SD651. Charlotte Butler to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 356–357 (in part).
Garryhundon
24th March 1828.
Do you not think me very undeserving of all your love My sweetest Henrietta?—to Mary my long silence would at once Convict me; but you I know will judge my feelings by your own; dismissing thereby, all suspicious matter, for the Certainty of being always as tenderly beloved as ever—therefore without more apologies I shall merely tell you, you would have heard from me last Week had it not been for Mr Kavanagh’s stupidity who poor man! must have been half tipsy, when he sent me a Frank foreign & forgot to put his own name to it! (it was too provoking)—but it is high time I should thank you for your Sweet Consolatary letter wrote, my dearest Henrietta, so soothing and acceptable to my heart, that I dwelt on it longer than I can express—like you I will refrain from painful retrospects; it is now my constant endeaver only to draw from them, such thoughts, as will ease our minds with gratitude & love to that pure sense of Benevolence from whence our unnumbered blessings flow—and which promises happiness Everlasting to those who ask it in spirit and in truth– One of my present happiest thoughts is that of our beloved Bell being one of your dear party; and I thank God for it as I know it will do you all good while it is of special [1] service to herself & your dear Mama who with such an invaluable & experienced nurse added to all your tender care, I fervently pray will soon be restored to health and all her usual enjoyments. I wish dearest Henrietta I [2] could be allowed to act as family Physician! My prescriptions, if adhered to, would be given very gratuitously & found perhaps not very luxurious, as I should immediately advise “plenty of air & exercise; a few sea breezes; an occasional turf fire and a joyous meeting with all the friendly societies on Erins green shore!!” All this seems so cheap & practicable, that I am in hopes were it once tried it might bring me into great repute. So—good Mrs Muse pray vote for me, & try, if you & your coadjutators could persuade your patient, to coax a certain other dear, (tho’ refractory) person, of some importance in the household, into my way of thinking; and choose the most convenient season for putting it in execution, as it luckily happens, on that point, convenience alone need be consulted as the benefit would be equally great at all times tho’ of cou<rse sum>mer the more desirable—let it however be remembered that a proper travelling Suite be appointed—as proper Muses & other attendants cannot possibly be dispensed with!! Oh! My darling Harry! if I can get this first Wish of my heart accomplished, what a happy heart it would be!– <Sw>eetest Ba & Bummy, I know, would join you in fighting hard for me, against the obdurate foe; whilst I flatter myself the precious invalid would not refuse the trial of my healing art– How nicely you could all come together, with our own loved Bummy! who however, whenever she Comes, must not travel alone, & my heart is so fully set on the fulfillment of long made promises for you & dearest Ba, that at all Events, if we do not see one at least, it will be a grievous bitter disappointment both to your Uncle Richard & me—he loves you all as dearly as I do—& is Equally anxious to entrap you for a little into our quiet Corner of the world– My impatience too every day becomes greater to shew you my two little jewels; for such they are, & of the highe<st> price, you may be sure, in my eyes—tho’ to you, who are hourly surrounded by so many Equally dear pets, I am aware they have little beyound novelty to recommend them– Arlette is almost my constant Companion & a Merry funny little thing she is—tho’ her passion for books & flowers is so great, that She would willingly spend her whole day with them. While little Arabella Sarah Louisa grows more interesting every hour—& I must say at the same time very lovely & very like her Papa—in point of beauty, they tell me; leaving my poor “Arlette Mary” (as she calls herself) far behind—but you must come to judge for yourself– Pray tell dearest Ba with my affectionate love & a kiss had my frank allowed it—I should have interrupted her studies for a moment, but she had a fortunate escape for never I think had a poor M.P. the luck to send free such a mess of dullness as this– I must I think finish it by giving you an anecdote of the Roman Catholic priest of this parish—this you must know, is a terrible black lent—not a Morsel of Meat, thro’ the whole time & many days, not even an egg allowed—but as I could not quite relish this diet for my poor babys Nurse—I insisted on leave being asked of the priest for an Occasional meat– Who on the application being Made not only Absolved her from the Sin of eating meat three days in the week—but also, very Considerately & Obligingly volunteered the same to our gardener “in order” he said, “to save the family the trouble of providing for the papists!”—after this, no one can say it is not a very accom[m]odating religion at all events!! Dearest Bro[,] I hope[,] is quite strong & free from rheumatics & all the darlings well. Oh! that I could see them! Tell me a great deal about them all & particularly sweet Arabel, who I daresay is nearly as tall as yourself—pray Also remember Me Most kindly to dear Minny & Jane[.]
Pray write to me dearest Henrietta, but never again without telling me very particularly how your dear Mama and also how our dear Bummy looks & is—Your Uncle Richard & the young ladies, send a thousand affectte loves & kisses to you and every body with those of your most
Sincerely Affectionate
Charlotte Butler
Arlette says you must be an Irish woman yet—so she sends you a sprig of shamrock—with a sweet kiss!
Addressed and franked in an unidentified hand, on integral page: Carlow / March the twenty fourth / 1828 / Miss Henrietta Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
1. Underscored three times.
2. Underscored twice.
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