SD738. Arabella Graham-Clarke (aunt) to Henrietta Moulton-Barrett
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 2, 369–370 (in part).
Fenham
Saturday. [22 January 1831] [1]
My dearest Henrietta
A letter from your dear Papa this Morning to James makes me very uneasy about my sweetest Ba and bitterly do I at this moment lament living at such a distance from you as to be denied the opportunity of immediately satisfying my mind on this and every other anxious point relating to your beloved Circle. he mentions the weakness she suffered some time previous to the recent affliction the Lord in wisdom has thought proper to send, therefore as I am aware of her strong feeling of love & affection for the dear departed one, I can only feed my anxiety with fears that she is seriously unwell. particularly as your Father further adds, that his last account gave him the tiding of her being able to walk a little in the passage adjoining her Room. Now dearest Henrietta do not let your kind heart longer deceive me, I am quite sensible of your Amiable Motive for having done so, but when I hear a different statement in an indirect way, my anxiety is much greater, and it gives me doubt respecting the general report that I receive from you respecting the health of your precious Circle. however great is My dearest Ba’s feeling on the late melancholy event, I am sure her strong faith in the Lord & her good sense will lead her to receive this dispensation with submission & resignation & instead of sacrificing the great blessing of health, & the happiness of her family to unrestrained grief. She will preserve her true religious character by testifying her readiness to submit to the Lord in all things. This loss tho’ great & one that is to be deeply lamented, cannot be compared to that she has sustained as from the natural course of time our dear Mrs Moulton could not have been spared many years where as your blessed Mother was taken from you in the strength of life and at the period you most needed her devoted care– I would not my beloved Henrietta by this painful allusion give you an unnecessary pang. I would only arouse my sweetest Ba from the state of feeling that I know she is reduced, & kindly admonish her to subdue it, by using proper exertion, which will not only soften her sorrow, but relieve her anxious Father & Family from great additional uneasiness on her account– We have had such a continued fog during this week I have scarcely been able to see out of my eyes or windows, which has not imparted cheerfulness to my Spirits & has likewise believe prevented me paying my daily visit to poor Jane who is now an inmate of a house in Newcastle for her confinement. it seems strange that I did not mention her in my last letter, as at present poor thing she is one of the weights on my mind expecting daily to hear the painful event has taken place. She suffers much just now from restless nights, pain in her face, & occasional spasms in her chest from which she cannot expect to be relieved until the treasure arrives; her spirits are tolerable, notwithstanding the shock they received by the sudden death of Miss Hide (Sister to Mrs Hedley & her companion.) We <…> spe<nt> <…> Christmas together at Mr Cuthberts only left her <app>arently well on Monday. & she died on that day week <…> Mrs Hedley supports herself wonderfully is quite composed & exerts herself to the utmost– Miss Uniacke was to have gone for a little time yesterday to her cousin Mrs Walker, but the weather is so bad, her journey over the Hills is necessarily delayed– I know not exactly how early in the Spring she may return to Ireland, but when she arranges her movements I will arrange mine, and proceed to Hope End where I would give all I possess to be at this moment—as I am inexpressibly anxious to see you all again and I shall have then time to pay you a visit before Charlotte comes to us. I have delightful accounts of her & from her. it has indeed pleased the Lord to restore her & she looks & is nearly quite well, she sent me the other day another supply of wood cocks & with them a cheerful merry letter. Not dreading either Mr O’Connell nor the |Hurlies|. who had visited every clergyman almost in their Neighborhood excepting Richard, of whom they said [“]we will not injure him, as we would rather give him a hundred a year than take one from him.” poor Lotte is very proud of this distinction & could not resist telling it– Old Mrs Fain has just left us this Morng after spending her christmas here. She is 89 & very infirm tho her faculties are still very wonderful. We are reading the Water Witch which is exceedingly amusing & some of the descriptions given with great taste. Poor Miss Tripsack [sic] I am glad the account of her is so tolerable. I should think she will be more comfortable in London than any where. Pray give my kind love to her when you write & pray entreat my sweetest Ba to eat heartily for my sake. & to try to amuse her mind as much as possible– I have written in haste having an opportunity of sending this letter to the post today– Thank you my kind affectionate Heny for your dear letter. May the Lord grant you every blessing and may peace of mind be speedily restored to my beloved Ba.
My affectionate to Ba Arabel dearest Bro Sam &c and ever dearest Henrietta
Believe me yr fondly attached
Bummy
My love to dear Minny
Address, on integral page: Miss Henrietta Barrett / Hope End / Nr. Ledbury / Herefordshire.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Altham Archive.
1. Date provided by postmark of 23 January 1831, a Sunday.
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