SD900. William Wemyss Anderson to Edward Moulton-Barrett (father)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 336 (in part).
Kingston
26 April 1838
My dear Sir
I have been anxious to write you a long letter. I feel much grateful that you should allow me to transfer my friendship for your late brother to yourself. I am far less worthy of it than your kindness may perhaps allow you to suppose. My few kind offices to him were just the littlest possible return I could have made for the kindness and friendship of years, and as a Christian it was deeply interesting to me and it is now a source of interesting and pleasant reflection that I was able to minister to him. I trust that by & bye we may have an opportunity of talking it over– I cannot express as I would the depth of the unfeignedness of his humiliation—there was no self deceiving—that was most apparent—and his faith was clear, calm, simple, settled. There was nothing extatic—but he said “I have been often ill—but I never felt as I feel now” These are precious records for you my dear Sir, and for me too. They are strongly illustrative of the Grace of our Lord, which indeed is so great, that our own poor meagre spirits are never able to comprehend it, until drawn to the necessity of seeing that it is the only view that could be of benefit to our fallen nature. Did I mention that he expressed in the hearsay of your son and myself his desire that a subscription by him of £100 Cy to the Methodist Chapel at Browns Town might be paid. You refer to his taking notice of the distinction betwixt Master & Tutor. I forget whether I |aduced| that in my letter—but I remember that he did so very specially.
In compliance with your wishes I am now arranging for the removal of his remains to Cinnamon Hill. I have communicated on the subject with Sir Joshua Rowe—but only by letter—I have been confined to the house from an accident & other ways in much family affliction from the illness of my only child which I yet very much fear is to be taken from me. We considered the matter maturely at the time & perhaps gave more weight to his expression “where the tree falls there let it lie”. My feeling & views on the point coincide with yours. I am very glad indeed that some members of your family are likely to come & reside amongst us. The death of your brother was indeed a sad blank—these beautiful residences Retreat & Cinnamon Hill left Tenantless! This is an interesting country to any one who is enterprising—especially to those having moral & religious enterprise in them, & a willingness to make the future progress of society here their object.
I write hurriedly—my little domestic troubles have much perplexed and interrupted me. But I shall hope to be favored with your correspce on other topics than business—especially if you will give your attention to plans for evanglising the country—that is the course for cure of all its misfortunes. But it is not easy to make our legislators understand this. Do you get a Jamaica newspaper & which?
Allow me to remain, with much respect,
My dear Sir
Yours most truly
Wm Wemyss Anderson
Address, on integral page: E. B. M. Barrett Esq / Messrs Anderson & Co / Mincing Lane / London.
Docket: Mr Anderson / dated April 26 1838 / Jamaica / Recd June.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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