SD717. Samuel Moulton-Barrett (brother) to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 365 (in part).
[London]
Friday Feby 26th 1830
My ever dearest Henrietta
Papa arrived here quite safe on Wednesday morning, only very tired; I think he looks remarkably well, I am glad he left you all so well, minus Ba’s cold, but by her letter yesterday she said it was quite gone; Many Many thanks for all your handsome presents—the drawings really are beautifully done, you blame me for not mentioning Bro’s last book of caricatures, which if I did not mention, most likely, I could not have found words to express, how much they were admired; the last one’s you sent really are capital, they now lay on the drawing room table with Arabells Tray, & your visiting book, which is really too magnificent for me to make use of so I leave it there ready for inspection, & I am sure nobody can fail to admire it, the Portfolio is also there; & the Paper Stands on the Mantlepiece, Arabell really has improved in her drawing & I am sure she must have grown quite witty, many thanks to dearest Ba for her fortune telling card, but tell Miss Ba she has never answered my letter according to promise, Granny sends her very best love to her & desires she will not study so much Latin, Greek &c, and Gran[n]y says she is not to be so high for she did not deign to answer that part of Treppys letter “whether she wanted any paper,[”] & if she does not write for every thing she wants, Gran[n]y will be very angry; Treppy sends her best love to Arabell & she says she is a very good girl and she is quite delighted with her drawings. The bread so far from being stale it is capital, Gran[n]y has dined twice with it, I am to return many thanks for it & likewise the Turkey; Ba’s books are gone to Mr Valpeys; Now that I have done returning thanks for all your presents, I must tell you what I have been to see; on Wednesday I went with Treppy to see the Siamese youths, they really are the [most] extraordinary beings I ever saw, they were very lively & appeared very fond of each other, they are learning to write; Treppy got them to write their names for her, which they did very well indeed, as they had only learnt a week, they are going to leave London very soon; and Yesterday I went with Treppy to the Docks to see Captn Davies’s Ship, it is a beautiful one, we dined in the Cabin, & just as we were done Papa came in, but he got some salt beef & buiscuits[.] I got up all the masts & sat in the cradle at the top; I saw all the ham[m]ocks and every thing that was to be seen, I got my hands covered with tar; I do not suppose I shall be able to shake hands with a Lady for a Month, is not that a shocking thing; I was, I am sorry to say, too late to see the Docks, but I am going next Tuesday to see them. Tell Bro that his old friend Lord Hastings is now Lord Huntingdon—he has lodgings in the same house as Mrs Hewit[t], he has taken his seat in the House of Lords. I shewed your pocket book to Mr Hutchinson & he laughed ready to split his sides at the engagements, he said he hoped you had not experienced any of the Matrimonial engagements, but it is done so well I really think Bro must have had some practice. I asked Papa if he had any messages and he said I was to give his compliments, Gran[n]y & Treppy join in best loves with me pro bono publico. I Remain
Your ever affectionately
Attached Sam–
Mind & do not forget to write——
The two or three last days have been beautiful, & I have seen the blue sky in London.
Address, on integral page: Miss H Barrett / Hope End / Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
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