798. EBB to George Goodin Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 5, 21–23.
[Torquay]
Sunday. [14–15 February 1841] [1]
At last my ever dearest George, I give some sign of being sensible to your kindness upon kindness in the shape of letters. I write to you at last. You know you frightened me away from doing so before with your solemn obtestations & protestations—and even now, Stormie has just said .. “oh pray dont write to George, for he was very angry when you wrote to me.” But the ‘lex talionis’ [2] not being the law of the land, I am clear of intruding any offence between the wind & your legality, [3] in whatever other direction I may do so.
There is my beloved Papa’s letter too—drawing an answer out of my thoughts, with a golden cord!—— [4]
Dearest Georgie, I do think of you so much, & hope for you so much & so strongly—with a hope partaking far more of expectation than of anxiety after all. Sooner or later, if God continues life & health, you will succeed. That I never in the least doubt about—because I am, as you probably know, a great believer in the “unconquerable will” [5] as to intellectual successes. It is the beat of the drum to the soldier’s march. A man with a mind may will himself into anything—& a woolsack [6] may be set down as a ‘thing’ in moderation—by no means the most glittering toy in the toyshop, or hung most out of reach.—— You cant think how many engravings my thoughts & fancies have made (working together) from the picture you sent me—of your retirement in Paper Buildings. [7] God bless you in all ways dearest, dearest George—out of Zion [8] first, & then from other high places of the earth [9] —& mind be careful of yourself—& dont be wet & cold—nor walk out your heart with rapidity, tuo more, [10] for my sake, Georgie!–
I was glad that you—& my dearest Papa speaks approbation too—liked my profile of the Man with a Soul. [11] Only Georgie, it isnt German, & never was. Since you thurst [sic] the dishonor of that suspicion on me, Mr Horne said something which made me smile a little in relation to it. He said “Let us by no means, have German names. People will call it instantly German mysticism, instead of what it is, a mystery of universal nature.” No beginning has yet been made. He is so hard to please about names. What do you think of, for a title .. “Psyche Apocalyptic”—or “Psyche Apocalypte”? Oh—Papa is quite right– We are sure not to get anybody to read it except himself & you– But it is our business, you know, to make it worth reading, & not to mind the rest—to work as the caterpillars do, without thinking of who is looking. Authors have low mercantile ways, sometimes, of considering things—whereas they have no business with results. If God has given them any power (though but of a fibre’s strength) they shd work by it, & if He has revealed any truth, according to it, without taking into account the bookseller’s pay in pence, or the public’s in popularity–
Stormie’s cold is quite vanished, I am very glad to say. And Jocky’s knees & ancles which suffered the pains & penalties of growing too fast, are quite strong again,—to give credit to his own testimony & that of his fellow-walkers. They take very long walks on every possible day—and I heard Stormie remonstrating with Arabel & maintaining that “four miles were quite long enough for a walk”—Arabel’s answer being, “Yes,—four miles there & four miles back.” She & Ocky are opposed on this point to Stormie Henrietta & Mary [Hunter]—the two latter being considered decidedly ‘lazy’, & Stormie, too practical. I never remember (or at least have not for years) to have seen Arabel so excursive & capable of exercise. And she has not had one cold this winter. It is a great mercy, & comfort to me.
For my own part I think myself better, dearest Georgie. I do think so. I am low & fit for nothing in the morning—but that is the consequence in great measure, I am persuaded, of being over-excited the rest of the day by the brandy & opium. The three oclock fever is less than it was. Indeed today, my face was not flushed at all—& the palpitation was slight. It was nothing but the severe weather. Now we are as hot as we were cold—no! not quite!
Flush amuses me sometimes when I am inclined to be amused by nothing else. There is no resisting his praying to be patted,—& he has some striking peculiarities.—wont eat anything unless he is pressed—& then scarcely, .. unless he sees you do the same. We must make him friends with Myrtle– [12] Write some of you—will you? do!– I did not mean to write so much after what my own dearest Papa said—but it is hard to begin & end—& still this was not written at once. Is dear Treppy with you? Affectionate love to her & the rest. God love [&] bless you George. Love to my dear Minny. I unalterably love you– No—more than ever–
Ba——
Tell Papa & yourself, I did not write this all at once; so it cd do no harm.
Address: G. G. Barrett Esqr / 50. Wimpole Street / London.
Publication: B-GB, pp. 50–53.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. The letter is postmarked 16 February 1841.
2. The law of retaliation, i.e., an eye for an eye, etc. (Exodus, 21:24).
3. Cf. I Henry IV, I, 3, 45.
4. Marlowe, The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage (1594), I, 1, 14.
5. Paradise Lost, I, 106.
7. George was practising law in chambers at no. 3 Paper Buildings, The Temple.
8. Psalms, 128:5.
9. Deuteronomy, 32:13.
10. “In your fashion.”
11. In the projected drama with Horne, Psyche was the soul of Medon.
12. “A poor dull worthy dog, reposing / All day beside the fire” (letter 562); a “brown & yellow terrier … whose noblest qualities lie in his mind” (letter 591).
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