SD965. Henrietta Moulton-Barrett to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 342–343 (in part).
3 Beacon Terrace Torquay
Saturday Eveng– [15 December 1838] [1]
Now I am going to answer your letter my ever dearest Sam brought to me by Robin, you shall fast hear of what will most interest you, & those around you– Our dear Ba is about the same as she was the day before yesterday, if there be any alteration in her, it is for the better, & she, this instant desires me to say that she does feel better today, in spite of her not having slept well last night as she did the night before– She looks comfortable & cheerful just now, & promises to behave better tonight– I trust there may be no more occasion for any more blisters, but I think the last was of use to her upon the whole—the pulsation which she has suffered most from lately, has been better today– Dearest Arabel’s letter pleased her very much, & she did not complain of the shortness of it this time, I hope that tomorrow being Sunday another may arrive for her—she has just been talking very confidently of its arrival, therefore I hope she may not be disappointed– Tell Arabel from her that she ought not to expect me to write such lengthy letters as she does– When mine are so much more frequent—& I often think that you must sometimes find them too long– That was certainly not a fault I find with yours to me dearest Sam[.] I thought it very shabby of you not to have afforded me a little more—& I do hope you will make it up to me some day soon– They tell me that even yet you are not quite well– How is this? I am sure you cannot take care of yourself– I wish you were here, our pure air & early hours would soon freshen you up again– I am very sorry for some reasons that Annie is going to London, at this season of the year she would surely be much better at Jersey—but I hope you are sufficiently flattered, as Arabel tell us, she leaves all her fresh air only to see you. You must make yourself very agreeable to her to compensate to her for the loss of so much– Not that I mean to insinuate by this you are ever otherwise– Uncle James writes to Bummy today, that he is going to London for the purpose of seeing you—but I did not mean to tell you this– I would not however be very much overcome with the compliment, until you see him!– Bad news yet from the Braddons– Dear Jane’s sore throat has been, & still is very bad– Dr Barry [is] attending her twice a day—he says it is a quinsey [sic] sore throat—a complaint very prevalent here just now—her pulse at 112 & 114– You who understand so much about doctoring may imagine by this what her fever has been—her eye is nearly quite well, but the remedies employed to cure it have weakened her much– We went up to see her this morng, & uncle Hedley kept Bummy to remain with her & sent Arabel home with me to take her place at the dinner table– After dinner we all with Madamo[i]selle went to take a walk on the sands, whilst we were absent Ba (knowing from past experiences that boys were very fond of cakes) thought that girls might be so too sent out & bought some buns for our tea which we have just done ample justice to—even Seppy & Occyta could not have performed better upon them than we have– George’s eye is nearly quite well, but he is still a prisoner to the house & Johnny threatened to be attacked with something of the same sort today– I congratulate dearest Papa, & your sugar boilers upon the encreased [sic] price of sugars– Have you encreased your fund of knowledge on the subject since you have been in London?– I hear of your visiting refineries &c &c, so that I shall expect to see you the perfection of refinement when we meet– Ba had a most melancholy letter from her friend Miss Mitford a day or two ago, giving a most lamentable account of the illness of her father– Three months ago a wheel went over his leg—& the other day he caught cold & that part was effected [sic] by it– She was very much alarmed at his illness—& on the outside of her note she writes “there is very great danger, but still some little hope“– Poor Ba is terribly destressed [sic] about it, the communication arrived just at her breakfast time, it quite took away her appetite– I do hope she may have a better account soon– Tell Arabel not to shiver or to treat me with so much ridicule, but Bro had another boating excursion yesterday, he was out for four hours with your friends Mr Selby Mr Hamilton & a beefsteak pie—which of the three he found the pleasantest companion he did not tell me– They are not atall Cold– Arabel has not mentioned Treppy lately– I hope she is quite well & that you all remain on charitable terms with her. Give her our best love. Is Minny preparing your Christmas Day? I believe Martha is– I fear it will be a dull Christmas Day to us for some reasons—but we have got you here My dearest Sam, which happiness we had not last! I think I had better tell Papa that the coffee is all gone– Ba will be angry with me I know for doing so—but what she gets here she does not like half so much, as that, that he bought in London—& as it is the principal thing she takes, & what she most enjoys, it is a pity she should not have it good– When Papa comes, he may like to bring some with him– How I wish I could see you all at this instant, but I have you all in my mind’s eye– I am so glad you admire No 50– Much affection from all to all
Ever your very attached.
Henrietta
Write soon– Ba has received dear Henry’s german paper for which she thanks him with an affecte. kiss– God bless you all–
Sunday Morning) en robe de chambre– Dearest Sam at 1/2 past ten last night after I had finished this Bro returned from the Braddons without Bummy. She remained there to sit up with dearest Jane who was in a great state of suffering from her throat. I hear she is returned this morg & is now lying down[.] She has brought a better account of the Invalid, So I trust the Crisis is over– Our dearest Ba slept better last night, & has only just opened her eyes to tell me so–
Address, on integral page: S. M. Barrett Esqr / 50. Wimpole Street / London.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. This letter is postmarked 17 December 1838, a Monday.
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