340. EBB to Angela Owen
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 199–200.
Malvern Wells.
Friday. [3 July 1829] [1]
My ever dearest Angela does indeed know more of my love for her, & of my interest in her happiness than these few & hurried lines can express. May God bless her, & him, to whom she is in herself a blessing, with all temporal & eternal good. [2] May He grant to them, on earth, as unmixed happiness as we of the earth may enjoy—& may He grant to them hereafter, the bliss of those from whose eyes all tears are wiped away. Dearest Angela; may it please God to bring us together soon—that is a part of my future happiness for which I must not forget to pray. Hope End has a great deal of joy to anticipate, in the thought of having you once more, & Mr Owen for the first time, within its walls! Will you both be so ungracious as to disappoint us?
Henrietta & I send you a little offering of affection & friendship, [3] —to try to prevent your new vocations from thrusting us quite out of your heart & head! Angela Owen must love those, who loved Angela Bayford so truly!
You will be surprised to see the date of this scribble. I have been here for several days with poor Mrs Trant whom the chastening hand of God has deprived of her son. You may have heard of James’s death. It has made us all sorrowful. Poor Mrs Trant is wonderfully supported, & discovers an extraordinary degree of resignation & composure,—& even cheerfulness for the last two days! But I will not dwell on this sad subject–
May God bless & preserve my dear Angela! May I offer my very kind regards to Mr Owen? or is it sufficiently indicative of my feelings towards him, when I subscribe myself
Your affectionately attached friend
E B Barrett.
My love to dear Emily—& a thousand thanks for her kind interesting letter. She shall hear from me soon.
The disappointment was immeasurable.
Mrs Trant has just come into the room, & hearing to whom I have been writing, desires me to offer her best regards & kindest wishes to you.
Address, on integral page: Mrs Owen / Cheyne Walk / Chelsea.
Publication: None traced.
Source: Transcript in editors’ file.
1. EBB’s note to Henrietta (letter 341), enclosing this letter for forwarding, mentions Dominick Trant’s expected return. A letter from Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother) to Henrietta gives the date of Dominick’s departure from London as 7 July (SD701); the Friday prior to that was 3 July.
2. Angela Bayford and Henry J. Owen were married on 16 June 1829.
3. In a letter of 31 July 1829 to Henrietta (SD703), EBB’s father reported that he had delivered this present to Mrs. Bayford, Angela’s mother, in London.
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