478. EBB to Lady Margaret Cocks
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 78–79.
Sidmouth.
May 15th [1833] [1]
My dear Lady Margaret,
Do not be frightened at my answering your letter so very soon. I assure you there is no malice prepense in it. I “dont mean any harm”—as good natured people always say of ill-natured people. I write because I am afraid that you should see an advertisement in the paper—before I tell you, that Mr Valpy was requested to send a copy of my new book to Thomas’s Hotel Berkely Square, directed to your Ladyship: and a fortnight has past since then—and I would not have you think me forgetful of you, on any account in the world. It is possible that, Thomas’s Hotel being innocent of you, the book found its way back again to Mr Valpy. It’s being sent to Reigate [2] would not be worth while or carriage: but do not forget, whenever you are in London, to let it know where it may meet you. I shall like to have a great many of dear Lady Margaret’s criticisms, and to know exactly what she thinks of the book altogether. I am sure, not of her good opinion, but of her honesty which is yet more valuable. My translation is very literal. Is it stiff? Does it sound very much indeed like translated poetry which is no poetry at all?— And are the miscellaneous poems worth anything or nothing? I know that Captain Medwin is an awful rival; but I am more literal than he is, who is farther from Æschylus than Pope is from Homer: and truth seems to me a thing divine—whether in philosophy or syntax.
I am sorry to hear of Lady Eastnor’s & the Miss Cocks’s indisposition,—and very sorry was I, my dear Lady Margaret, to learn from the newspapers what I knew, before I read your observations, would afflict you so much. [3] We are prisoners in this flesh; and cannot help hearing sometimes (Oh! do we not hear it always?) the rattling of our chains. Happy, blessed is it for us, when that sound reminds us not so much of our actual captivity as of our future, our near deliverance!— Come quickly, Lord Jesus!—
I remarked a great deal that you tell me, when I had the pleasure of seeing Lady Somers at Eastnor. Morning & night seemed to be upon her at once: and, the only effect of age, was to render her venerable!— I earnestly hope, that what affected your spirits, dear Lady Margaret, did not affect your health: and that you are as well as your silence on that subject, leads me to hope. The influenza has been prevalent here. Some of my brothers, and both my sisters have suffered from it: but everybody is better now. I am better & stronger than I have been for a long time; and my cough is to be looked for in antiquity. I cannot tell you what our plans are—even now. I hear nothing of leaving Sidmouth at any fixed time; & where we shall go when we do leave it, is a question which I do not think Papa has answered even to himself. The world is all before us where to choose, our place of rest: [4] and the world is a large place.
Did I tell you of Mr Boyd being here, & of the pleasure it is to me. He arrived in December. We read & talk together as in old days,—& he seems to like Sidmouth, & to be well, in it.
There is here a very eloquent & scriptural preacher, who is at once a man of literature & acquirements, and a humble unassuming Christian. Mr Hunter was an intimate friend of Robert Hall,—and when I have told you how much I like to hear him, in the pulpit or out of it—shall I say besides, that he is an Independent minister? How often will you shake your head, if I do?– Yet, truth being a thing divine in syntax & philosophy—I dont know why it should be less so here. Should not Christians, dear Lady Margaret, cling to each other & love each other, for His sake who first loved them, whether they are dressed in white black or grey? Now, you shall not shake your head at that.
Henrietta & Bro were at Torquay for three months this spring, with Mr & Mrs Hedley who will probably remain there a whole year; on account of Mr Hedley’s health. Henrietta was far gayer than I should like to be, tho’ I believe not gayer than she liked to be. She desires to be kindly remembered to your Ladyship.
And now, dear Lady Margaret, I shall say goodbye. Will you (last words are the most emphatic ones) be as lenient as you can, when my book comes to be criticised? Indeed there is need of it.
Your affectionate
E B Barrett.
Is Lord Somers quite well? Our compliments to him.
Papa is with us. He went to London for one month last December, & to Torquay for one week, in March. Otherwise he has not left us at all.
Would you object to getting the Wesleyan Magazine for last December & this May? [5] I should like to have your opinion of some translations by Mr Boyd.
Address, on integral page: The Lady Margaret Cocks.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: James Hervey-Bathurst.
1. Dated by reference to the publication of EBB’s Prometheus Bound, 11 May 1833.
2. Reigate Priory, in Surrey, some 20 miles S. of London, was Earl Somers’ secondary seat.
3. The death on 25 April of Lady Somers, Lady Margaret’s step-grandmother.
4. Cf. Paradise Lost, XII, 646–647.
5. The December issue (pp. 848–861) contained Boyd’s translation of St. Gregory Nazianzen’s “In Christi Nativitatem”; the May issue (pp. 322–327) his translation of St. Basil’s “Homily on Paradise.”
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