4714. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 84–86.
Villa Alberti. Siena.
July 26– [1860] [1]
Darlingest of Arabels, I thank God & you for your letter—only, dearest, it was much longer than “two or three days” after the former one, and I have been living in anguish—to Robert’s immense indignation. Certainly he is right in this, that I ought to trust God more– Also, I have felt sometimes in prayer as if I held in my hand the very hem of the Lord’s garment, praying to take this suffering away. [2] I thank Him, oh I thank Him, that the pain has been somewhat less– Only, Arabel, you dont tell me enough– How is her appetite? how are her looks? Are her nights without repose? is she able to lie out in the garden? Can she sit up without pain?– (I should fancy not, from that sort of malady–) How are her spirits? Is iodine used? Tell me what you can– You have never told me if there is any constant pain– If you knew how I have you all, in my thought always, every moment—but this you do know, & must. I am very very distressed that your medical man [3] is absent from Taunton– He ought not to be absent now– Think of the magnetism– Let Surtees try it when the pain comes—making local passes– It cant do harm, & may be very effective– People who are the most unbelieving, believe that in these days– I see that you have not received my letter– [4] You will answer that, of course, in a day or two. If you think it desireable for me to come, say so– I might hear little Mary read french, if nothing else, perhaps– I might come for a month– Robert would take me, I know, if you thought it best .. or good at all. I am very humble about myself– Robert speaks very truly– I have done some good in the world perhaps with my pen, but nothing otherwise, & am nobody’s guardian angel as you are, precious Arabel! Not that Robert said that—he would’nt be so unkind– But he thinks I should only complicate evils, if I went—and I dont blame him for his opinion of my weakness in every sort of way– And he would let me go if you said, ‘Come’. I am not at all unwell now—not strong, of course, but stronger, less uncertain, than in the spring.
<I dont like to think of our descending on you–> [5] Of course, if we came, we should lodge ourselves at Taunton—on no other condition– After all, the very excitement might be bad for her– I put down my thoughts as they come .. black or white– Perhaps after all, my duty is to pray & wait? I may do most for her so?——
And, for my sake, oh my Arabel be careful for yourself a little–
You send me a bad account of dear uncle Hedley– [6] Let some of you give to him & aunt Jane my truest love– What is wrong with him?
I believe its very stupid of me to send you letters of unavailing interjections, instead of trying to enliven you in any way– But everything is under a cloud to me just now—and for Italian affairs, you wont care very much. Garibaldi is wounded in the foot, [7] & we have had some divisions for the first time through the Mazzinians .. my foolish Jessie among them. Still the good preponderates & will– The French are to protect the pope’s person, & to let affairs in the Roman States go, as they please. Those are the directions from Paris.
My verses in the Cornhill (you speak of them) brought me ten Guineas by return of post– [8] Is it enough, do you think? I do—though for two poems of the same length, on Italian affairs, I have received from America twenty pounds each. [9] It seems to myself extravagant, but it was the American proposition—& I have just (with a certain shyness) sent two others on the same terms– [10] I was told the other day, that my “He giveth His beloved sleep,” [11] is sung in Mr Beecher’s church .. a congregation of two thousand .. the largest in America. [12] This was pleasant to hear–
Pen was delighted with your letter—but the lock of hair .. we looked for it in vain. You dont tell me if Henrietta can bear reading– Mr Stratten’s mood of mind in recoiling from representations of evil, as touched on in Adam Bede, I cannot comprehend—but that the opening of the book should seem “heavy” to him, is natural, I think– It seemed so to me. Now ‘The Mill on the Floss’ was vivid throughout to the senses of my mind. Yes,—the writer lives with a man who is not her husband [13] —but the more unhappy she! for certainly she is not an “immoral woman” in the way of loving evil & ensuing it– Wilson touched me much by the feeling manner with which she spoke of our sorrow, & begged me to offer her “affectionate duty to Mrs Cook”– When she wrote to Robert in Rome on business, she used to begin, “Mr Browning,” & end ‘yours truly,’ sending her love or regards to me in the most strange sort of way, which made me laugh, & stirred Robert into wonder– It was a sort of awkwardness between Italian manners & English traditions– Not the least touch of impertinence, observe, being intended—and yesterday she spoke quite naturally & simply, out of her heart, & as if she felt the old ground under her– She is well just now—& Mr Landor is well—& there is peace between those two. You know Robert has the full contract of two hundred a year for Mr Landor, & sees to all his bills & finds him in pocket money—sending every detail to the Landor family in England. [14] Its an enormous trouble & responsibility, & costs Robert much more than the oversight of his own affairs.
Darling Arabel, I wish Storm would not always choose that slow horrid David Lyon– You will let me hear– [15] Oh—write often, oftener, I pray & beseech you– Observe—the postage now is sixpence– You generally put more stamps. You never mentioned to me a book I prayed you to read—“Foregleams of Immortality”– [16] Its only two & sixpence. Do get & read it .. for me. Much you cannot fail to like. But write to me—oh write– Robert’s true love & Pen’s to all of you– Pen wd like to ride with Altham he says. Write– I return to that– <…> [17] May God keep us all– Arabel, my own, <…> [18] guardian ange<l …>
Love to Oc & Charlotte & kiss the babe for me.
Address: Angleterre viâ France / Miss Moulton Barrett / Stoke Court / near Taunton / Somersetshire.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 477–479.
Manuscript: Gordon E. Moulton-Barrett.
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. Cf. Matthew 9:20–21: “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”
3. Henry Alford (1806–98), senior surgeon to the Taunton and Somerset Hospital. On 6 September he consulted with Arthur Kempe (1812–78), surgeon of Exeter, on Henrietta’s illness (see Surtees, 6 September 1860).
5. Sentence in angle brackets obliterated after receipt, probably by Arabella.
7. The Morning Star of 1 August 1860 contained the following report: “The Official Gazette of Turin quotes a letter from Palermo, giving an account of the attack on Milazzo and its capture. Garibaldi, it declares, received a wound in his foot” (p. 5). Milazzo, a seaport some 20 miles W. of Messina, was the scene of a decisive victory for the Italian nationalists over Bourbon forces on 20 July 1860. Soon afterwards, Messina surrendered “to the conquering invaders, with the single exception of the citadel, where a Bourbon garrison still held out. Since the Bourbons had now withdrawn from Syracuse and Agosta, all Sicily was Garibaldi’s, except for the citadel” (Edgar Holt, Risorgimento: The Making of Italy, 1815–1870, 1970, p. 243).
8. For “A Musical Instrument” (see letter 4646, note 4).
10. “The Sword of Castruccio Castracani” and “Summing Up in Italy” (see letter 4711, note 3).
11. Psalm 127:2. This line served as both the epigraph and refrain in EBB’s “The Sleep” (1838). We have been unable to identify the musical setting to which EBB refers.
12. Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) was the pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church in Brooklyn.
14. See Appendix IV in vol. 26.
15. Charles John Moulton-Barrett arrived from Jamaica at Stoke Court on 31 July (see Surtees, 31 July 1860).
16. By Edmund Hamilton Sears (1810–76); see letter 4278, note 8.
17. About eight or nine words have been obliterated after receipt, probably by Arabella.
18. Part of the back of the envelope, upon which this part of the letter is written, has been torn away, resulting in loss of text here and below.
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