464. EBB to Lady Margaret Cocks
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 52–54.
Rafarel House. Sidmouth.
Thursday. August 30th 1832.
My dear Lady Margaret,
I was going to write to you this morning, just when I received your kind letter. It was a pleasant surprise to me, as I did not hope to read anything in your handwriting quite so soon. The interest & regard which that letter expresses, are not things to thank you for, but to love you for; and here in this strange place, where there is not one familiar countenance or voice, to look at, or listen to, the kind assurances of those who have been long known & valued, afford me a pleasure the dearest to me, because the most like the pleasures I have lost. We are, as I knew we should be, very much relieved in mind, since we have nothing more to dread; and when our dear Papa, & Bro, & little Sette are once more with us, I am sure we shall be far happier than we have been for more than a year. We have a very comfortable & chearful house, with a front view of the majestic sea, & a back view of some pretty green hills & trees—which, you know, I always like to look at, out of the window. Our drawing room is a large room for a house of this kind, & has four windows, all of them fronting the sea, from which we are not two hundred yards distant—and one of my “pursuits” at present, is to be looking out of one of them. I am almost as fond of the sea as of poetry: and indeed it is itself visible poetry. Papa’s books & most of mine, are with his furniture in Ledbury; but some of my favorite ones are my inseparable companions, & I have plenty of the old Greeks & one or two of the Latins (not Cicero!) to talk philosophy & poetry to me. I dont object to Mezentius’s punishment, which, you know, chained the living to the dead. [1] As soon as breakfast is over, I read a chapter from the Hebrew Bible,—which I do not intend to be fatigable about: and then I hear my brothers read Greek; at two we are so patriarchal as to dine: and afterwards I go out upon a donkey with a Spanish saddle, by the sea & into it,—& read Pelham, [2] & do many idle things which I am not severe upon myself for doing just now. It is impossible to feel yet as if we were settled—or to do yet as if we were. I suppose we shall certainly remain here during the winter, & perhaps after the winter; and everything depends upon how Papa may like this place. What we have seen of it, we like. I like it, for not being bustling, & for letting the trees, & even hot house plants, grow quite close down to the edge of the sea. It is said to be very full; but whom it is full of, I cannot say—and am not likely, much to care. The walking part of our circle was delighted yesterday with the very beautiful scenery; and I am going to try today whether my donkey can take me a little way up the craggy cliff they mounted. My cough does not seem to be much better,—but I sleep much more soundly, & am improved in looks—if Henrietta’s observations are not more encouraging than true. A little time & finer weather than we have had since we came, will do me as much good as it pleases God that they should. And now, I think I have told dear Lady Margaret, all the particulars, about which, her kindness led her to enquire. Of course my thoughts often wander to those beloved scenes where I can scarcely believe, that I am not still—and I would not choose it to be otherwise. That only God could have supported us thro’ the sorrow of leaving them, I well know. When we were in the midst of them, He was our peace—and I feel that it is not contrary to His will, that we should look back upon the time which He blessed. I did not think I could ever love what did not in return love me,—as I love every stone & blade of grass of that place—but there is no use in speaking of it. “I opened not my mouth,—because Thou did’st it”– [3]
Papa will come as soon as it is possible for him to do so. I am glad little Sette stayed with him—for Sette is a great orator in his way, & makes him laugh when more distinguished wits would fail.
Do write to me whenever you can my dear Lady Margaret, & tell me a great deal about yourself: and I should like to hear of all those in whom we are interested, & who are kind enough to regret us even a little. You say that it will give you pleasure to be employed by me. Without staying to thank you for the kindness, I must say that by employing yourself in writing to me, in as particularly particular a manner, as I have written today, you will please me best. Miss Clarke & Henrietta desire me to give you their kind regards– Offer our united best remembrances to Lady Eastnor & Miss Cocks [4] & Lord Somers, & believe me always, my dear Lady Margaret’s affectionate & grateful
E B Barrett.
I have just been writing to Mr Boyd who will be I know much shocked & grieved by the sudden death from cholera, of his great & good friend Dr Adam Clarke. He is indeed a loss. So much various learning & so much pure religion, seldom unite.
Address, on integral page: The Lady Margaret Cocks.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: James Hervey-Bathurst.
1. Mezentius was the legendary king of Caere, who put subjects to death by binding them to corpses and leaving them to starve. He and his son were slain by Æneas.
2. Pelham, or The Adventures of a Gentleman (1828), by Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, later Baron Lytton (1803–73).
3. Psalms, 39:9.
4. Probably Lord Somers’ sister, Harriet Cocks.
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