SD1794. Georgiana Elizabeth Barrett to Edward George Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 369 (in part).
1. Merrion Square East.
Dublin
December 15th 1854.
My dearest Edward.
I received your letter of Oct 30th safe and sound and hasten to thank you for it. It was very kind of you to write to Mr Turner respecting the extraordinary delay that has occurred about that deed; & [illegible passage].
Now with regard to the business part of your last letter; it is fortunate that our poor father, during his last illness was able to express his desires to you personally, since you find no trace of any directions or instructions amongst his papers. I can assure you that in desiring to carry out his instructions, as expressed to you, I am not influenced in any degree by the consideration whether in acquiescing in it, I may be more or less the gainer. It is only paying a proper respect and regard to him who could have by law enforced upon us those instructions, which he preferred to believe to our mutual honour. I am perfectly ready to carry out, so far as is in my power, the instructions of our father. As I understand that Mr James Feltham claims upwards of £12,000 from the Albion Estate, upon our father’s mortgage, and it might have been in reference to that mortgage he wished that you should have the £1.000 conditionally; as mentioned in your letter in June last; I should propose that you should take more that since unconditionally I presume that the Executors of Aunt Feltham would be satisfied if you and I (being the only parties interested in the matter after our Mother) were to give them a discharge and then they would not persecute you in law which from all I have heard they have every intention of doing.
Could we not then at the same time manage to make our deed out for all purposes, and I make over to you all interests in Jamaica and you make over to me, my Mother’s property. By this means would we not, in some measure, do “the pauperised lawyers” into whose clutches, if report be true, far too large an amount of the family property has already gone.
Regarding Pickford—he is a fabulous man, but in whose means the very large trade in warehousing is carried on by a party of capitalists—they have warehouses in every quarter of the town and in every town in England, but in which particular warehouse these Boxes lay, Miss Sykes has not told me. She only has instructed to me that she will hold possession of them until her claim is liquidated and very probably the Jew, Waring of Caroline Street, holds the warehouse receipt until the sum he advanced be repaid.
With kindest love
Believe me
My dearest Edward
Your affectionate Sister
Elizabeth Barrett
Aunt Ryves desires her best love to you.
Address: The Reverend / Edward Barrett / Alexandria P.O. / St. Ann’s / Jamaica.
Docket: 1855. Jany. 27 / Elizth.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
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