461. EBB to Ann Lowry Boyd & Hugh Stuart Boyd
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 45–47.
Raffaral House. Sidmouth.
Saturday. [25 August 1832] [1]
My dearest friend,
Of course you cannot expect me to agree with Mr Spowers and his bookseller. I would quite as soon admit that Gregory’s work is mere declamation, as that your translation is executed in an inferior manner to any of your preceding ones. I am not inclined to do either. I earnestly hope that you will secure justice to yourself & your ms by applying to another bookseller. And if that other rejects it—which, without casting one shade on the merit of your work, is quite possible—why should you be daunted from applying to another bookseller & another? Why should you say that you cannot be admitted as an impartial judge? Cannot you judge whether Gregory’s work is or is not mere declamation? And if you determine that it is not, may you not safely infer that critics who can err in one material point, may also err in a point not equally material—that a man who cannot estimate an original may be incapable of estimating a copy? Surely you may infer this, & without any degree of partiality to your own performance or your own judgment.
From what you observe in the letter which I have just received, I am afraid you will be angry when I tell you that we slept in Bath the night before last night. Papa determined upon the line of road he wished us to take, only half an hour before we parted from him. We arrived at Bath almost in the dark: and as we were not expected at Sidmouth, it was of course an important point to set off early enough the next morning, to admit of our reaching it before the night closed in. It was therefore fixed that we should set off at eight the next morning. The landlady of the York Hotel told me that Bath Hampton was three miles from her door. Now if I had gone to you at six in the morning, I might have spent half an hour with you, but not more. Whatever I may have written or thought, I could not have helped going to see you, if it had been in my power, even for that short time. But I was much exhausted by agitation & fatigue, & could scarcely stand when the carriage stopped at the hotel—& the next morning, I was obliged to breakfast in my bedroom & go from it, into the carriage. After all we did not leave Bath, until past nine,—the consequence of which, happened just as was feared. We arrived here in the dark, & had some difficulty in finding our house: a crowd of tradespeople followed us up the town, and we were confused & frightened & in an unpleasant situation. I assure you I did not leave Bath, without feeling sorry at not having seen you. But I consoled myself with the reflection, that even if my going to see you had been possible, I might have hurried myself into a coughing fit, & made you wish in your heart that I had stayed away.
This place appears to be very pretty. We have the house which the Grand Duchess Helena had. [2] It is not grand,—but it is comfortable & convenient, with a fine view of the sea in front, and green sloping hills, & trees, behind. In the drawing room there are four windows all facing the sea,—and I was lulled to sleep last night by the rolling reverberating solemn sound of its waves. Of course I like this. The warmth & softness of the air are quite peculiar & are striking to all of us– Myrtles & hydrangeas flowering in our garden! Papa Bro & Sette, whom Papa could not part with,—follow us soon by the coach. Now do recollect what I have said to you about your work. I hope I have pleased both you & Mrs Boyd, in this letter. Quantum mutatus a te!! [3] –
Yours affectionately
E B Barrett.
You will not, my dear Mrs Boyd, think what I am going to say to you, strange, or let others think it rude. Miss Browne does not appear to be a particular friend of yours. I have resolved, that, altho’ it may not be possible for me to live as secludedly as I have done, I will have no new acquaintance except by necessity. [4]
Besides, Papa might not like my knowing people whom he does not know. I am of course obliged by Miss B’s wish of being acquainted with me. It is not likely to be a very strong one,—and if you say nothing more about it to her, she will forget that she ever expressed it. I am very sorry that Annie shd have fallen down stairs, & earnestly hope the accident may not occasion any uneasiness to you. My best love to her. Arabel will write soon.
Yours aftely
EBB.
Our journey consisted of 130 not 140 miles. Bath is almost exactly halfway.
Address, on integral page: H S Boyd Esqr / Bath Hampton / Bath.
Publication: EBB-HSB, pp. 193–195.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. This letter was postmarked 26 August 1832, but evidently was written on the previous day, a Saturday.
2. Helena Pavlovna (1807–73), sister-in-law of Tsar Nicholas I, had spent three months in Sidmouth in 1831, at nos. 7 and 8 Fortfield Terrace. The local authorities erected on the pediment the imperial eagle of Russia, which remains to this day.
3. “How changed from yourself” (cf. Æneid, II, 274).
4. A year earlier EBB had recorded on 26 August 1831 (Diary, p. 103): “To whatever place we go, I will seclude myself there, & try to know & like nobody,—but live with my books & writings & dear family.” Miss Browne, from the context an acquaintance of the Boyds, has not been further identified.
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