425. EBB to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (uncle)
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 321–323.
Hope End.
August 3d 1831.
It would be hard for me & vain for you, my dearest dearest Sam, to try to say with what feelings, on all our accounts as well as on yours, Papa’s melancholy communication has been received here. [1] I can only do what I have done—pray for you—& know, as I have known, that only God is “sufficient for these things”, [2] & that He is sufficient. Has not His sufficiency been proved to me, when I have felt bitterly & desolately, as you must feel? Oh yes!—and I have felt then,—there is no comfort but one—no comfort but one!—— Blessed be God, that that comfort is withdrawn neither from you nor me when all other light has faded from us, we may look unto the light of His countenance which shineth for ever & ever—& that “On His light, we may see light”. [3] Again & again I have prayed that He may lift up the light of that countenance upon you,—& give you peace.
I do hope my dearest dearest Sam that before you can read what I am now writing, you may have recovered your usual composure,—& may be able to think with even gratitude to the giver of all good, of your loss which is her gain. And all the excellence, & purity & tenderness—all the varied & tried & estimated worth, which we all so much loved, & which must ever embalm her angelic character in our memories—should they not, instead of adding bitterness to our regrets—allure us to those brighter worlds to which they have led the way,—& incite us to offer with unrepining & trembling spirits, unto God, the sacrifice which His spirit had rendered worthy of Himself? God knows—for He knows the heart & the life—& we know, for we know the sin & the sorrow—that it is better far better to depart & be with Christ. I have felt often & I will write here, that the bitter tears of mourners, should not fall for those who depart, but for those who remain. But it is the Lord’s will. In his hand are the issues both of life & death– Let it be, as to life & death, & in life & death, even as it seems good in his eyes.
About one thing I am very anxious. Can anything or anybody prevail upon you to return to England? Surely you can settle your business in Jamaica, so as to enable you to leave it, & come once more among those who dearly love you,—so dearly, that their happiness would be sensibly increased by having you with them. For my own part, tho’ I have but a cloudy sky to look up to, just now,—yet there is one light on the horizon—& that is the thought of your return. Therefore dont cloud the one light over,—or what shall I do? To talk & read with you, as I used to do, some years ago—will you not let me do it as well as dream of it? Or must everything that is happy, be still confined to dreams?—— You will like to know of our being all quite well, & dear Bell with us. In very many kinds of sorrow she has been with us, & comforted us,—& is not away from us now. Papa, you will know, is in London. In the letters which he has lately written, he seems to have lost sight of his own anxieties, in his anxiety for you, whom he calls his “best beloved brother”. That you have his prayers together with that best love, you cannot doubt– And prayers are more valuable than love,—human love!
From dear Trippy I have not heard for some time; but I believe that the silence proves anything except unkindness of feeling. When people have nothing pleasant to say, they often, out of kindness, say nothing; & perhaps that may be one very good reason why I should not be writing to you today. But I cannot feel all I do for you, & not tell you tho’ <it b>e faintly, what I feel,—& you, who have your<self> such kind & warm feelings, will guess why the faintly is not strongly. Papa says that we cannot hear from you until the end of the month. Well! may God grant to us a full & entire confidence in Him, that during the long tedious days of this month, we may rest all our cares for you, on Him who careth for you & us! He who giveth rest to the heavy laden, will surely give rest to you! Oh may you have had rest & peace long before today! the rest which is “on the green pastures,” [4] & “by still waters”, [4] —& the peace which “passeth understanding”! [5]
Perhaps you may like to hear what I have heard,—that dear Trippy has given up the idea which she once entertained, of going to Pinner. [6] She is still in Blandford Street; but do you not think that it will be better for her if she removes altogether from London? I am anxious for her to live somewhere near us. Love her, I must always do—for the sake of what I have loved so truly! & we might keep her from being as dull as she might be in other situations. But I suppose I am not wise enough to be consulted on this subject.
Everybody in this house, Bell & Henrietta & Arabel & Bro & Sam in particular, desire me to give you their love! Believe in the warmth & truth of that of your ever attached & grateful Ba.
Address, on integral page: Per Packet. / S M Barrett Esqr / Cinnamon Hill / Little River / St James’s / Jamaica.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. EBB’s Diary entry of 22 July reads: “I could not write in my diary yesterday. A new sorrow: a letter from Papa to Bummy communicating to us the death of dear Mary, Sam’s beloved wife, which took place on the 3d of last month in Jamaica.” According to a later entry this letter was finished on 5 August.
2. II Corinthians, 2:16.
3. Cf. Psalms, 36:9, “in thy light shall we see light.”
4. Psalms, 23:2.
5. Philippians, 4:7.
6. A village in Middlesex, N.W. of London.
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