4864. RB to George Goodin Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 29, 55–56.
Rome, Via Felice 126.
Apr. 2d 61.
My dear George,
I think, or am sure, that you cannot misunderstand me when I say that it will be far better for us to give you no more trouble about the Trust-deed,—thanking you heartily for all you have taken & are ready to take. I will write by this post to Arnould, & beg as a favor that he continue his Trusteeship. As for the Deed & original provisions of it, relating to the money of Ba as I found it,—the whole thing was quite unnecessary—as my executing it many months after our marriage proved—but Mr Kenyon suggested it and so it was done. As for engaging to take “any property Ba might afterwards acquire” out of her hands and send it to invest in England,—that, indeed, never entered my head. The clause to which you refer was meant to apply to a very different contingency—as Mr Kenyon particularly stated to me more than once. I use the phrase “take the money out of Ba’s hands” very advisedly, because were I inclined to really advise her giving it up for any such purpose, she would refuse, point-blank;—but this time I entirely agree with her as to the impossibility of any step of the kind. Our money is invested here entirely to our satisfaction,—the loss at selling out, re-investing, difference of interest, and fresh expence of receiving every payment of the same from England would be extravagant. We shall live in Italy always, and the convenience of our present arrangement causes us to bless ourselves every quarter day at least. On what principle of justice to Ba could I advise that she forthwith deprive herself of some £150 a-year-for what? All that we save, after necessary expenditure, I invest and add to our capital, from which in fifteen years not a sixpence has been subtracted. The whole of this will go to Ba and her child after my death. I will make a fresh will (you may see the old one, which I made to supply the inadequacies of the deed, and which the subsequent birth of Peni rendered inoperative: I will appoint you, dear George, if your goodness will permit me, executor—and you will see for yourself, I repeat, that I leave Ba & my child not only all her money proper, in the law’s eye, but all that I have got or saved or (in the exercise of an economy I pride myself upon) shall save or get: nobody else in the world has a fraction of a claim to it, and,—for other causes of or incitements to injustice in testamentary dispositions, I shall only say that Ba and I know each other, for time and, I dare trust, eternity:—we differ toto cœlo [1] (or rather, inferno) as to spirit-rapping,—we quarrel sometimes about politics, and estimate people’s characters with enormous difference, but, in the main, we know each other, I say.
All this was unnecessary to say except in explanation due to your affectionateness—to anybody else I should reply “suppose Ba made a present of the £4000 to Mr Hume, [2] the day after receiving it,—what then? Could I prevent her, and could she consider herself bound, on receiving a present, not to make any use of it during her life-time beyond receiving a yearly trifle by way of interest: and further, ought she to deal in the same way by every pound she receives from America (for instance) for poems delivered? When does the “property” begin, with sums received? Only with the Thousands and not with the Hundreds nor the Tens?
I shall always be sure,—as I will tell Arnould—that you will be at hand to help and administer the Deed, should I die first: let what is done be done—but the subsequent proceedings are to be free, and I promise you we all shall be the better for it.
I won’t add—that is, can’t add a word—time pressing: it is a good thing this hitch has stopped the trouble and useless expence—for, I suppose, the deed would have needed our signatures,—bless us all! I wish you all joy and prosperity in your new domicile. “Luck to your roof-tree”—and love to you and yours from
Yours affectionately ever
Robert Browning.
Publication: B-GB, pp. 255–257.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. “By the whole extent of heaven.”
2. Daniel Dunglas Home (1833–86); his last name, pronounced with a long “u,” was habitually misspelled “Hume” by the Brownings and many others.
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