343. EBB to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 202.
[Malvern Wells]
[ca. 4 July 1829] [1]
My beloved Henrietta,
Mrs Trant says that she will settle accounts with you about the chickens when she sees you. I cannot make her or Henry tell me the costs—& I dont much think that you will. She is unwilling to go to Hope End yet, which I scarcely wonder at; but she sends you all her most affectionate love. In return for your diary, I will mention to you that we breakfast at ten, dine at five, drink tea at eight, & have supper at eleven—so that if I stay here another day & conform, I may be a little less than an elephant. As to the rising sun, no sun rising or setting can be <vis>ible thro’ this continued mist & rain— Two fine mornings have indeed app<e>ared to me—but my eyes were pre-engaged, & I lost the desired sight. How unhappy poor Occyta must be without me! I said something about him the other day, upon which Mrs Trant urged me to send for him that he might stay with me here. Tell him this—I desire him to be kissed every night when he is asleep, for me. What can they be doing in London? Not a line for Mrs Trant from Dominick; who, Bro will tell you, is staying in Baker Street. [2] William says that he saw Granny walking with Sam in Duke Street; & that afterwards he saw her in the back drawing room of her own house—that she spoke low, but looked very well.
My own dear Henrietta’s
affectionate Ba.
Miss Price continues, she says, to be pleased with Jane.
Address, on integral page: Miss Henrietta Barrett.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: In private collection.
1. Internal references show that this was a response to letter 342, but written before Dominick Trant’s return on 7 July.
2. 63 Baker St., Mrs. Moulton’s residence. Sam wrote to Henrietta (SD701): “Poor Dominick bears his loss very well. I am glad he is here as Papa Keeps his spirits up.”
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