3965. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 24, 4–9.
[Florence]
February [12–] 14 [1857] [1]
My ever beloved Arabel, with your letter yesterday came one from dearest Henrietta—& neither of them was very interesting though the dear children at Wilton seem better on the whole– Do you fancy that it has been hooping-cough? or any specific kind of influenza. A little change of air might be the best thing for Mary—but I know that such remedies are difficult.
Oh, Arabel—so our dear friend, dear Mr Hunter, with all his morbid sensitiveness & many high qualities, is at rest from the turbulence of this world at least! [2] It shocked & affected me much, and I had a sad, sad evening, & sleepless night, thinking, as you say, of all that past at Sidmouth—poor dearest Mr Hunter. For myself, plainly he would never have resumed our intercourse—there is no personal loss to me therefore—nor indeed to you: life would have still separated us more completely than death does perhaps. But the certainty of its being unresumable, .. over the whole possibility at an end, is painful, painful, .. let it be ever such unreasonable pain. For if the pain, is not for us, .. for whom is it then?—not even for Mary, who, after the first natural sorrow, will be relieved, as you observe, in her circumstances & her whole position: not certainly for him, to whom, through the peculiarities of his nature, life never was other than trouble, & melancholy, & exasperation– Oh miserable consolation!– To think of such motives for comfort, may well make our tears bitterer. So unhappy a life!—so unhappy a creature!—his own child not much worse off for losing him—even better, perhaps!
And there I stop– For I do regret this, Arabel,—I do regret this, that he did not live on into the light. I do believe that it is an advantage to see clearer, to have a serener poise of the thoughts & affections, & not to go hence as to a refuge from trouble simply. The christianity insufficient for us here, incompetent to make us glad here, must be of a dwarfed & crabbed kind——that is as sure to me as if I could act & live by it, which I do so very very imperfectly– Still, he was the Lord’s, & struggled towards the Lord’s light,—& where he is, there is opportunity for progress with all such. Also the external trials here seemed to be peculiarly hard on his susceptible & restless nature– God knew best & took him where he could advance with less struggle probably—God knows. I wish you would tell me what you hear from Mary– Poor Mary– Tell me of her. It is strange that within these two or three days I had thought much of dear Mr Hunter—thought of Axminster, thought of Sidmouth, .. my thoughts seemed beckoned back– But why sadden you by more of this? Only mind, Arabel, to give my dear love & sympathy to poor Mary– Perhaps because your letter drowned me with sadness on this last subject, I could’nt be glad altogether, Arabel, or contented about you—because you’ve had a cold, you say, & it must have been very bad, to keep you three sundays & thursday evenings away from Chapel. Very wise & right of course—but you will please to observe, darling, you are habitually so foolish & wrong in certain respects, that one grows to suspect your very virtues. Then you dont say of yourself frankly that you are pretty well, or flourishing, or any of the yearned-for words. Now never think me ungrateful. If you have really “coddled” yourself, that is, taken the most moderate care of yourself, I am deeply grateful to you & hold it for a pure love– But I should like to know that it was’nt necessity– Was the cold very bad? is it really past & gone? & may I think easy thoughts of you, dearest?–
On papa’s account I do thank God– [3] It is a weight lifted from me–– Thank God.
I am sorry he should have been so vexed about the will– [4] You are mistaken in supposing Mr Booth not an old friend: Robert remembers him at Mr Kenyon’s twenty years ago. But there was no affinity—and I cannot stop wondering at the results to him & Mr Hawthorne. You do, however, less than justice to Miss Bayley, after all. If she had used so much influence, why not have absorbed more money into her own hands? This would have been more advantageous to her, than any mere enriching of her friends, the residuary legatees, could be. No, I dont consider her interested to that point. But a few words from her might have turned a larger bequest on Henrietta—& in my opinion, they should have done it .. and I do not much think that she has cared for any of us, or wished to do us pecuniary good. I have a feeling for her on account of her feeling for dearest Mr Kenyon, which was true & deep, I believe, as far as she is capable of feeling at all; & I never can forget the comfort he received from her devotion, during that last year– But I have a strong belief that she does not much like me,—that she never has since the day at Wimbledon when I was so insulting as to be “sorry” for her believing in her soul’s going out like an exhausted candle– [5] You know she told me at the isle of Wight that “with nobody did she disagree so much on every subject as with me’[’]– I believe it is not at all my way to affront people by thrusting my opinions in their faces unnecessarily; but I should be worse than myself, if, when I speak at all, I did not speak frankly the truth as I see it. Always I have done this, & always I will: & when people cant bear a little conviction gently spoken, society is at an end. For my part, whenever that becomes the case, I will nail up my door & take no notice of the bell, & leave the world to the next generation–
We had a very kind letter from her the other day, in which she promises kindly that we shall have ultimately the portrait of Mr Kenyon in my bedroom, [6] in which she is in present possession. We had said something of it. She tells me rather unnecessarily (she had made me fully aware of the fact at the isle of Wight) that she does not like Aurora Leigh .. is’nt herself either socialist or spiritualist, & so does’nt sympathize with any of it .. objecting besides to the “vulgarities” in the church,—&c &c &c, .. & differing entirely with the reviewers &c &c. She prefers my former poems, & Robert’s .. to either of our late works– Dragging in Robert was unnecessary somewhat—but of course, neither of us mind. Also, I really dont see how she could consistently like Aurora .. as far as the design goes. By the way, a friend of Mrs Martin’s “an enthusiastic admirer” of mine generally, writes to Mrs Martin that, “although sixty years of age she feels her morals injured by reading Aurora & her character in danger if it were known that she had looked into the book,”—& ends by entreating Mrs Martin not to read it to give herself simply pain. Mrs Martin tells me this– She on the other hand, says all sorts of warm & kind things,—& (what flatters me immensely) .. Mr Martin read the book aloud to her, & talked of being in love with it … I am pleased about Miss Dowglass. Give her my love & say so. I like to think that she should feel so of a work of mine. Also, you must give love & thanks to Miss Russell. [7] I hear (indirectly from various quarters) that “never did a book so divide opinions in London”. Some persons cant bear it,—& others .. Monkton Milnes, for instance, & Fox of Oldham, [8] besides Ruskin & the Pre-Raffaelites, [9] crying it up as what I am too modest to write. Also, there are numbers of the young .. who are not afraid of their morals– (Under sixty ‘characters’ seem less frail.) Still I did feel pleased to hear of Mrs Trollope the elder, who is quite aged now (above eighty they say) [10] and who wept over the book & could’nt eat her dinner, & kept protesting that she had never supposed it was in me to write so,—that she had not done me justice. She is’nt poetical—and it pleased me altogether. Ask George to find out who did the article in the North British. I cant suppose it to be Patmore’s if it is really favorable to Aurora. [11] Tell me what the “allusion” to it was in Punch. [12] I hear there was one, & am doubtful whether it was in love or hate. The Journal des Debats, in an article on foreign literature, couples me funnily with Macaulay– “M. has introduced the drama into history, & EBB the novel into poetry.” [13] I tell you these things, & so you will think I care more for them than I do– Of course I do care, but to tell you the very truth, unnaturally little, as appears to myself. It really seems to me sometimes that I am more interested in the novel I am reading .... which is unfeeling almost. So if Dante’s hands had come up, .. (“evidently” says the story, “the hands of a scholar & a gentleman”, ..) I shd have liked it without being overwhelmed. We have seen the paragraph—which was copied back into an American paper; & nothing can be more absurd. The wreath was placed upon Mrs B’s “raven locks”, & “irreligiously preserved by Mr B” .. a “man of the highest honor & veracity besides being” &c &c &c. Even Robert could’nt help laughing. [14] Arabel, Mr Kirkup’s room, on repeated examination is found to present no [15] access. Mr Trollope, Mr Jarves, & Robert have all been there– The window is forty feet above the river into which the wall drops—& there is no window near enough to use. I believe & Mr T & Mr Jarves believe therefore that spirits have acted in this case– Robert persists in saying, that there’s some explanation possible otherwise, though he confesses he cant put his finger on it. Once when a heavy body was moved, Mr Kirkup apologized to the spirits for the trouble they had taken. Said they– “We easily do it. We could carry away yourself.” But then,
<…> [16]
She & Ferdinando are unsettled yet in plans,—he very cautious. Oh—so vexed I am at this advertisement announcing my portrait in the National Mag. [17] Robert says it ungentlemanly not to have asked leave—but Chapman unfortunately had that horrible medallion, & I supposed it was begged of him. Certainly my worst enemy wont say it’s like me– That’s a comfort .. I shd like if it were possible that papa shd know how entirely against our wishes & knowledge the thing is—so that he may not imagine me altogether changed in feeling & taste from what I was of old. I always hated & do hate such exhibitions.
This is written at two or three days’ sitting. I did’nt like that it shd be all sad—so I kept it– Mind you speak for me to Mary. Will she, do you fancy, go into a family now? and will she want means? Tell me. We have just heard that poor Sophia Cottrell has had the accident in spite of precautions. [18] Peni cries “Oh dear papa, pray dont go there. You’ll catch it.”
Best love to everybody .. all round. And to Trippy, mind. Tell me how she keeps. Do you fancy her generally worse, Arabel. Take care of yourself for my sake .. if you have any love for me. And am I not your own loving Ba?
Did you send the annual to Henrietta? [19] Otherwise it will be stale & worthless. Peni is “enchanted” he says, “with his whip.”
Address: Angleterre viâ France. / Miss Barrett / 50. Wimpole Street / London. W.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 284–290.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. The year is provided by the French and English postmarks. The legible part of the Florence postmark reads “14 Feb.” The opening day of the letter is suggested by EBB’s remark in the third to last paragraph: “This is written at two or three days’ sitting.”
2. George Barrett Hunter died on 13 January 1857 at Carshalton, Surrey (see letter 3925, note 5).
3. i.e., for his improved health; see the end of letter 3966.
4. The last will and testament of John Kenyon, who died on 3 December 1856 at West Cowes, Isle of Wight. James Booth and Robert Hawthorn were Kenyon’s executors and residuary legatees (see letter 3931, note 7). For the bequests made to Sarah Bayley (1783–1868), Henrietta, Arabella, the Brownings, and others, see SD1993 in vol. 23.
5. The Brownings visited Kenyon at Lime Cottage, Wimbledon, on 11 July 1852 (see letter 3061).
7. Mary Anne Russell (1816–70), sister of Sir William Russell (1822–92); see letter 2165, note 9.
8. William Johnson Fox’s high opinion of Aurora Leigh is expressed in letter 4082.
9. Thomas Woolner communicated his praise of Aurora Leigh in letter 3952. For the remarks of Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Michael Rossetti on the poem, see SD1994 and SD2032 in vol. 23.
10. Frances Trollope (1779–1863) was 77 years old at the time of this letter.
11. Coventry Patmore has been identified as the author of the review of Poems (1856) and Aurora Leigh in the February 1857 issue of The North British Review. He writes that “Mrs. Browning shines nowhere to greater advantage than in the sonnet” and that Casa Guidi Windows is the “happiest” of her performances. On Aurora Leigh, he comments that much of it should have been written in prose and that it contains very serious flaws such as an uneven style and language sometimes “turgid and unpoetical.” Yet he praises its surprising command of imagery and its earnestness and declares that “no one who reads it, with true poetic sympathy, can withhold his tribute of admiration from a work possessing so many of the highest excellencies.” For the full text of this review, see pp. 275–282. EBB’s supposition that Patmore would look unfavorably on Aurora Leigh was based on his conservative view of women (see letter 3896, note 6). In an 18 February 1857 letter to William Allingham, Patmore writes with a touch of condescension: “‘Aurora Leigh’ is a strange book for a modest sensible little woman like Mrs. Browning to have written” (see SD2050).
12. In a column regularly featured in Punch, called “Mary Ann’s Notions,” Mary Ann tells Mr. Punch that she had “made memorandums” of conversations during many of her recent Christmas parties, “as a specimen of a gentleman’s polite conversation in 1857.” Mary Ann’s “memorandums” included the following: “Browning, no, I can’t say I have. Is she an English person? Very clever, I suppose. There are such lots of clever persons now, that if one tries to read up to the time of day, one would have no time for anything else, so I wait till somebody tells me. But if you say Browning, I shall send for it. I must remember her name—Browning—a brown—done brown—I know—we had a row at the club about maccaroni, and the cook stuck out it wanted no Browning, I shall remember” (Punch, 17 January 1857, p. 29).
13. In the brief notice of Aurora Leigh that appeared in Journal des Débats of 28 January 1857 (pp. 2–3), the reviewer, Philarète Chasles, writes: “Poetry, in the hand of … Elizabeth Barrett Browning, has just become a novel.” Despite the poem’s “many flaws and commonplaces, badly organized,” Chasles considered EBB “a great poet.” For the full text of this review, see vol. 23, p. 375.
14. EBB refers to an item in The Court Journal of 13 December 1856 (see letter 3956, note 14), which stated, among other inaccuracies, that “the sprig of orange blossom is religiously preserved by Mr. B.”
15. Underscored three times.
16. This portion of the manuscript is missing; the conclusion of the letter is cross-written on the first page and on the flap, throat, and back of the envelope.
17. Marshall Wood’s medallion, executed in November 1853 (see letter 3286, note 17), was engraved for the March 1857 issue of The National Magazine (p. 313), which also carried a review of Aurora Leigh (pp. 314–315). The advertisement, headed by EBB’s name in oversized caps, ran on 7 February 1857 in The Athenæum (no. 1528, p. 166), The Examiner (p. 96), and The Literary Gazette (p. 121). It reads: “Elizabeth Barrett Browning, engraved by Henry Linton from a Medallion by Marshall Wood, with a critical notice of her last Poem, ‘Aurora Leigh.’” The engraving of the medallion is reproduced in vol. 19, facing p. 336. For the full text of the review in The National Magazine, see pp. 299–301.
18. Presumably a miscarriage.
19. The Keepsake for 1857, ed. Marguerite A. Power, which contained EBB’s “Amy’s Cruelty” (p. 75) and RB’s “May and Death” (p. 164). The volume is inscribed by EBB’s sister: “Henrietta Cook. Wilton. Janry. 1857. From her very dear Ba.” It is now at ABL/Altham.
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