4782. Harriet Beecher Stowe to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 226–230.
Andover
Nov. 20. 1860
Dear Mrs Browning–
In your lively and touching letter to Mrs Howard you were so kind as to intimate that it might give you pleasure to hear from me– [1] It certainly is a pleasure to me to think it is not yet impossible to speak to you, even thro these imperfect means– You will remember the subject of our frequent conversations—Spiritualism– I am no seeker after signs & wonders [2] yet somehow something of this sort is continually coming to me– One since I returned came so peculiarly & unsought—that I believe I will tell you–
My son when in college had a room mate of a very strong & peculiar character– Of a very fine mind—great strength of will—ambitious—philosophical, & skeptical—that is to say—always disposed to reduce every thing to strict material proof[.] He was evidently attached to Henry—loving him for his beauty—his artistic nature, with that sort of passionate devotion that resembles the love of man to woman– When I came home this last summer this Haywood [3] came one evening to see us—having travelled some distance to do so–
He had intimated in a letter more than three years since that he had had communications with Henry—but being a very peculiar person, had returned no answer to a letter of enquiry I addressed to him on the subject.
Now he seemed to come simply & only to tell me. The story is in short this–
One month after my son’s death he had been on a visit to us–– From that visit he went a stranger into a town to teach. A young man knowing his skepticism on all spiritualism said to him that a young lady of his acquaintance had developed a peculiar and unusual medium power & asked him to go & see her.
He went. Found a delicate young girl between sixteen & seventeen who being mesmerized slightly began personating different characters in a singular way—& in particular recited & acted certain passages of Shakespear[e] like a distinguished actress in a way that seemed astonishing.
His companion then said– Now see if she can personate the one you wish to see– It is to be remarked that Haywood was an entire stranger to the girl & that she had never seen or heard of him or my son.
He then asked her to bring the spirit he was thinking of–
She retired to a corner remained a moment lost in thought & suddenly turning[,] her whole face air & manner changed––& with the peculiar characteristic air manner & mode of speaking of my son she came to him with the greatest joy calling him by name & repeatedly asking “Don’t you know me?”– “You do know me” in a manner that produced such a vivid feeling of Henry that he fell back in his chair almost fainting.
Recovering himself he began a conversation & for two hours talked with her on all branches & particulars of most private confidential affairs in which they two alone had been involved—& she spoke freely without hesitation with the most perfect knowledge of names, dates & places & persons & with all Henry’s peculiar turns of thought & expression–
Spoke of his papers, the contents of his trunk to some very minute items—expressed his opinion as to the disposition that had been made of them–
Of the state after death he said that at first he was not happy—that that unhappiness soon however passed away & he was now constantly becoming happier—& warned his friend that he if he wished for immediate happiness after death that he must live in some respects differently from what they either of them had done.
It has been known that at the time of Henry[’]s death—a poor embruted creature, was lying on his oars in a boat so that he could easily have saved him—that he was urged to do so & refused with an oath—saying that he wished every one of those college students were dead—(on account of a quarrel he had with some of them)[.] [4]
Of this wretch he said “He might have saved me—but I have forgiven him”– I felt more of Henry in this answer than in any thing else–
—It is to be remarked that this is the fifth time that unsought by me news has come of Henry in the other land—the news always the same—of sadness & sorrow at first—of increase in improvement[,] joy & peace at last reaching the beatific[.]
—They have come alike thro Calvinists who believe in no state of progressive holiness after death & those who have no fixed belief in the spiritual world– What do I do when such things come[?] What Mary did– “Keep and ponder them in my heart”– [5] If God will melt the seal in our time so be it—but I only wait– I do at times have that vague shadowy sense of the presence of spirits beloved, especially in great trouble & perplexity which is at any rate a comfort to me– The state is not imagination—not under the control of my will—but brings a conviction of real presence at times quite vivid. I wrote some lines describing this which I send you– [6] I try to speak what I feel.
It lies around us like a cloud
The world we do not see
Yet the sweet closing of an eye
May bring us there to be.
_________
Its gentle breezes fan our cheek
Amid our worldly cares
Its gentle voices whisper love
And mingle with our prayers[.]
_________
Sweet hearts around us throb & beat
Sweet helping hands are stirred
And palpitates the veil between
With breathings almost heard[.]
_________
The silence aweful[,] sweet & still
They have now power to break
For mortal words are not for them
To utter or partake.
_________
So thin, so soft[,] so sweet[,] they glide
So near to press they seem
They seem to lull us to our rest
And melt into our dream.
_________
And in the hush of peace they bring
Tis easy now to see
How lovely and how sweet a pass
The hour of death may be
_________
To close the eye & close the ears
Wrapt in a trance of bliss
And gently drawn in loving arms
To swoon to that—from this—
_________
Scarce knowing if we wake or sleep
Scarce asking where we are
To feel all evil sink away
All sorrow & all care[.]
_________
Sweet souls around us! watch us still
Press nearer to our side
Into our thoughts into our prayers
With gentle helpings glide–
_________
Let death between us be as naught
A dried & vanished stream
Your joy be the reality
Our faded life the dream–
_________
I think that the Romish Church in the doctrine called the “Communion of Saints” [7] has preserved a fragment of something the primitive christians felt which is now very much lost—something which made death so much less a darkness & seperation than to us– We have become paganized in that regard. Please give my best to Penny– I think of him often as he looks on his little pony. May God watch over him and you my dear friend. Remember me kindly to Mr. Browning.
I have not touched on Italy & the glorious things we see there– It is too much to be spoken of—one has only wonder & prayers for such a glory as this & such hopes– God speed the day.
Affectionately your friend
H. B. Stowe.
Address: Mrs Browning.
Docket, in RB’s hand: Mrs Stowe.
Publication: Studies in English, 27 (June 1948), 28–34.
Manuscript: University of Texas.
2. John 4:48: “Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.”
3. Jedediah Kilbourne Hayward (1835–1909), lawyer, was graduated from Dartmouth College in 1859. His account of the death by drowning of Henry Ellis Stowe (1838–57) on 9 July 1857 appeared as “A Dartmouth Tragedy” in Dartmouth Traditions, ed. William Carroll Hall (1901), pp. 138–150.
4. See “A Dartmouth Tragedy,” pp. 146–147.
5. Cf. Luke 2:19.
6. The verses were later revised and published as “The Other World” in Mrs. Stowe’s Religious Poems (Boston, 1867). See Hazel Harrod, “Correspondence of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Elizabeth Barrett Browning,” Studies in English, 27 (June 1948), 33–34.
7. A phrase from the Apostles’ Creed.
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