SD1006. Henrietta Moulton-Barrett to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 351 (in part).
Torquay
Thursday [30 May 1839] [1]
My very dear Sam—
Now, I am going to answer your kind letter which I thought so long in coming, but which was so welcome to me when it did come– I suppose you make them scarce to me that I may learn to value them the more—& in return you ask me to write you an additional letter besides my weekly three—this is being much too exorbitant in your demands—& if you have no mercy upon my pen, I must on your postage– But as my reports have not been quite as good of our dearest Ba lately, I must hasten to tell you of her, & that I can do with more satisfaction today, for thank God she is better than she has been the last day or two—altho she was without her nightly draught, last night she slept very comfortably, & she looks nicely this morng—the expectoration has been but little these last two nights, & the cough I think is certainly very quiet– Next week I trust nothing may prevent her going out, but even had she been well enough, she would not have been able to have done so this on account of the northeasterly wind, that enemy of hers—but in spite of it, it is beginning to be very hot– Mr & Mrs Weale say it is much hotter than Plymouth—however I do not think this house will be oppressively so, for we have all the sea breezes blowing in upon us, & the |back| rooms are always cool– Bro & Mr Weale went out with their sketch books immediately after breakfast– The latter is indefatigable, he went yesterday to Austeys Cove & made two most beautiful drawings in watercolors of it—& as soon as ever he came home, he set to work again & did a Sepia drawing in the eveng of the boats in the bay– I imagine his object is to distinguish himself as an artist before he dies– I should think he was a clever man in other ways—he has a great taste for the sister arts poetry & music but he speaks such broad Irish, you could not mistake him for a Paddy– They leave us I believe very early on Saturday morng by the Steamer– Dearest Sam how much too kind it was of you to have my card case made up so beautifully for me, indeed I am very very much obliged to you, but why did you put yourself to so much expense? How stupid Mathews must have been not to have been able to do it—all your presents I have together in my invaluable work box, & you know not how much admiration there is lavished upon them for I often amuse our visitors by showing them off—the little seed bag I have lined & I think it is a great improvement to it– I was sorry indeed to read what you say of the Newdicks, but I have long known that their affairs have not been in a flourishing condition. Is Germany a good place to economize in? Mrs Newdick wrote to me some time ago to ask me if I could send her letters of introduction to any one there—but really I know no one here who have acquaintances there, Henry is the person to apply to—cannot he assist her? Has Henry really gone to school? What do you mean by it, I cannot believe that he would condescend to be called a school boy at his time of life! I fear the mathematics have driven away all the romance he learnt in Germany– How does he like his mathematical studies? I suppose Seppy & Ockyta often have George Hedley to help them to make a noise– We are quite anxious to know if we shall really see Jane & Uncle Hedley next week. I prophecy [sic] they will be tempted to stay for the drawing room– I shall be almost sorry if they do not, for I think Jane was evidently anxious to go to it—give them both our affecte love & say that all are well at the Braddons– Johnny is going to bring down Robins pony this eveng at five o’clock for me to ride with him & Miss Mary Holden—a young lady who I think you would admire & respect very much– She is most amiable & sensible—has a great taste for antiquities, visits all the old churches she can hear of, collects all the old books she can find & reads them, & has determined upon being an old maid—i.e. if she lives to that age of bliss– She is quite young now, & as young ladies do sometimes change their minds I think it is very likely she will change hers– I was surprised to see Mr Lion Clarke yesterday—he looks better than he did—he told me he had seen Mrs Hayes at some races he had been attending but as she did not seem quite to recognize him, he did not like to bow– How very seldom she seems to call in Wimpole Street– If I were Arabel, I should be very indignant– Tell her to let us know if she has finished the picture she was doing of Seppy & Ockyta, I have always forgotten to ask her about it– I hope we may hear from her by this days post—our letter days are the pleasantest of any in the week– Ba heard from Lady Margaret a day or two ago, she says she missed her very much when she was in London she expresses a great anxiety to be acquainted with Arabel– Ba complains of her coldness, but all are not of the same warm affectionate temperament as she herself is– She is staying with her brother now, but she is going to Eastnor in a short time– I really cannot write any more now, Mrs Weale is talking so much–
Friday Morng– Not a good night dearest Sam I am sorry to say– She was very restless, but nothing is the matter this morng—it might have been occasioned by the fatigue of the warm bath which Dr Barry ordered for her yesterday eveng– She went downstairs, & saw Mr & Mrs Weale– She seems very well pleased with the former—he talked to her a good deal about poetry & her friend Wordsworth & promised to send her a picture from Plymouth of Spencer’s window– Whilst he was talking to Ba he did a beautiful little drawing in water colors for Bummy to copy—a composition– Tell dearest Arabel of our gratitude for writing yesterday– Why we are to be scolded I don’t know—for it appears to me that I have written more than my usual quantity this week—but I calmly submit to all her undeserved reprimands– We were glad to hear of Jane & Uncle Hedley’s dining with you on dearest Papa’s birthday– I know it was a treat not only to you, but to them– Did Jane ever receive Ba’s letter? I cannot think that she did as she did not mention it when she wrote to Bummy—& we are really to see them next week—how very glad I am!! Torquay is no longer Torquay without them—their absence is bemoaned in every quarter—but I am sorry the drawing room is postponed– Crow says it is time for me to finish—give a kiss round for us & Believe dearest Sam how much
I am your very Affectionate
Henrietta——
I hope Arabel gave dear Treppy our grateful thanks for the dresses & collars–
Address, on integral page: S. M Barrett Esqr / 50. Wimpole Street / London.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. This letter is postmarked 31 May 1839, a Friday.
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