SD1071. Edward Moulton-Barrett (father) to Septimus Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 4, 361 (in part).
Torquay
Novr 10. 1839.
My dear Sette
As all the rest of the Party are gone to bed, I shall employ my first moments of solitude in writing to you, and as I am sure that your first enquiry will be, how is Ba; I will reply to it before passing on to other topics. Yesterday as compared with the preceding one, she was not so well, but to-day she has been better, & if she should have a good night, I hope to see her to-morrow better still; as regards the disease itself, I suppose I must say, that it is much the same– I hope & trust that God has His own time, when He will answer the many prayers which have been offered up for her restoration to us in health & strength, & it becomes us to wait with patience the manifestation of His Will Concerning her, of this I am certain we have a brilliant example of humble submission, & pious resignation in the dear sufferer, which it becomes us to study & follow– I believe that you all love her, as who does not, who knows her, then why not, inasmuch as you all can, contribute to the very few enjoyments she has, & no one she estimates more than hearing frequently from one or other of you; I will not do you the injustice to think that any one would consider it a trouble to give her occasionally an hours conversation on paper, therefore I beg that you will display, in the only way, you now have the affection you bear her by writing, & if it were in turn, it would prove, all thought of her, all loved her & hence all desired to contribute to her pleasure, for it is her love for you all, that consitutes her pleasure– I must say however that you are out of the reproach, for you have written several letters to her, & to your kindness in doing so, I assure you she is very elaborate in her expressions.
And now I shall proceed to reply to your letter of business seriatim, but first I must thank you for the trouble you have taken to supply me with the information I needed with respect to the Sugar Market, and I am happy to find from it that matters are mending there; Would only the Money Market recover itself, and then I think I should obtain what I have been waiting for–
You mean Mr Close has accepted the whole debt £47, & not that sum in lieu of the whole debt, as £47 was all that was due to him– I hope George did not forget Treppy’s Pictures deposited there– Did Gordon know of the release for the Legacy, & has he seen the Deed, since it was completed, I dont mean legally, but since it was put on Parchment? I think George has judged quite right in the step he took in order to his being immediately called to the Bar, particularly as you say he had such an inducement as the 10 Guineas a day waiting him; but dont you think, my fine fellow that you can stuff me with these cases, as the Cook a Goose with sage & onions, no, no poor George must begin with his guinea fee, before he presumes to handle ten, he must be content to crawl a little, before he attempts to fly at such high quarry. I think the double barrel Chamber a good plan with a single barrel Clerk between the Partners; but I hope George is sure of his Man that he is respectable, & so forth, or the connection may be disreputable, & afterwards create him annoyance. All your tirade upon law I shall leave George to answer; but how savage you are about it, one would almost suppose that you were smarting under it, possibly from being mulcted in large damages for breach of promise of marriage– And now about what you call, why or wherefore I know not, your tract– And do you, a sensible fellow, really suppose that if you cannot study with perseverance & attention in Ba’s little Room, that any place can be found, where you may find these requisites, without which no advantages offered can compensate. Milton says the Mind is its own place; & the Man who would drink of the streams of knowledge may tap them any & every where– Believe the many who have found the Country full of inducements to draw them from their Studies, & who flock to London to attain the means & opportunity of prosecuting the attainment of knowledge– London is considered the Cynosure of all learning & wisdom. Be satisfied, avail yourself of the means you possess, & if you want more, more you shall have. I should like to find some very clever Teacher, who would come in an Evening & read with you much English Literature, Moral Philosophy &c– In the mean time I may say, altho at first I was a little annoyed at your application, as it appeared to me to indicate a restlessness & love of change which might forbode mischief working beneath, upon consideration I think it arose from a real desire to improve yourself, perhaps suggested by some one who knew little upon the subject, perhaps by one who never could study but in a particular place in a particular posture & in a particular chair– The Coals are come, well– The Piano is gone, well too– Your Hats, I suppose in consequence of Henrietta’s letter you have, better still– Give my best affections to all about you, including Treppy– I hope that you offer every hospitality to my Friend G. G. Barrett– Keep all things in the way you know I like them– How sorry I was to read of Sir F- Dagle’s death, poor |Patch| has lost a good friend in him– Take care of yourself & desire the rest to do the same of themselves for whatever you may all think, I have no happiness out of you all. And Now good bye & May the Lord Bless & keep you all in His own way—is the constant prayer of Yrs very affectionately
E M Barrett.
1/2 after 9 Monday Morng– Our dear Ba had had for her a good night & Arabel says that she is nicely this Morning. By the bye in respect to her, in what snug nook had she obtained all the vast learning & wisdom she possesses—hard work & determined perseverance were her nooks, many a Professor could she dumbfound & what were her advantages—keep her in view & you will go point blank to Helicons Stream–
Address, on integral page: Mr Septimus Barrett / Wimpole Street / London / 50.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Gordon E. Moulton-Barrett.
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