Correspondence

339.  EBB to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 198–199.

[South Lodge—Malvern Wells]

[ca. July 1829] [1]

My beloved Henrietta,

I will take advantage of your permission, & change my first intention of returning to you & dearest Bummy & all the dearests tomorrow, as Mrs Trant really seems to have comfort in my society. At least she says so & has begged me to stay; assuring me that her reason for not accepting my proposal in the first instance, was her fear of inflicting a melancholy visit upon me. My only hesitation has been on account of Miss Biddulph’s proposed note to you [2] —but Bro having heard nothing of it, I conclude you have not received it. At any rate you can go there early in the week. Mrs Trant’s composure & even chearfulness are astonishing. She dwells much on the circumstance of poor James’s freedom from pain & consciousness at the last; & said yesterday “I am perfectly happy—my heart is overflowing with gratitude to God.” And indeed she does appear happy. She desires her affectionate love to you all. We walked for nearly an hour in the garden today,—but she does not seem to wish to stay immediately at Hope End—thinking it probable & desirable that Dominick’s & Mr Boland’s arrival [3] should fix her at home. You have no occasion whatever to be uneasy about her. All this morning she has been working & reading & talking—& is surprisingly well.

I will write a note to Angela, [4] & send it to you by Bro; but I should think there was no necessity for any haste, considering that the Bride & Bridegroom will be yet a fortnight away.

Give my love to every body, even to Occyta who behaved so very cruelly in our parting moments. I awoke this morning at three & at four, on purpose to see the rising sun,—& no sun was to be seen for clouds——

God bless you my dearest Henrietta.

Your ever attached Ba.

excuse dreadful haste!–

Address, on integral page: Miss Henrietta Barrett / Hope End.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: In private collection.

1. EBB’s visit to Mrs. Trant’s home was occasioned by the death of James Trant, her eldest son, in London on 19 June. Miss Trepsack wrote to Henrietta on 6 July 1829: “little did we imagine that poor dear James Trant wd thus early be laid in the silent Tomb. Never was there a finer youth—no ones enemy—kind, good hearted to all. … It is kind of our dear Ba to go & comfort the afflicted. It is a severe loss to his parents—D[ominick]— I think has lost his very best friend & adviser. … William shewed himself an attached Servant, deserving of the future kindness of Mrs. T— & her Sons” (SD700).

2. The eldest daughter of John Biddulph. The Biddulphs were a prominent Ledbury family and much of society centered around them. Henrietta and Bro were often in their company.

3. Dominick Trant was the second son. Mr. Bowland was the son of Mrs. Trant’s mother by her first husband, and thus was Mrs. Trant’s half-brother.

4. Angela Bayford Owen. See letter 340.

___________________

National Endowment for the Humanities - Logo

Editorial work on The Brownings’ Correspondence is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This website was last updated on 3-29-2024.

Copyright © 2024 Wedgestone Press. All rights reserved.

Back To Top