SD734. Edward Moulton-Barrett (father) to Samuel Moulton-Barrett (uncle)
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 368 (in part).
London
Jany 6. 1831–
My dear Sam
The external emblem of this Paper [1] will lead your mind to conjecture that its contents will be of a distressing & afflicting nature; too true indeed will it be realised, and much will it require of the divine comfort, for which I earnestly pray in your behalf, to support you under Heaven’s dispensation. It has pleased our God in His infinite wisdom to remove from her troubles & cares & pains & disease our beloved Mother, I trust in the all-sufficiency of the atonement of our Lord Jesus, to a rest, a peace, a joy in Him. Hers was indeed a lowly, meek & humble spirit & I believe is now exalted in the recompense of the reward found in him, who for our sakes became poor that we through him might be rich indeed. Let us not then mourn as those without hope and as our Great Example wept, thus submitting to the course of our nature, we may weep, but let it be after a godly manner, nothing repining at His Will, who only knows what is best for any of us– If she be taken out of the way from further troubles, let us bless God for it, if the days to come for us be of a more prosperous kind, which would have offerded [sic] her joy let us bless God in faith that the Measure of the joy she is now in possession of knows no alloy, without any variableness or shadow of a turning– Thus considering, may the God of all comfort, comfort you & your dear wife, my beloved Brother & make us all daily by the renewing of our minds the more & more fit for a blessed hereafter. As you will suppose my wounds have been again open’d at the lamentable event, but I must be taught by the Lord’s own discipline the full comfort of those words, “My will be done on earth as it is done in heaven”, then I shall be made a |meet| Partaker of the Communion of Saints, who know no other will than His. We must be prepared to leave or part with wife & Mother yea every thing or we cannot be his Disciples. The aweful [sic] Event occurred on Wednesday the 29th. Decemr. & was very sudden; It appears that the attack which terminated her precious life is the only one which has never confined her to her bed & consequently Trepsack did not think that there was any immediate danger. I was not with her. I left my dear Children with whom I staid one night after communicating the event tolerable, with the exception of our dear Ba, who alarmed me much, but He, who in judgement, remembers mercy, has come to our aid & I hear daily better accounts of her. Dear Trepsack bears up wonderfully & has performed all that the tenderest Sister could do to a friend she loved unceasingly– I mean to have the honored remains placed where you or I or others, should better days come to us, may remove them so that we may mingle our dust together, but this is after all of little moment only that it alleviates a little |portion| of human grief– God bless you both & make his presence known to you specially on this occasion & cause you to lean upon Him, who careth for you, who will send his comforter unto you, & remove every troubled woe & misery by fixing & staying your mind on Him who has conquered Sin & ere long the last Enemy Death must fall before him, then we shall be restored to each other & sing his praises the Great, the mighty Captain of our Salvation, throughout all ages–
Yr very affectionately my dear
& affected Brother
E M Barrett
Trepsack will send the necessary things for you & your Wife.
Address, on integral page: S. M. Barrett Esqre. / Cinnamon Hill / P. O. Little River / St. James’s / Jamaica / Pr. Pk.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. Black borders.
___________________
