4207. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 160–162.
Hotêl de Londres
Rue St Hyacinthe de St Honoré
Paris
[10 July 1858] [1]
My ever dearest Arabel, it’s all very well of you, but I shall lose you through all these hospitable arrangements––you will see– If Henrietta stays with you till Storm arrives, & Storm does’nt arrive till the “end of August,” which will be, you admit, in the case of his coming in a sailing vessel, why then we shall be too near returning to Italy to admit of the full peace & enjoyment– Dr Harding named the middle or end of September as the time of our return, .. & though we probably shall outstay this time a little, still, if the cold should come on .. Well– I do think its rather hard on me, Arabel. I do think that Henrietta who can go to you at any time, need not have fixed on this. I wrote to her yesterday, proposing that she should bring the children from Southhampton. It would have been much better for them than London at this time of year– Now I have grumbled my grumble, & shall end by forgiving you all generously. Only the fact remains that my conceit is drained out of me entirely .. yes, indeed–
Dearest Arabel, I wish you would write one word to Henrietta to tell her of my stupidity in sending her the wrong address [2] .. Tell her to direct Hotêl de Londres Rue St Hyacinthe de St Honoré. Paris. I should’nt like to lose one of her letters–
Give my best love to dear George––the better for his kind advice to you, tell him.
And as to geography, darling, if you take steamer to Havre or even Dieppe you will learn to your cost that I know geographically at least the extent of sea-voyages. You would be a great many hours on the sea, & would suffer much—whereas from Folk[e]stone to Boulogne or Calais you are in France in an hour & a half, instead of being on the sea six, nine or ten hours– We always make a pecuniary sacrifice to avoid that suffering, when we are able—& remember how the sea disagrees with you!—remember, & dont be fool-hardy– I shall persist in advising you to come through Paris, even if we are not here. Sleep at Boulogne, & then come on freshly– And travel by express, which is rather dearer, but saves fatigue immensely– We were luxurious in our last journey, & I have often felt more fatigue after a drive in Florence & talking to too many people than I did on the road here.
Oh—Mrs Paine’s letter– [3] How I feel for you, dearest, in being so frightened– Only you should remember that nobody would write bad news to you directly—remember that for the future– But those black borders are ghastly. I never used one myself without a thrill—at least, of late years—and I can understand the repugnancy attributed to the happy spirits, to such signs of mourning. In many cases, Arabel, it prevents access. All gloom is earthly & contrarious– My friend Sophia Eckley took off her two months mourning for her child [4] & bore a good deal of unpleasant observation on the subject, simply for this reason–—
By the way, Mr Gurney has been with us yesterday & today– I understand that aunt Jane confided to him her anxiety about my state with regard to the spirits!– He believes in them but considers the intercourse unlawful. But we have not today talked of spirits, he & we– Our discussion has been on points of dogmatic theology—& though we disagree most widely on churches, the power of the priesthood the Athanasian creed [5] & the like, he has pleased me much by certain very wide views of his .. which would’nt please you, dear .. not a bit—& which I was astounded to hear from a man in his position––such a high churchman! They are views which he dares not preach of course——universal—ultimate salvation, & the lawfulness of praying for the dead. In the first I myself hope, rather than believe—in the second I perfectly believe: in fact it follows from my views of the after-state. He did not quite like it when I greeted him as a fellow-heretic—(heretic being a dreadful word with him),—& maintained that the “eternity of punishment” &c were open questions, & not insisted on by the “Articles.” [6] The fact is that some opinions are becoming slowly modified everywhere, though people are not aware whence the modifying light comes. His idea[s] of ‘hell’ & ‘punishment’ are absolutely at variance with the old ideas. Tell nobody ‘whom it may concern,’ of these confessions of Mr Gurney, .. lest it should produce a feeling against him. He thought Robert & me horrible heretics, very unsound .. but we parted excellent friends, & he was of opinion that my heart was more advanced than my head, which is just as I would have it– Better it is to love than to know– I wish I loved more, indeed.
Peni will be delighted to see Emma– You are not very fond of her, Arabel .. now are you? Has she good health?–– How exquisite it will be to have you! But you shall [7] see Paris with me, or I shall be forsworn—for if you dont come here before we go, you shall return with us here, & we shall spend some little time here after the sea– I have set my heart on making you see Paris, on driving you about, & dissipating you as far as you will permit it, dearest. You see how sprightly I am. Really I am quite right again, & on the way to be quite strong. Change of air always helps me a good deal. The worst is that the weather is really chilly, & that we who came out of Florence fire, have been shivering since we came.
That is right, dearest—Be a “child,” & wise therefore– We shall be so overjoyed to have you–
Yet, for a child, you have an excellent knack at cheating,––& I feel fairly cheated out of you & disappointed,—cross, therefore.
But I love you tenderly & always. Love to dear Minny– Tell my address to Henrietta–
Your loving fond Ba—
Poor Annunziata does nothing but cry, because of a painful boil on the back of her neck, from the sea sickness.
Dear Lady Elgin is somewhat better– Lady Augusta Bruce wrote the most touching note to me when she heard we were arrived—in Paris—“overcome” she says in thinking how Lady Elgin had looked forward to seeing us. I am glad they decided on letting her know her mother’s danger–
[Continued by RB on verso of envelope]
Supposed to have sent two days ago. RB. [8]
Address: Angleterre / Miss Barrett / 7. Delamere Terrace / Harrow Road / London.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 357–360.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Date provided by EBB’s reference to letter 4206, which she wrote “yesterday,” 9 July 1858.
2. EBB had written “Hotel Hyacinthe” for Hôtel de Londres.
3. Caroline Paine (née Newnham, 1822–1904) was using mourning stationery for the death of her husband, John Manwaring Paine (1807–58), which occurred in London on 22 May 1858.
4. Sophia Eckley’s second child, William Hickling Prescott Eckley, died on 31 March 1852, aged 7 months. The usual period of mourning for the death of a child was one year.
6. i.e., the Thirty-Nine Articles of faith of the Church of England.
7. Underscored three times.
8. This letter is postmarked 13 July 1858.
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