SD1174. Mary Russell Mitford to Lucy Olivia Anderdon
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 5, 383–384 (in part).
[Three Mile Cross]
April 10th, 1842
Thanks upon thanks mine own dear young friend for your charming letter—perfect in everything excepting in calling me “madam”—the only fault which I have yet been able to detect in my dear correspondent—& one most easily amended– Yes! I saw that beautiful “Curiosity Shop” many years ago– I should greatly have enjoyed the seeing it again with you & your dear mama. The same post that brought your dear letter brought one from Miss Barrett whose two sisters accompanied Mr Kenyon and Mrs Jameson to see the place on Friday—or Thursday—perhaps Thursday—& that same day brought yet another letter from Miss Skerrett announcing the strong desire of the Queen & Prince Albert to visit the same attractive spot– Have they been there? I hope so– Nothing can tend more to ensure popularity than that Her Majesty should partake the national amusements & the natural curiosity of the more cultivated part of her subjects. Marianne speaks with her usual praise of Prince Albert & says that the Prince of Wales is perhaps the most beautiful baby in the kingdom—her word is still stronger—“magnificent.” The Princess Royal is delicate—but it is only teething—“a pretty little erect creature” are Marianne’s expressions respecting her—— I send the passage about dear Miss Barrett by to-night’s post to herself—so that she will comprehend your visit exactly—I earnestly wish she were well enough to admit the hope of her seeing you– At present she remains exactly as before—rising for about two hours at 2 or 3 oclock, & walking to the sofa—she used to be carried. Not to have receded during a winter that has been pronounced very trying for Invalides seems to me much—considering too the change in climate from Torquay to London– She has always improved much in the Summer—about July—& I cling to the hope that then some change of apartment may be effected—perhaps even carriage exercise– She used during the first summer of her residence at Torquay to be carried by her lost brother to the boat—the form of airing which involves the least fatigue– But after the catastrophe which to use her own affecting phrase “cost her her youth” that of course became impossible– The very thought would have been agony– I should recommend, if she revive as much as I expect, that Dr Chambers should be consulted (she has had no medical advice of any sort since her arrival in London) & then he will probably arrange for her some mode of life less debilitating than the lying constantly in bed. It seems to me that Mr Barrett, delightful person as he is, [is] shirking from any extension of acquaintance—at least I know that my friend Mrs Dupuy, although a West Indian Proprietor & formerly known to Mrs Barrett, has vainly attempted to make acquaintance with the family—our Miss Barrett went to Chiswick with me in Mrs Dupuy’s carriage, which circumstances & her intimacy with Mr Kenyon (a relation of the Barretts) seemed to give her a claim upon them so far at least as morning visiting (& her house is close by in Welbeck Street) might go– But it is clear to me that beyond his family connections Mr Barrett seems to dread all visitors– Lady Mary Shepperd who had known my Miss Barrett at Buxton wished much to renew the acquaintance & I told them so—but somehow the matter although not refused did not go on– This is a great pity– His daughters are sweet elegant girls. The one painting well—(she was taking lessons in oil painting from an artist when I was in Town)—the other they say an accomplished musician—& the sons are fine manly ingenious youths—the second called to the Bar– Should she survive it is my most earnest desire that you should become known to our Poetess—& of course your dear Mamma—& I cannot help hoping that if I were in Town you might see her with me—& the intercourse might certainly in that case would continue– However my dear love I rejoice to find that there are good hopes of one talking over that matter here. What a comfort it will be to me to see you again! Since your visit to Farley Hill I have not left my father for so long or for half so long in any one day as the two happy visits that I paid there. He is sadly out of spirits—& very feeble—& his eyesight fails him so much that I read to him during many many hours of every day, & all the evening—but his want of spirits renders it most difficult– During our cribbage playing—my reading—my talking he often moans for hours together– Mr May comforts me by saying that there is more of habit than of suffering—but what a trial it is to bear, & how difficult to bear up under with undiminished cheerfulness I leave you to imagine– The entrance of the very very few whom he likes to see, amongst whom are you & your dear family, of course breaks this painful current of thought & controls its expression—but that, from his aversion to new friends and the loss by death or by absence (as in the case of dear Mr and Mrs Dowson) of the “old familiar faces” occurs now very rarely– I hope however that when the summer comes & he is able to get into the garden that he may be soothed & cheered by the sunshine & the flowers, & that when sitting in the air in the midst of gardening operations he will lose the perpetual attention to his own sensations which forms a great part of his present depression. Not a day passes now without his saying & repeating perhaps a hundred times that he has but very few to live—only yesterday he came into my room to take leave of it—& blessed me at night “for” he said “the last time–” Oh my dear love! How difficult it is to be cheerful when this is repeated hour by hour & day by day by the one dearest upon earth!– Well, I will no longer sadden you with my secrets– Thank you again & again for Hayley’s delightful book—delightful in spite of much mannerism & some affectation– I have been reading also Miss Seward’s Letters—which dear Miss Barrett happened to possess—& I confess with strong interest—so does she– I want to meet with Hayley’s Life of Milton & Life of Romney—his volume of tragedies (not Marcella & Lord Russell which I have in the 6 volumes of his Poems) his Dialogues on Johnson & Chesterfield & his Essay on Old Maids. Doubtless they will turn up. Have I your leave to retain the Autobiography till we meet? Tell me if you want it quite frankly. I have been reading to my father (who knew her brother Admiral Burney) the first vol. of Madame d’Arblays Diary. It is very amusing & never did Johnson appear so amiable. Mrs Thrale too is charming in her vivid sympathies but I confess that I dislike the writer– Dr Burney’s daughter at 27 had no right to be so shy– To me indeed the timidity is all overacting—a form & a very bad form of vanity. If Mr Serjeant Talfourd have kept a journal the author of Ion will form a complete |pendant| to the authoress of Evelina.– Heaven bless you my dear love. My father’s respects to all—& my most grateful ones.
Ever yours
MRM
Address: Miss Anderdon / 24 Bedford Place / Russell Square / London.
Docket, in unidentified hand: Mdme. D’Arblay / Johnson, Mrs Thrale.
Publication: Chorley, I, 202–205.
Manuscript: Yale University.
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