SD709. Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother) to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 364 (in part).
[London]
Friday October 20th 1829
My ever dearest Henrietta
When I recieved [sic] your letter I assure you I should have answered it immediately had not Gran[n]y told me to wait untill I had something to write about; I am sorry to say she is not quite so well, two days ago she had sixteen ounces of blood taken away, & I think she would be better if it was not for these horrid London foggs, which we are very seldom without now, & very hard frosts, to day is as cold as the middle of winter, all the confectioners are taking their ice in. Mrs Sterling tell Papa is a great deal better, I am going to dine there to day; she dined here last week & Gran[n]y told her she was getting quite handsome again. I went down to Oxford Street yesterday & saw the fire engines playing upon two houses that had caught fire through one of Gass [sic] conductors bursting, every thing was burnt & there was not a stone left standing, the inmates escaped, but not without being injured. I must now tell you of my gaieties, last week[.] Capt Davies came here & he asked me to go the next day with him to see the London Docks, I went to his house, but he came home so late I could not go with him, I dined with him & came back in the evening; Last Tuesday I went to a Ball at Mrs Kentish’s and came home at 1/2 Past three in the morning I danced all night; (fancy my dancing) there were thirty people there.– (Saturday) I left off yesterday to go & dine at Mrs Sterlings as I thought I should be late, Treppy could not go, as she had a cold & did not come down till 1/2 Past one, the fogg was so thick that coming home last night I was obliged to feel my way, there were several accidents in the city, this morning is as bad, & I am sorry to say Granny is just the same as yesterday, for the drawing room is full of fogg, but I hope when this clears off I shall be able to give you a better account, the Serpentine is frozen over, & in a few days I think it will bear. Dominick called here last Saturday, but we have not seen him since, so I suppose he is either very busy, or else he is gone out of Town, if he is gone he is very shabby not to let us know. William Hewit is in Town, he has been travelling in France & he is come home quite tired, he says he has taken a cottage near the Regents park & is going to furnish it. My master is just come so you must excuse me for a minute. This is the second time that I have been interrupted in this letter, but I hope I shall be allowed to finish it now without again being stopt; my master told me that the curiosity has just arrived from France of one body with two heads, Treppy means to go & see it when it is shown but the King is to see it before any body takes away a part of the curiosity, by seeing it before his Majesty; they have four hands, & play at draughts with any body, they learn any thing very soon, I should think it is the greatest curiosity that ever was shown. I shall go to day to Warrens Hotel about Bumys smelling botel [sic], I should have gone before but I have not had an oppottunity, I begg leave to state that Miss Barrett never mentioned it, if it is not Warrens Hotel where it is left let me Know. Mind & write directley [sic] for it is now more than a fortnight since I last heard.
Give my best love to Hockey & tell him I begg his pardon for not having returned him thanks for his apple before we had it on the mantlepiece for more than a month as a curiosity, the ladies admired it particularly.
Best love to all.
You ever affectionately Attached
Sam.
Do not shew this it is so badly written. [1]
Granny & Treppys best love.
Address, on integral page: Miss H Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
1. Underscored three times.
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