Saturday August 20
I had intended to finish today, Theophrastus’s Ethic characters; but Eliza Cliffe’s arrival after breakfast, put all my good resolutions to the route,—as the Dutch have lately done the Belgians.[1] Eliza has not been Dutchlike & slow. She has finished my picture, which, tho’ it is not the picture of me,[2] does her infinite credit: considering her deficiency not merely in instruction, but experience. The white gown is changed into grey,—& the red background into green,—& the hair from black, into something nearer its “proper hue”,—& the lips from scarlet into a human rosiness: so that altogether, Eliza & I are to be congratulated. Before tea, we went out to ride, & rode all round by the farm & Petty France.[3] My estomac &c none the better for it; & I went to bed by myself, at ten o’clock. Never mind. I enjoyed my ride. And there is no kind of enjoyment which one can have on this side of the grave, without paying its price in pain—no flower that one can pick, without nettling one’s fingers! Is not this an unthankful thought of mine? Oh yes! There are heaps of flowers, which my hand, even mine, has picked, & in joy! tho’ they are now lying afar, lost, & withered—
I forgot to say, that I did read a little of Theophrastus, before breakfast this morning—& that I gave Reynolds’s Discourses to Eliza Cliffe. No letters. Dear Bro convalescent.—
1. The Times, 10 August 1831 “The invasion of the Dutch upon Belgium has taken place at four points .... The attack has been made at all points by surprise. The Belgian troops, none of which were prepared, were forced to fall back, after having sustained the attack as long as they were able. These engagements have been very bloody. … ” Belgium had only just gained independence from Holland, A cessation of the war was speedily brought about when France sent 50,000 troops to the aid of Belgium.
2. For E.B.B.’s verses “To E.W.C. Painting my Picture,” see The Poetical Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, ed. Sandra Donaldson et al., (London, 2010), 5, 537–538).
3. A small holding about ¾ mile S.E. of Hope End.