SD221. Mary Moulton-Barrett to Arabella Graham-Clarke (grandmother)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 1, 315 (in part).
Hope End
Sunday Feby: 19th 1815
Finished Monday.
My Ever dearest Mother/
This long sheet, borrowed from Bro, the only one I can find, will promise you I fear, that Amusement which I cannot enable it to perform; Your dear letter the night before last, tho’ it did not afford me all the satisfaction I could wish on my dearest Father’s acct, still keeps up my hopes, that I shall soon have the confirmed happiness of hearing that he is at liberty, tho’ I believe it ought to be more comfort to know that he is prudently not exposed to the changes of the weather, so bad for him: indeed vy. dearest Mother I grieve to think of all he has undergone from that Accident, & of your Anxiety & uneasiness—however it is a Comfort to us all that he bears his Confinement so cheerfully, & I trust in God, that all the good we can desire will accrue from it. All you say of your journey here, seems only to add to my Anxiety about it—indeed I dream night and day upon this subject, so impatient am I to have it determined, most particularly as it seems to rest on my dearest Fathers ability to travel, for I will fondly believe, that as soon as his leg permits the journey, he will offer no objection to indulge us in the real happiness of seeing you here: I do not think we shall go from Hope End till May, and shall go from London to Paris in June. E. does not now intend being absent so long as a year which I am glad of, as I do not wish a pleasure to put on the painful character of a banishment, but all my Anxiety just now turns on the theme of your Coming: if my Father can Contrive to be well enough by the first week in next Month, the weather will then be improving, & we might enjoy two Months of your dear Society, which however short a time compared to what our wishes wd. make it, still would be very delightful, and give me wonderful Spirits to leave England. Most sensibly did my heart feel your kindness, in respect to the Children. You well know dearest Mother, the Extreme Satisfaction it would be to me to leave them with you, but I fear an Arrangement was made some considerable time ago between Edward & his Mother, which will prevent that, however at present, Dearest Mother, I can have little more to say on the Subject than to offer our most sincere thanks for your kindness, & to express my hopes that we shall soon meet to talk it over—Little Bell has really been quite well for the last fortnight, & is looking beautiful—but she never comes out of the Nurseries: I have literally been Nurse to my Baby for the last week, as his Nurse was obliged to go, and I have not ’till today been able to supply her place with a plain looking old woman from Ledbury who I hope will turn out compatably, as all Mary’s Exertions could not contrive to do with two almost in Arms: tho’ I hope in a little time to do, without this assistance: John and Mary complied with Mr P’s wishes to have them at Kinnersley this week, but now he is going to Frocester, & in a day or two I hope to see them here—poor dear Jane thought she was going away for two or three days, & has staid a Month: I was particularly sorry she was not here last Monday as we had a party to dinner—& there is no parallel for this Event in the records of Hope End, for the last 4 years. Lord Somers, Mr Higgins, The Kearneys, The Commeline family and with them Mrs Weller, & Mr Parkhurst, a friend of James’s—the Commelines & friends staid all night—most lavish they all were of admiration of the house & its furniture, which are indeed very unique & striking: I long for you to see them: Ld. S. did not go away till two in the Morng—he was in the Country only for a day or two. This glimpse at society, has left us since as quiet & contented as usual. Edward has been to Hereford on a County Meeting on Corn, the Expiring Groan I hope of his troublesome office, tho’ they are in a dilemma about the new Sheriff Mr. Foley, who is at Rome: John was not there, but E. saw Mrs. RP. who continues in the hourly Expectation of being confined, an Expectation of six weeks standing. Sam has written to decline coming here till the a<rriv>ing Spring makes the solitude of <Hope End mor>e agreeable. We were greatly sur<prized> to hear last Night that pale Sam & Mr. Wheatley are gone to Paris from motive of necessity, and that Margt is gone to pay a visit to her Father, before she joins her beloved in France—it strikes me as possible you may not know this, & that their Servts are all discharged. The Ridleys are come to Gloutr and Elizth has offered to come here on the 2d March to bring Richd Bell who will be with them, to spend a week with us. Bessy Bell marries Mr. Ramsden to the delight of all parties. I hear a curious acct of Ld & Ly Byron. She is out every Morng. at Nine, he lies in bed till 2, takes laudanum & chews tobacco, all night. Dear Jane Enclosed to us your Dear Notes to the Children, which were great delights to them, & kept them up an hour later than usual to decipher them. James’ was very amusing, tho’ Hentta pronounced it to be “Samifully written, & all blots”—I long to see John to have a more particular Acct of you all. Ba has not written much poetry since we came home. Milton had not always the faculty, nor can we Expect it in this humble little Votary. I send you one to little Sam on his birth day Jany. 13th 1815.
“Oh Come fair Muse, Oh raise thy fondest strain
Come let us hear thy plaintive Voice again
Now haste, & Celebrate this jovial Day
Throw out our merry strains, let’s jump & play;
Three years have flown now o’er thy glossy head,
Three years! And Ah! how quickly have they fled.
The fourth—be early wise, and truly good,
Ask of thy bounteous Maker, sense & food
Accept sweet Sam, these wishes on thy birth,
From her, who loves thee well, as any on the Earth;
A Brothers sent—Most sweetly to beguile
And cheer thy birth day, with his infant smile
O Welcome little Babe; I welcome thee
And trust thou’lt some time give thy love to me!
May we live happy in each others love
And bless our Parents ’till we rise above!
Here pause my Muse! here hush thy golden lyre
For Currant wine* must quench celestial fire!
*A Customary birthday treat.
How I wish this Spring like a gleam of Sun was cheering you all on yr. journey here! I am delighted to hear of dearest James’s attention. Loves & kisses to dearest <Fath>er you Lotte & James. Ever my dearest Mother
Your most affecte
& grateful daug.
MB.
Pray let me hear very soon of my dearest Father
We have an application from Mr Monro & Mrs Green for her Eldest Son, who is going to Jamaica in a Musical Capacity, will you tell him that we will do all we can thro’ Mr Scarlett for him & hope he may certainly succeed; it will be advisable to charge highly. We are all quite well—Will you call when you or Lotte go to Jane.
Address, on integral page: Mrs. Graham Clarke / Fenham / Newcastle on Tyne.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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