SD1834. Alfred Moulton-Barrett to Septimus Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 378 (in part).
Marseilles
19 July 1855
My dear Sept,
Many thanks for your kind letter of the 16th– I have not been a little astonished that the governor should have given me £30.—his princely beneficence meets with my thanks—by all means pay Harry £10—I believe it was much more & tell him that I should have paid it before had I not been pressed by other creditors—with regard to the rest would you kindly get some one to pay my Bill at Jaczet’s—High Street—Holborn—Boot Maker—& divide the rest between Brown—the Tailor and Angarde—the |Escor| of Tichborne’s– To Browne I believe is due £10—to Tichborne £9.6.8. & to the Bootmaker 30s/–
Respecting the real purport of your letter, you are by this time aware as to how the matter stands– I have written to the Governor, not according to my wishes, but out of regard to hers– She insisted upon my shewing respect to him who is nominally “my father” & so I wrote in such a strain, I thought best suited to allay the dreadful injury I was about to inflict– I regretted having to make such a parade, but what I regretted still more was the consequent annoyance it would create among you all– He has I supposed been outrageous—& his society necessarily disagreeable–
Before I gave you any information as to what is intended, it is but natural for me to insist upon knowing through whom you became possessed of your present information– May I ask whether it is Miss Sykes—because this will be the second time I shall have occasion to notice to her that I will never permit a person of her position or acquaintance to interfere with matters relating to me or mine–
From your desire that I should give you no particulars, I am debarred from replying to your argument– Suffice it to say—you are wrong in saying when the war ceases my income would be gone and my only possibility of gaining a subsistence would rest on the chance of my securing £120 a year– You are wrong in supposing that if that were so £120 a year would be all we should have to live upon—& respecting the £120 being required to meet the interest of the loan I can hardly see how that could be if no loan can be raised—& by our view of the matter is that it will not be raised & I shall be obliged to obtain a Bill of Health, if not an over clean one, from the court– However other arrangements are probable in that respect—which later we may speak of– At present I have to assure you that her property will be secured, that is when we are married, for her sole use & benefit & for her childrens—id est—if there are any– You ask me how I can afterwards look “R. Biddulph” in the face– I am not aware I ever owed him one farthing– R. Martin I suspect you mean—well if we were married, as I wrote to the Governor, I should be richer & not poorer—& that houses other positions you take against it– Since I should not marry, speaking of it in a monetary point of view, if thereby, I expended one farthing more money than I am forced to do now– This and the knowledge I possess that my prospects are improving, & not deteriorating, answers much which you have written–
One thing I must relate which has made me very angry & if I could find out who had been so grossly insolent, I would do my best to make them repent– I am quite sure when I tell you I shall have your sympathy & I am equally as sure you have far too much affection & gentlemanly feeling as to have taken a part in it– It appears that some one went to the Turners & told them that Lizzie was engaged to be married to me & that such marriage was highly disapproved of by every member of my family– Every one who had any thing in the world to do with that has not an atom of affection for me; because from circumstances which have come to my knowledge I believe it has been long suspected by my family how deeply attached I am & was to her–
Indeed I have learnt too many bitter lessons by “hear say” & you must not think me wanting in affection or gratitude to you for all you have done for me, my dearest Sept, if I decline to make any reply until I know the names of the parties who circulate matters about me–
In the course of my long engagment I have had to witness things done & said about her which have hurt me fearfully—it surprised me more, knowing that the party injuring was aware of my deep attachment—however I say this, and we both promise it, that the whole shall be forgotten entirely forgiven, provided there is no repetition–
I know this that nothing in the world can ever break the engagement & that nothing could have done it—the attempts, which were made, amused us both not a little– Lizzie, I must say foolishly got angry about it sometimes–
Thank you over & over again for one sentence of your letter—that you have confidence & affection in & for her– I assure you she is worthy of it—the steady devotion she has ever shewn to my wishes & the love which only a woman can possess brought about in me happier thoughts than any I ever had before– I turned over a new & brighter leaf of life– I have also to tell you that from the first moment she left Wimpole Street to the present she has spoken of you all & of the kindness you every one shewed her (save & except one or two childish tiffs which perhaps were more her fault than others) with a depth & sense of feeling which I am sure you would be glad to hear–
I am most grieved to hear you cannot get over your severe attack—change of air would do you more good than anything—a months residence at the sea side would not the Jennings get their cottage in order for you—if so you might live there comfortably for five shillings a day– Surely the governor would stump up a matter of Ten Pounds– Doctors fees in London would cost him far more—will not experience teach him wisdom– Is there any probability of your all going out of town—paterfamilias & all– A rum country house you would have of it—“no turning my house into a pothouse!!” “No muffin” as snotty nosed Jack says– I have now got a slack time of it—little to do—except to kill flies & gnats by the million– How does old Ocky get on with his painting– I heard some time ago that he had taken a double first at Billiards & Pool– For myself, I should not be surprised to receive instructions to go more easterly– I hope not as I have made myself very comfortable here & where I live with my retainer (which if I did not know to the contrary I should fancy to be the |Tiny’s| mother) on less than I did at the Hôtel—at this latter I have now a room in the 3rd story for my Bureau—an uncommon quantity of cigars are available at a half penny apiece—good Tobacco– You say “You be d—d”– I say “I’ll take my oath they are good.” I am nearly sure it was more than £10 Harry lent me. There were calls & other expenses he was put to on that ever memorable day– So get him to take £15 & lessen Brown by that amount– Tell B I will soon make it good– If Harry won’t take it, send |old| no such a thing to pay one of Harry’s beastly creditors & say nothing to Harry– It is gentlemanly to be in prison for debt but to be pestered by County Court Summons is high life below Stairs.
No! No! avoid all debt—better well bare-breeched than have a creditor– I am saving all I can–
Ever Believe me
Yrs very affectly
Alfred
Love to all—including cockeyed Jerry–
Address: Septimus Barrett Esq / 50. Wimpole Street / London.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Gordon E. Moulton-Barrett.
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