SD712. Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother) to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 365 (in part).
[London]
Tuesday December 8th 1829
My ever dearest Henrietta
As Henery Trant expects to go out of Town every day I cannot let this opportunity go by without writing a line to you; I am very sorry to say I cannot give you a better account of dearest Granny she has had a very bad night & Doctor Nuttall is just gone he has ordered her 18 Leeches on her chest, the London foggs affect her very much indeed, the Trants were here last night & she went to bed at 1/2 Past six, her breathing was so bad; the weather is now cold & foggy, the night before last we had a very hard frost. Henery & Dominick have been in Town about a week—they have just come from Sir Charles Knowles, they called there in their way to Town & brought young Knowles with them—I think he talks as much as ever, more if possible, he is gone out of Town again, he went on Saturday evening. I have been very gay indeed; last Wednesday I went to a Ball at Mrs Duns with Treppy, Miss Sterling & two other Ladys, I danced till nearly two; I think I shall soon set up a dancing school; but I did not dance “La Gallopade” for I am not quite so fashionable as you suppose; on Thursday I went to Dominick’s Hotel as he promised to take me to the West India Docks, but he was so busy he could not, so Henery took me to see the Panorama of Paris & Constantinople the latter was beautiful, but the former I did not like atall it was not well done, we dined with young Knowles at Dollys famous chop House on Mutton chops, they give you pewter plates & one Mutton chop at a time—they were capital; when you come to town I advise you always to dine there; On Thursday Granny said I might go if I liked it, with Henery Trant to see Kean at Drury Lane, so I went with Henery & I was quite delighted, the play was Othello, one of Keans best characters, we had to stand all the time the house was so full, we went in the boxes, for they said there was no standing room in the pit, Young was Iago—he acted beautifully, the Farce was the Brigand, but I thought it more like a Tragedy, the Play was over at twelve & I came away quite delighted for it really was a Treat, Henery walked home with me for he said he was afraid I should be Burked, for I was a very tempting young morsel for a Surgeon, & an eight Guinea touch for a Burkite, & by way of Keeping a plaster off his mouth he smoked a cigar back. I have not seen those Siamese youths yet but I am going very soon with Treppy, Henery Trant says that he went the other day, he saw them playing at chess with a Lady & they beat her, they are very clever & very lively, whilst one is talking the other will whistle, you must get Henery to give you the whole account of them. The Packet arrived yesterday, Monies is much the same & Rebecca quite well, but I suppose you have heard. I heard yesterday that Miss Boyd had left you, I as[s]ure you I felt very much for poor Bro, I hope he did not faint, and you did every thing to pacify him; I am much obliged to you for making that civil speech to her for me, I am certain you did it more genteely than I could have done it. I did as you desired me about the smelling bottle, & enquired about it but I could get no tidings of it, for not one of them had seen any thing of it; was the name of the shop Emanuels Wigmore Street?, when you write to Bumy ask her for I assure you I am a very bad hand at guessing; & if I was to go into all the shops they went into, it would take me at least two months. Have you found out any of those puzzles I sent you, or did Bro tell you them all, let me Know, I have got more if you want them; I have circulated yours through almost all this end of the Town, & it has not been found out once. What is the reason you do not write once a week, I suppose you are afraid your letters will become too common; I should write every week only Treppy says she is going to write & it would be of no use paying for two letters, last week she said several times she was going to write to Ba, but she was so busy that I do not think she wrote atall. I must write Ockey a little note to thank him for his jam, so you must excuse me. Give my very best love to the company in general, & ever remember me as your affectionately attached
Sam.
Mind & write directley [sic]. I do not claim acquaintance with your Bond Str Barber. I am sorry I have not time to write to any body else[.] I will write the first opportunity[.] give my best love to them all & return them many thanks for their letters & presents[.] Tell Stormy I will be much obliged to him if he will give Mrs Barker a Kiss and many thanks for her walnuts, they were very good. Give my best love to dearest Miney & tell her Gran[n]y is much obliged to her for her jam; One pot was broke but the jam not hurt.
Address, on integral page: Miss H Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
___________________
