4220. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 186–188.
Maison Versigny. 2 Rue de Perri. Le Hâvre.
July 30– [1858] [1]
My beloved Arabel, By a miracle I have your letter. Even the name of the locality was spelt wrong, Sarianna having given it to me in the first instance with a y rather than an i .. and I do wonder, considering how lately we arrived here, that I should have been lucky enough to attain to the precious thing. Dearest, I write today chiefly to beg you to write again as soon as you have news of dear Storm, for I shall be anxious till then– And why dont you have an address-book?—it is so convenient–. It saves me sometimes, for I am always losing letters–
Robert says .. “Begin by telling her that Hâvre is hidious [sic], & then she wont be disappointed.” To which I assent fully– We are on the strand here—it is’nt a street, though rue is written to our direction. There’s a great flat stretch round us, as dismal as possible, but for the corner of green garden into which the house looks. I can only see the tops of ships as they pass, the sea being blotted out by bathing houses & the bathing hotel. There is country somewhere, but its to be travelled for, and as far as I am concerned, (unless I take a carriage) I do not share in it anywise– But the town which we dont want, is perfectly French, I mean characteristically French, .. a noble old town, flourishing in commerce, .. magnificent shops .. public library, museum, theatres, concerts, everything you especially care for, Arabel, & we did not seek for– You see it was awkward & expensive to travel about to find a pretty place,—& as we came for health & found here a good open sea and a good roomy house, we made up our minds to stay for the few weeks necessary. Otherwise, you might reasonably wonder at our perversity, for, in fact, there are not even sands– Is’nt that provoking?– Bear with it all & with us, dear. I think we shall be able to engage the rooms you want, in this house,—for when I said our two families had all the house, I was quite wrong—there’s space at the other end engaged by other families, & still engageable, I understand– Shall you bring linen?– We did not—we find it here. Linen & plate are supplied to us, and also a piano far from bad .. which is a great convenience. I am a little uneasy at your resolving to cross from Southhampton .. unless you mean to go to Dieppe which is shorter– I think the passage to Havre must be ten or twelve hours, & I cant be sure that it will not be too trying for you– Go to Dieppe & sleep there & come on by the railroad– Do, darling for my sake. Think what I should feel if you hurt yourself for me– And remember to go to the cabin, loosen your stays, & lie down,—never moving hand or foot till your landing—it’s the one way of suffering less–
As for me I am very well now—all unpleasant symptoms arrested– I dont walk as well as I did—but that will come– At present you see I am out of the habit of it, seeing that walking (even if I had been strong enough muscularly) was extremely bad for me—and I have done no more than walk about the house, you know, for months & months– Now I creep through the opposite houses by a way Robert has found to where I can look at the sea & sit down; so that this is a beginning of walks & you will see me looking well. Then every morning in our bedroom I have a hip-bath of lukewarm sea-water, from which I expect to look still better. Dr Harding ordered only washings—but as I began with a tub & felt myself the better for its use, I thought I might venture on the hip-bath .. for the hiring of which we pay six francs a month. It is’nt hot—only luke-warm .. so I dont stay in above five or eight minutes. Penini is to bathe in the sea today– Annunziata has finished his dress– Did I tell you that everybody, man & woman, is obliged to dress here .. more or less .. as our morals are so much better than yours? [2] Did I tell you, too, that for one franc you have a warm sea-bath?– Would’nt that be excellent for you, dearest Arabel?–
Dearest naughtiest Arabel?—yes, just as I thought– You spend your money copiously in Delamere Terrace & count the sous that should come to me– And now listen– We shant “quarrel on theology,” but we shall quarrel like Pope & Luther if you make any difficulty about coming with me to Paris .. coming & staying as long as we stay. You shall, you shall, you must– You must borrow from the Jews in order to this christian action, [3] if borrowing is necessary—but come you really must– To do less for me would be cruel–
As to theology .. ah, dont be frightened at me, or angry at me, or displeased anyway. It was foolish of me to say what I did, but I am open, & too apt to talk out things which people cant see precisely from my point of view– Only certainly, darling, what I said had nothing whatever to do with catholic influences & opinions. You are far nearer the catholic than I am in your conception of what comes after death. And as to Archer Gurney, puseyite as he is in general, to do him justice, it was in no R. Catholic spirit that he said what he did– In the eyes both of Rome & Canterbury, he is an arch heretic on that point, as on some others—but he saves himself by saying “the councils of the church” have not spoken out plainly so & so– I, who dont care for councils of the church or any human authority, only for the Scriptures and for experience, do not feel myself in danger .. except from you, darling, when you are vexed with me & seem shocked– After all, my heart is with you, desiring & loving to love Christ—& for the rest you must forgive me for the things in which we differ– I conceive that where the ultimate is not after death, where there is progress & growth, there is room for prayer– If everything were fixed, prayer wd be foolishness—(not sin, even so–) But every spirit in & out of the body needs God’s blessing to grow & advance by—and as we in the body love those out of the body, [4] so we may pray .. ask God’s love .. for them .. according to the communion of saints. The invisible church includes embodied & disembodied spirits– Why, should one half the church leave off its aspirations for the other?– No, dont answer that question– Dont let us dispute on it– I only want to make plain to you what I mean—& how very different it is from the R. Catholic custom of “praying souls out of purgatorial flames.” —There is an American church here, & good preaching– [5] I have not been to it yet– When you come, ugly as the place is, we shall be able to enjoy together a great deal—& Pen will be very happy with Emma whom I mean to like– Dearest Henrietta will be gone when this reaches you, [6] .. Kiss the representative baby for me, [7] for the whole family– May God bless you, ever beloved Arabel– Write to your own
Ba
Robert’s love– Dearest, dont bring the pictures–
Address: Angleterre– / Miss Barrett / 7. Delamere Terrace / Harrow Road / London.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 360–362.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Year provided by postmark.
3. EBB may be alluding to the plot of The Merchant of Venice, in which Antonio (the title character) borrows 3,000 ducats from Shylock (a wealthy Jew) in order to help Bassanio pursue marriage with Portia.
4. Cf. II Corinthians 12:2.
5. The Seamen’s Chapel on Rue de la Paix in Le Havre, where Eli Newton Sawtell (1799–1885), a Presbyterian minister from New Hampshire, preached from 1855 to 1863 (see Roald Kverndal, Seamen’s Missions: Their Origin and Early Growth, Pasadena, California, 1986, p. 474).
6. Henrietta and her family remained at 7 Delamere Terrace until 4 September.
7. Presumably, Edward Altham Cook, Henrietta’s youngest child.
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