SD677. Charlotte Butler to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 361 (in part).
Garryhundon
Saturday Morning [?25] [October 1828]
As I know Fanny has written very lately to dearest Elizabeth—my pen now addresses itself to you, my beloved Henrietta; tho’ my heart Equally turns to all with that fervent solicitude which no words can utter; mingled with constant prayers for the solace and Aid of the Great Heavenly Comforter to sustain your otherwise Sinking Spirits, through the Afflicting Calamity with which it has been the good pleasure of the Lord to try your faith and trust in Him; and in His love—which has seen fit to bereave us of the Angel Being whom we now all mourn in Common, only to give her the rich reward of His glorious promises, so freely made to all, who, like her, have worshipped Him in Spirit and in truth!– What tranquilizing, what soothing thoughts are such as these to her sorrowing children, who, from their Cradle have been led by her gentle and pious intructions to Obey His Commandments and Walk in His Ways, teaching their hearts the righteousness of His judgments and the Christian like duty of submission to His Mighty Will in all things! and while you are now setting forth the principles of true religion, thus early instilled by the tender Voice of Maternal affection, by steady endeavors to hush all vain murmuring in a patient abiding of the Lords decree, is it not a cheering & comforting hope and belief, that you are offering the best tribute to her adored memory, by following her own sweet precepts and Example and assisting to support the Anguished Mind of your remaining beloved and afflicted parent?– Oh! grievous and appalling as is the trial, let us curb our selfish and rebellious feelings—try to forget them in the tender recollection of her exemplary life of useful and rare excellence; stimulating us to all that is good; coupled with the blessed truth and belief that this departed treasure so lived to improve the talents committed to her care in this World is to gain for her the realization of those precious and Welcome Words, “Well done, thou good and faithful Servant, Enter Thou into the joy of Thy Lord.”
How anxiously I await and how thankfully I receive every word of assurance that your poor sorrowing hearts are beginning to revive and regain some little composure, you may easily believe, my Sweetest Henrietta, for my thoughts are never absent from your house of Mourning. Would that I could personally prove my earnest Affectionate care for you all! but I am satisfied the fervency of your wishes to console each other & your united endeavors to alleviate the painful efforts of our beloved Bell will with Gods special grace, act powerfully to establish that inward peace which the World Cannot give– My two sweet little pets Endear themselves to me if possible, more & more every hour, but do not in any Way resemble each other– Babys light hair, blue eyes, & fair red & white complexion, being strongly opposed to the Cunning dark Eyes of her funny little brunette sister Arlette—who is quite an original & keeps every body in order I can assure you– That I may soon have the blessing of shewing them to you is a hope I cannot yet relinquish as we all here fondly cling to the idea that your dearest Papa will still kindly grant our petition by bringing as many as he can himself— or Suffer some of you to accompany dearest Bell in her journey here whenever she can happily or comfortably undertake it– Give my most affectionate love to dearest Ba—tell her I will write to her in a little time when I may hope to say something to amuse—any attempts to console beyond the suggestions of her own pious mind I feel to be impossible, so well do I know it to be stored with every good and strong religious principle—to dearest Bro, too, & Arabel say every thing for me[.] We are all such comm[on] partakers in this Common grief that to enumerate individuals is impossible[.] Let us therefore unite in Earnestly asking Gods blessing & grace to assist each other and to do His blessed will in all things that we may at las[t] be equally meet partaking of His glorious promises that he alone merits of our redeeming Saviour. Write me a few lines dearest Henrietta when doing so can afford you any Comfort, till then do not think of it—but, with Most Affectte Love to your dearest Papa who I trust is as well as we might expect under his Afflicting dispension[,] believe me Always
your fondly & Affectly
Attached
Charlotte Butler
Your uncle Richards anxiety about you all equals my own—he thinks or talks of little else—& desires me to tell you all with his sincere love of his extreme anxiety to have you all here– how is poor Minny?– Give my love to her– I know how she grieves——
Address, on integral page: Miss Henrietta Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
___________________
