People always cry out on the beauty of his gestures & attitudes—& the “little head sunning over with curls,” [1] as Tennyson says, does’nt spoil anything. It appears to me that he is rather like our family .. not unlike Sette—but more like Ibbit when she was a child—only he is slighter, & has a more spiritual look, with his long dark lashes & blue eyes.
What will you say to me when I tell you Henrietta that I have let this precious child go away from me to Eastbourne with Arabel! Am I an unnatural mother? Arabel came on that tuesday (last week) & hazarded her reputation & the parental final repudiation by staying in London till saturday. Well, she asked me for Peni—and I, unstrung & overcome by gratitude & love for her, said he might go if he liked. Oh—there seemed little fear of his liking– He refused all day & every day. But on saturday .. there was something about the Macintoshes’ little dog which was going to Eastbourne, & which he was wanted to take care of .. some temptation about shells & the sea .. & suddenly he said he wd go– In the greatest state of excitement & dignity of a carpet bag, he set off—Robert took them to the train. When he disappeared there was a burst of tears, to Arabel’s consternation—& another on arriving at Eastbourne—& various subsequent floods, & fits of melancholy .. but they amused him so well, what with crabs, shrimp-nets, & donkies, that the child was lured on to this Wednesday from last tuesday, the day first fixed for his return. He seems to have had alternate raptures & despondencies– Whenever he was tired, poor darling, he cried out for his “own friends”—& woke Arabel one night by screaming in his sleep .. “Oh untle Otty, untle Otty, I must do to mama.” So he comes today .. my own treasure! I had a letter from Arabel this morning to say so, with a line from himself at the top– “From your dearest friend who sends you five thousand kisses.” Think of my dearest friend! I wonder when you will let Altham go away from you– Do you feel inclined? But I could refuse my dearest Arabel nothing when she had been so over-good in coming– How could I?
Ah yes– If I had had you too! But I hold fast the thought of how you would have come—how all that love could ask (& more) your love was ready to give. And I am steadily glad, glad, that you did not, after all, come at that inevitable risk.
Mr Kenyon comes on monday– He is very mortified that we did not jog his memory at the moment, & has written most affectionately– Miss Bayley has just been here too, to persuade us to stay a few days longer .. not to go on wednesday as we proposed .. for the sake of seeing a little of dear Mr Kenyon. Robert is out—but I think it probable he may decide on remaining a few additional days.
His book is printed & will be out at the end of October or beginning of November .. “Men & Women,” in two volumes .. dedicated to me in a poem at the close. [2] You will have a copy sent to you– [3]
By the way, Arabel & I found your pearl necklace to our immense satisfaction, at the bottom of the jewel-case– Oh, so glad I am, for your sake—& also for mine .. as I was so very vexed to think that you profited in nothing by my intention– Arabel has the thing in her keeping for you– We did not like to run the risk of the post & send it.
Dearest Henrietta, if you are sent to Aldershot, it will be convenient for London—& you will have positively to come & be confined here next summer. Then I shall “assist”—shall I not? while our boys swear eternal friendship.
The Laureate took us by surprise last week while Arabel was here—dined with us two successive days, & spent the mornings, & threw us in the nights– He read us the whole of Maud, & exquisitely—the voice hangs on my ear still– We dined & smoked together & were as happy & affectionate as possible,—& I did’nt get to bed on the second day till three oclock in the morning– So that altogether I nearly died of the joy of it– But I seriously love Tennyson–
And yet Arabel says she likes Robert better– One of the reasons being that Robert does’nt smoke pipes—no, nor cigars, let me add–
Sometimes I have exhorted him to smoke, by the bye– It would do him good occasionally–
If you could see the vehement haste I am writing in. We are overwhelmed with last things to do on last days– May God bless you, dearest! I envy you all your bad symptoms—would give a great deal to find no rest on my bed nor ease in my chair. Oh—if I could be sick! What felicity.
So never look for pity from this side of the world, your [sic, for you] miserable enviable creature!– And Altham well, & Mary well! Nothing to spoil anything. But I should have liked you to see my Peni– He has finished in Italian the first volume of Miss Edgeworth, including Frank, Dog Trusty, Cherry Orchard, & the Orange-boy—& he is reading Rosamond. [4] I shd like you to hear him read Italian—it’s so pretty. Love to Surtees–
Your ever attached
Ba.
Poor Wilson left us today. Her confinement takes place on the 22d Harriet is rather slow but gentle & amiable—& Peni was beginning to like her. I am delighted to get Wilson away before his return. She follows us when she can, to Paris.
<I have not been able to get down yet to Surtees’ mother. If you saw how I am torn to pieces. I have offended twenty people at least since we came to England—from mere impotence to do what I desire.> [5]
Address: Mrs Surtees Cook / Wilton / Taunton.
Publication: Huxley, pp. 229–231 (in part).
Manuscript: British Library.
1. Tennyson, Maud (1855), XXI, 9, 5.
2. “One Word More,” the last poem in Men and Women, is dedicated “To E. B. B.” It was also the last poem composed for the book. A revised printer’s copy entitled “A Last Word. To E.B.B.” and dated 22 September 1855 sold as lot 194 in Browning Collections (see Reconstruction, E303).
3. Henrietta’s name (as “Mrs. Surtees Cook”) appears on RB’s list of friends and relatives who were to receive copies of Men and Women; see letter 3673.
5. The text within angle brackets comes from Huxley, p. 231.
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