Correspondence

3906.  EBB to Mary Ruxton

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 23, 110.

London–

Tuesday. [Postmark: 21 October 1856]

My dear Mary, this is to say goodbye—& here I send you back Swedenborg– [1] No, I shall send the book to 50 Wimpole Street, & Arabel shall have charge of the parcel. She returns on thursday,—& we go tomorrow, wednesday– It looks cruel to her & to me; but it saves another goodbye—& if we waited a day, we should have to set off at three in the morning. Also I am cowardly about goodbyes.

My dear Mary, you never sent me the poem, [2] which I looked for earnestly. I concluded that Mr Ruxton would not let you––ah yes, I am sure he would not & moreover, I cant blame him. It is with the deepest interest that I wait & look, ‘as those that wait for the morning’; [3] for surely there will be a further development, & this rose-light in the sky is not for nothing. I heard the other day of a meeting at Dr Wilkinson’s but of no results—and now I am going to Italy where I shall hear nothing perhaps.

May God bless you, dear Mary, & yours,—your husband, & your darling children. I am your very affectionate–

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Dear Mr Kenyon remains somewhat better.

Address: Mrs Ruxton / Oxford Terrace.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: British Library.

1. The “Swedenborg” that she acknowledged in letter 3844.

2. See the third paragraph in letter 3881.

3. Cf. Psalm 130:6.

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