3976. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 24, 30–34.
[Florence]
[ca. 19 March 1857] [1]
My beloved Arabel your letter came too soon to be a happy one—and yet, & yet, it is not a place, this, to say anything but that “it is well.” Still, the news came like a blow, [2] as such things are apt to do, and I have felt drenched with sadness these three or four days– How could it be otherwise? “Mortality is swallowed up of life,” [3] .. a mortality so mortally ailing & decrepit & joyless, .. but, together with it, so many tender memories of years full of love are also swallowed up & disappear, that the heart faints within us to think them over. Well—dear dearest Arabel, there is no use talking. Death is a bridge to go across, & no more. On this side, for her, dear thing, it was scarcely walking—& she could not grow.
I sometimes, nay, continually when the subject rises, I continually think that as long as I grow, I desire to live, if it please God,—but, when the principle of growth is arrested, as I see it in certain persons, then I would willingly be removed, be transplanted, & take the benefit of those new celestial morning-dews which fall on her, let .. us hope.
Dearest, I am afraid it was a great shock to you, what you describe,—though you were prepared more than I was, of course– For me, I confess, it had gone on so long that I counted, to a degree of unreason perhaps, on seeing her again– People live longer than they used to live– Here is Mlle de Fauveau’s (the scu[l]ptress) grandmother, dead at Paris at a hundred, [4] and not a faculty impaired. But our poor dearest Trippy was as a spirit in prison,—the very moral nature suffering. Better so, better so, then.
I shall not send you this sad letter, only sad– I shall keep it a day or two for your sake, dearest– Dear, you do not say how you are—and I dare conclude that when you wrote you were feeling unwell—now was’nt it so? Give me ease if you can, about your precious self—about that packet of jewels made up in you. Dear, you have completed your whole difficult tender duty to that poor spirit, & now that the body has dropped away, she knows it. You bore & forbore, following Christ. It must be soothing to you to have the sense of this, as I have it for you, my beloved.
We were about to put off mourning, but have renewed it, of course. Crape sleeves & collar, black net & long ribbons for the hair– The black cloth jacket & silk skirt (without crape trimming) will do, I think. Is this what you will wear? I wish to be right in these respects, because it seems to me that this dear spirit would care much for (perhaps even now is not careless of) the appearance of respect & affection involved in them. I have even thought rather, on such an account, of putting Penini into mourning——only, really Arabel, I had not the heart for it– Such a child! And just in the spring of the year when it’s the good time for children & flowers. Ferdinando interrupts me by bringing the most splendid bouquet, bought for three pence—magnificent hyacinths, & violets that fill the room with perfume. Children & flowers!–
You made me thank God for the good news about my dearest, ever dearest Papa– Oh yes, I dare say dear Bummy helps to brighten him—that, I can conceive of well– He must have felt this. That he should be able to go to the Jamaica Coffeehouse, [5] is delightful—but he is not rash in it, Arabel? you all dissuade him, dont you, if he is inclined to be rash? Because once overdoing it, once catching cold, would throw him back, you know!—and the time of year is perilous in England, .. or even here, indeed. The weather is beautiful at present though, with us, .. suns & moons exaggerated in beauty,—& the star of Venus ineffable. [6] Tell dear Bummy I love her as much as I ever shall—& that’s much.
March 21– I must have done with this letter & send it, but with all I can do, I shant make it worth sending. I am very glad about Alfred’s prospect, [7] which seems to me excellent. Oh, but if Surtees had as good a one! Dont you think, Arabel, that just such a situation would precisely suit Surtees?—a paymastership to a regiment? How does one get such things? where, apply? Could not Lord Hilton help? [8] I do wish & wish I could. Surtees has so much energy & practical ability, has given proof of so much, .. that it seems difficult to suppose he can be passed over just now, when merit is to be somewhat more regarded than has heretofore been the case in England. [9] And the number of candidates turned back for incompetence, must leave gaps, & openings for the competent.
Nothing is talked of in Paris, I hear on all sides, but Hume. “The Persian ambassador [10] is ecclipsed,” say the newspapers, & Louis Napoleon much struck– In the midst of the séance, the emperor is said to have asked if the spirits would “stop that clock”– “Certainly”, answered Hume—& the clock stopped that instant. Prince Napoleon had Hume to dine with him. [11] But I shall hear more–
Miss Haworth who has been living in this house since november, has gone to Rome today– She went to the train at seven, was kept till ten on account of her passport, & sent here for Peni to amuse her meantime– Peni set off with Ferdinando in a great fuss .. “I have really dot a pain with the incitement”– But he speaks now frightfully plainly: there’s too evident progress. Last week he was in a great scrape with me. He had been full of play & mischief & naughtiness with Wilson, & when he came to do his lessons, loitered & dawdled till I told him that if he did not begin in two minutes his lessons shd be doubled. He loitered still, & I was forced to double them. Upon which he fell into one of his old fits of passion & despair .. said he would kill himself .. “Where’s the knife?” .. said, I “had a very hard heart, & that if I saw him dead at my feet, I would only kick him,” .. knocked his head against a chair by way of killing himself, .. & then, fell down exhausted, crying out that his legs were trembling & his heart was beating all over his stomat, & he was very ill– “O God, make me better! O Jesus Christ”–!! (I never saw such a child– The things, he says, are appalling.) I told him that he was quite right to ask Jesus Christ to help him, for nobody else could do him any good, and I persisted in making him do every lesson double, of course. It was hard, though: for he grew quite good, & kept kissing me at intervals all the time: & when at last I asked him, “What shall I say to papa when he comes in & asks me if Penini has been good?,” he answered quite softly, “Tell him that Penini means to be very good tomorrow.” I had not seen him in such a state since that naughty day in London, poor child. Later in the day, quite unconscious of remorse, he came to persuade me into letting him have a “live rabbit.” — “Now, Ba-lamb, dont talk– Hush, and let me speat. You see I have no (what do you call them?) brothers & sisters– I have’nt even a little green fairy, like Mr Patmore’s child” [12] —(she is said to have seen a green fairy.) “I am quite lonely– I have a beautiful horse, .. yes: but why cant I pet this horse? Because its not alive. I want a live thing. Now, dear mama, I would do anything for you …” “Oh Peni,” said I, .. “remember this morning & how you would do anything for me—” .. “Well but, Ba-lamb, the thing was, this morning Lily had put me out of humour, & then I could not get better– You see I am not a child like other children is,—and when I feel a thing, I feel it in my heart ..” clasping his side with both hands. Poor Peni. But he did’nt get his rabbit after all–
I tell you all this, because there’s nothing else to tell, I suppose. Do you see in the papers that Jessy White is lecturing all over the united kingdom & Ireland on the Italian question, [13] —& upon very misconceived opinions, I grieve to say. She’s a noble creature on a wrong track .. frightfully wrong, in my mind, which I have not kept from her, as you may suppose; but, though she loves me, I have not prevailed. I had a letter from her from Scotland the other day—from Glasgow—& she seems to be received well at the houses of the different professors both there & in Edinburgh. She says that ‘Aurora’ is “the rage” in Scotland, & that it will do more good for women, than a hundred petitions to parliament– [14] Certainly I had not expected acceptance with ‘the Scotch,[’]—but the times are ripening towards certain questions, everywhere.
I have ordered a black tulle drawn bonnet with jet, after some hesitation about having my white Paris one retrimmed with black. I should wish to do as nearly like you as possible,—& this seems best– I do hope, darling, you will write to me soon, & tell me of yourself, & of papa, & of all–
Sarianna has resolved at last on having her chairs out to Paris, & has written directions to that effect.
Robert’s room is like a regular studio with its crowd of casts & artistic machinery. Really it is hard on you that I should send you such a dull letter—but I am stupid in dulness just now, & shall be, I think, till I get out & shake off these cobwebs & shadows in the sun. Have you seen this glorious star of Venus, so talked of?– May God bless you & love you, dear dear. I love you up to my poor human possibility & think of you all tender thoughts. Best love to George & all! How is dear Minny?
Your ever loving Ba.
A 3d edition of Aurora is being prepared, [15] as the 2d is almost out. Bad news of the ship. [16]
You gave my little note to Mary? [17] Tell me of her.
Robert’s truest kindest love.
Address: Angleterre viâ France. / Miss Barrett / <50> Wimpole Street / London. W.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 290–294.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Month and year provided by EBB and postmark of 21 March 1857; approximate day suggested by EBB’s remark that she would keep the letter “a day or two.”
2. The death of Mary Trepsack (1769–1857), from bronchitis, on 9 March at 21 Great Quebec Street (now Upper Montagu Street), London.
3. Cf. II Corinthians 5:4.
4. Marie Archange de la Pierre (née Palyart), Félicie de Fauveau’s maternal grandmother. Her daughter Anne (1779–1858) married Alexandre François de Fauveau (1768–1826) in 1800.
5. In St. Michael’s Alley, City of London. “In the middle of the 19th century, the Jamaica was still established as the place for information about the island, for shipping-lists, and was described as ‘the best place, above all others, to ascertain any information relative to the mail packets on the West Indies station, or the merchant vessels making these voyages’” (The London Encyclopædia, ed. Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert, 1983, p. 415).
6. A news item in The Essex Standard of 13 March 1857 contained the following: “The planet Venus is visible at present under the most favourable of circumstances, this being the year in which it reflects the rays of the sun with the greatest brilliancy, a period which recurs every eight years. During the month of March it will be visible throughout the day” ([p. 4]).
7. EBB implies that Alfred was to be appointed paymaster to some regiment. This we have been unable to confirm. In letter 3873, EBB reported that while Alfred was away in Madeira, he expected “a consulship to be found for him.” In letter 3983, she remarks on his going to China, evidently in the employ of the British Government.
8. Sic, for Hinton. Vere Poulett, Viscount Hinton (1822–57), colonel in command of the 1st Somersetshire Militia. His death later in the year was marked by Surtees Cook in his journal: “Lord Hinton, my kind friend … died at the age of 35. For 5. years we have been working together—in harmony and comfort” (Surtees, 29 August 1857).
9. EBB refers to changes in the military and civil service branches of the British government that were anticipated after the mismanagement of the Crimean War had been made public (see letter 3514, notes 4 and 5).
11. According to Edgar Holt, during the first month Home was in Paris, “his demonstrations could be seen only by the emperor’s guests at the Tuileries and Prince Napoleon’s at the Palais-Royal” (Plon-Plon: The Life of Prince Napoleon, 1822–1891, 1973, p. 113).
12. Emily Honoria Patmore (1853–82), eldest daughter and third child of Coventry and Emily Augusta Patmore.
13. Jessie White lectured in England and Scotland (but not Ireland) from December 1856 to April 1857. “She spoke—and her speeches were reported favorably in local provincial papers—in Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Tyneside, Glasgow, Paisley, and others” (see Elizabeth Adams Daniels, Jessie White Mario: Risorgimento Revolutionary, Athens, Ohio, 1972, pp. 53–54).
14. EBB refers to the Petition for Reform of the Married Women’s Property Law; see letter 3745, note 2.
15. The “Third Edition” of Aurora Leigh was announced as “Just Published” in The Athenaeum of 4 July 1857 (no. 1549, p. 868). It was in fact a third impression, incorporating one substantive correction made by the printer in the second edition (see letter 3930, note 1).
16. As indicated in the fourth paragraph of letter 3978, there would be no dividends from EBB’s share in the David Lyon this year.
17. i.e., Mary Hunter, whose father, George Barrett Hunter, died 13 January 1857 (see the second paragraph in letter 3965).
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