Correspondence

454.  EBB to Hugh Stuart Boyd

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 27–29.

Hope End.

Saturday. [16 June 1832] [1]

My dearest friend,

I do not mean to write a long letter to you; but I am uncomfortable at the idea of having written one about you, without apprizing you of it; and I wish besides to ask you something. After Mr Curzon had received the letter from Miss Henrietta Mushet, enclosed by Annie to Arabel, he wrote to me, delivering over to me Miss H M’s “kindest & best wishes”, & claiming for her my esteem notwithstanding certain charges brought against her by Mr Boyd. Of you, he said nothing harsh, & little in any way,—while towards myself, he expressed himself with much warmth of kindness & interest. But I knew well that an ex parte statement could not do otherwise than prejudice against you those who were the least inclined to be so prejudiced,—and I could not bear to think that Mr Curzon or any other person should entertain of you an ill & unjust opinion. Therefore I wrote to him an account of the whole business from the beginning to the end,—explaining to him, what you would not explain to Miss H Mushet, that you did not mean to bring against her conduct at Margate or elsewhere a serious charge, [2] or indeed a charge of any kind except that of an unmerited severity towards yourself—& that when you used the word ‘indelicate’ in your letter, you did so in the very uncommon sense in which she herself had used it—& that in the observation made there, & in your previous one to Mrs Boyd, you had not intended to speak disrespectfully of Miss H M, but only to intimate that what was mere nonsense, she had once laughed at as nonsense, without improperly stigmatizing it as indelicacy & immorality.

I rely upon what I know of your nature, for forgiveness, in telling you this. From Miss H M’s expressions in her letter to you, it was evident that she considered your observation communicated to her thro’ Mrs Boyd, in a serious light. You would not explain then, because you thought she was predetermined not to understand. But I am quite sure that you do not wish her to continue to think, & to have it in her power to represent to others, that she is suffering under a charge from you, which is as heavy a one as a man could bring against a woman of delicacy. Because you have been treated with injustice & harshness, there is no reason for your being unjust & harsh. And what I am anxious to request of you is, that, in your next letter to me—whenever it may be written!——you will write a few words to justify yourself from having intended to make any accusation reflecting on Miss H M’s propriety of mind & conversation, that I may be able to repeat them to Mr Curzon, as from yourself. What I have said, may be attributed to my wish & not to my ability of justifying you.

I do not often make requests to you; and you, knowing my regard for you, will not refuse this one, which nothing but that regard has prompted me to make. I feel strongly that after you have granted it, you will stand upon higher ground, & render every harsh expression which has been levelled against you, less excusable than ever. I wish you would say at the same time, that you forgive those harsh expressions!– Many weeks have passed since they were said,—& life itself is not composed of very many weeks. There are only two classes of human beings,—those to whom we shall be eternally united, & those from whom we shall be eternally severed,—and neither of them can afford a fit object for our anger. The more harshly you have been dealt with, the more generous, & the more according to the spirit of Christ, will your forgiveness be. Say then, “I meant to bring no serious accusation against her, & I forgive her unjust expressions towards myself.” If you will say so, I do not promise to think more highly of you, but I shall think as I have always done—that you can act at once with gentleness & with dignity … and with kindness to me.

There is another thing. Arabel has told me of her having repeated to Mrs Boyd, some words of Annie, with regard to my writing that letter for you. I beg of you, to take no notice to Annie of anything which she has said respecting me. I cannot bear to think that you should be displeased with her on my account,—and besides I would rather that the subject were discussed no more. My feelings towards a child of yours could never be turned into coldness; and with regard to hers for me, the time will come, & may not be far distant, when, having tried & found wanting, [3] the professions of the world, she may turn with regret to the recollection of one who has sincerely loved her.

Give my best love to Mrs Boyd—and believe me

Ever & very affectionately yours

E B Barrett.

I need not entreat of you to write nothing harsh to anybody. I have done you justice with Mr Curzon. I trust the whole to your kindness.

Address, on integral page: H S Boyd Esqr / Bath Hampton / Near Bath.

Publication: EBB-HSB, pp. 178–180.

Manuscript: Wellesley College.

1. Dated by the reference to EBB’s letter to Curzon. In letter 456 she says “three weeks have passed since my letter of reply was received by Mr Curzon.”

2. The details of this affair remain a mystery. Boyd’s sister lived at Margate, and so might have had some connection with his criticism of Miss Mushet.

3. Cf. Daniel, 5:27.

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