386. EBB to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett & Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 262–264.
[Malvern]
Sunday night. eleven. [3 October 1830] [1]
My ever dearest Henrietta & Arabel,
I have just come up stairs from my nocturnal classical session with Mr Boyd who has been very unwillingly (pray admire my modesty) discussing the subject of my return home. We have at length come to some kind of terms. He says that I have not stayed half as long as he had hoped & expected; but that taking into consideration some suggestions of mine,—he will allow me to name Thursday as the day upon which you are to have the honor & happiness & privilege of seeing me again. Now if this seems to dearest Papa a too distant day, Mr Boyd’s parental authority professes itself to be ready to submit to his; for he agrees with me that we should not presume on the indulgent & unforgotten kindness which has been tolerant so long. Therefore in the case of Papa seeming to wish it, mind you send the carriage for me before Thursday. I have been very happy here; and as what I have gained, will be of use to others as well as to myself, the happiness need not be called too selfish. Besides, I hope I may have been of some comfort to dear Mr Boyd. The more I see & know of him, the less I blame myself for being proud of his friendship: and the more I perceive the full extent of his piety & learning; & the gentleness & simplicity of his heart & manners. His penetration is another of those good qualities of which there is no doubting,—considering what a favorite I am. Do you think that my vanity would reach as far as the great wall of China, & without stretching? I am afraid to wait to guess your answer; so I will go on writing.
Prince Leopold & Princess Esterhazy are by popular rumour, to open a ball here on Friday; & in the intermediate time, they & the Duchess & sundries are going to perform penance at Stoke. [2] Malvern was swarming this morning with Worcester people, besides the autochthones, [3] whom the Duchess of Kent makes more religious than usual. I did not go to church till the evening; for I was afraid of being tired, & wished to hear the evangelical curate Mr Powell. [4] He disappointed me after all; & was considered to preach less well than usual, which I am glad of for his sake, tho’ sorry for, for mine.
On Saturday, yesterday, poor Miss Gibbons had two hysterical fits. I happened to have just come out of Mr Boyd’s room into the drawing room where I could hear her frightful screams more plainly than I otherwise could have done; & they made me quite cold all over. I never heard anything so horrible. She was perfectly well after each of the fits,—& today appears to be quite recovered,—so that I earnestly hope they may not recur. But she is determined to try Stoke for one night & the ball for another; which we are all agreed, is as foolish a bravado of illness as ever was heard of. Not a word about her going away, tho’ she has been here three months! Mr Boyd asked me if I had heard anything of her intentions in this respect; observing “I wish some other people would stay as long”. I go to him now every morning before breakfast, as well as after; & generally after dinner. [5] Today, while they were at church, he repeated long passages from the New Testament & Septuagin<t> & half a sermon of Bishop Hall’s, & parts of sermons of Massillon [6] Bossuet [7] &c &c. Hall’s sermon seemed to me wonderfully fine. Afterwards we looked over leafs of papers to try to find a ms. of Mr Boyd’s “on the origin of evil”,—but it was not come-at-able, much to my disappointment. He desires me to thank Papa for the pheasants. I am glad they were sent,—for he is particularly fond of them. You dont say a word about Minny or anybody worth hearing about. (My best wishes to her.) I saw Maddox on Saturday; but I had not been in the village since the preceding Sunday, until that day; so that my not visiting her sooner was more excusable than your not doing so. Dont forget, mind dont forget, to send the gown for Jane. Send it in the carriage; or rather bring it in the carriage, for one of you must come for me. May God bless you as long as I love you. As long? Oh! far longer than any human feeling,—even the tenderest & warmest,—can be sure of lasting.
Your own attached Ba–
Address, on integral page: Miss Henrietta Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. Dated by reference to EBB’s impending departure on Thursday, 7 October.
2. Stoke Edith, the seat of E.T. Foley.
3. “The original inhabitants.”
4. Not positively identified. Possibly Samuel Powell, Rector of Willersley, near Hereford.
5. Boyd, in his memorandum of this visit (SD724), wrote “After finishing Agam. she read some passages in Chrysostom, Gregory, and Basil.”
6. Jean Baptiste Massillon (1663–1742).
7. Jacques Bénigne Bossuet (1627–1704).
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