Ol^otttell MmttEratta ffiihrarji 
 
PR4190.K5""""''™™"'"-"'"^ 
 
 Kind words from a sick room 
 
 3 1924 013 442 045 
 
Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of tliis book is in 
 tlie Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013442045 
 
KIND WORDS FROM A SICK ROOM. 
 
 ELIZABETH BARRETT BARRETT 
 
 (MRS BROWNING). 
 
 tRIVATELY PRINTED 
 
 (BY WILLIAM HUTCHISON : GREENOCK) 
 
 MDCCCXCI. 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 56 WiMPOLE Street, 
 January 18, 1845. 
 
 I return you, Sir, my very earnest thanks for the kindness 
 you have done me in addressing such gratifying words to me 
 on the subject of my own poems, and also, in placing yours 
 within reach of my attention. I take shame to myself in the 
 confession, that the first newspaper you sent to me, was sent 
 in vain for the verses — inasmuch as, being occupied at the 
 moment, and aware of the usual worthlessness of poetical 
 insertions in journals, I was satisfied with barely running my 
 eye down the four sides, and with coming to a hasty conclusion 
 that the paper had been sent to me in mistake for another. 
 The verses I never once looked at, — after a glance at the 
 signature which said nothing. I tell you, you see, the whole 
 truth, — and as it has probably happened to yourself to throw 
 away a newspaper without examining the verses in it, I do 
 trust you will forgive my giddiness in the matter. This time, 
 I have read and considered, and I may assure you that it 
 shall never happen to me again, to throw aside unread any 
 poem with the signature "Heather" in connection with it. 
 The poem which I have read, is, to my mind and ear, full of 
 promise. It has individuality and significance, — there is 
 unity in the conception, — the writer can think and feel, and 
 has ideas upon art, and will have strength, I am inclined to 
 
believe, to take his stand upon nature, by the force of his 
 own mind and heart. What I least like in the way of 
 execution, (for the thought is beautiful) is the burden of the 
 whole — where the metre changes some sense of artiiice in 
 construction and defect in harmony seems to force itself on 
 the ear. Forgive me for criticising, but I speak the truth as I 
 see the truth. 
 
 Also I venture to bid you good cheer on the noble path 
 of the poet, if you continue in strength and hope to pursue it. 
 You will agree with me perhaps, that no pursuit in the world 
 demands a more entire devotion of the Being and of the 
 energies of the Being, than poetry does, and that it is not for 
 an amateur. 
 
 The expressions you have the goodness to use in relation 
 to my poems, give me pleasure, for which I thank you again 
 in concluding this note. It is delightful to know from your 
 testimony, and from testimony like yours, that although 
 separated very far from my own ideal, I am encouraged by 
 sympathy from without, to do better as I do more. 
 
 I remain. Dear Sir, 
 
 Yours with respect, 
 
 ELIZABETH B. BAEKETT. 
 
 Allan Paek Baton, Esq., 
 Pmalder Cottage, 
 
 Greenock, 
 Glasgow. 
 
II. 
 
 56 WiMPOLE Street, 
 January 29, 1845. 
 Deae Sir, 
 
 I beg you to allow me to thank you for the 
 honour you have done me in sending these poems, iu which I 
 seem to see the footsteps of no ordinary Faculty. The ' Strange 
 Fancy' shows power both of fancy and expression, and the 
 ' Go on, Poet ' a right sense of the poet's vocation ; which 
 is to the pointing finger as well as to the crowning laurel, and 
 to strong heartedness in either relation. I do not like so 
 much the ' Hurrah for the rain ' on account of a plagiarism on 
 Barry Cornwall's Lyric of Death. The ' Anatomical Sketch ' 
 again shows remarkable vigour. 
 
 Altogether, I must venture to repeat that the writer of 
 these poems has to my apprehension, a natural gift, which 
 justifies the most patient cultivation, and is likely to reward 
 the most painful — and that I wish to the soil beneath the 
 " Heather," — as much sunshine and dew as may serve to 
 brighten and refresh into life and observation, every latent 
 seed of beauty : and of truth, which is beauty still. 
 
 Yours in respect and sympathy, 
 
 ELIZABETH BAERETT BARRETT. 
 
III. 
 
 50 WiMPOLE Street, 
 May 28, 1845. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I hasten to reply to the request with which 
 you honour me, and beg to assure you that I should have 
 pleasure besides, in receiving your visit and making our 
 acquaintance personal, if it was not that my weak health makes 
 it necessary for me to live comparatively alone, and confined 
 for the most part to one room. It is my only chance for 
 being better ultimately, but I keep myself very quiet now, 
 and this forces me despite of courtesy to say that I cannot 
 see you as indeed I have to answer to others, day by day. 
 
 For the Newspapers, or rather, for. your verses in them, I 
 thank you much, as for those you have enclosed to me in your 
 last letter. The stanzas on Kennedy's Mill road struck and 
 pleased me so much, as being of a nature far above their 
 Newspaper sphere, that I looked about vainly for your 
 address contained in a mislaid note of yours, in order to write 
 to you on the subject and advise you to choose some worthier 
 medium with the public than a provincial journal, though it 
 were but a Magazine. And now you write to tell me that 
 you think of printing a book ! to which I wish all manner of 
 success : (to be in at the dawn of it with my good wishes !) 
 although you are prepared probably for the danger and 
 difficulty attending all publications of poetry. In general the 
 public will not buy, and the booksellers lock up their granaries 
 in expectation of a famine. Moxon even the poet's publisher far 
 excellence, as he is taken to be, refuses not only your book and 
 another one by an acquaintance of mine (which I heard of by 
 the same post as yours) but every form of M.S. poetry, except 
 under peculiar circumstances or I could offer my poor services 
 (although I do not know him personally) in trying to persuade 
 him to look into your verses. It is the same with many 
 
other booksellers — but you certainly would find one some- 
 where in London on the terms of your paying the expence 
 of it yourself — on no other terms I fear — and you are aware 
 perhaps that the expences are considerable and the chances of 
 repayment most unsubstantial. Altogether, if you would 
 take my advice, — and I trust it is not unpardonable in me to 
 offer it unasked — I should certainly advise you to delay, for 
 the present, the plan of publishing in an independent form — 
 and to wait and work and to teach the public and the book- 
 sellers of the public, the meaning of your name and poetry by - 
 by some of the best Magazines. If you could get your verses 
 accepted by Blackwood, and were to contribute regularly to 
 that periodical, you wouM be more successful, by the very act, 
 in attaining to the* popular ear, than by printing twenty 
 'separate volumes, which would cost you nearly a hundred 
 pounds, each publication of them, and perhaps after all drop 
 into oblivion from the publisher's hands. You forgive me for 
 speaking so candidly, I know — and I do assure you, that if I 
 venture it is for respect for you and not disrespect. One fact 
 I will mention to you because it is historical and relates to a 
 great name sacred to the esteem and admiration of both you 
 and me : to no less a person than Walter Savage Landor, — of 
 whom I have heard from one well informed, that of his volume 
 of poems, just four copies were sold in three years. I mention 
 this to prove that genius will not always save an author or 
 his bookseller — and though some of us are certainly more 
 fortunate, with less reason for being so, yet the risk is none 
 the less great or less prudently to be weighed — and I, in all 
 cases would advise a young untried poet to fledge himself 
 fully and try his wings, in some popular periodical so as to 
 prepare both himself and the public for future and material 
 intercourse on the highest terms ; and for no meeting as of 
 strangers — previous to the adoption of independent form and 
 utterance. 
 
 And now that I have spoken out all my wisdom to you 
 — such as it is — and I believe 1 have far more for the use of 
 
8 
 
 others than for iliy dvrn (which id a fait coafession)j I go on 
 to thank you for the pleasure I have had in the various lyrics 
 you have allowed me to read, and for that quiet little road 
 round by Kennedy's Mill first and chiefest. It is both sweet 
 and characteristic, and is remarkable for the individualising 
 power which I have observed in you ; and which encouraged 
 me to tell you ' a good fortune ' when first you crossed my 
 hands with the good silver in question. With every cordial 
 wish, I remain 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 Sincerely yours, 
 
 ELIZABETH B. BARRETT: 
 
 IV. 
 
 50 WiMPOLE Street, 
 February, 1846. 
 
 My Dkar Sir, 
 
 I am vexed on finding your note, to remember 
 that I omitted to answer it so long since, and when I waS 
 really so much obliged to you for the gift of your poems, and 
 felt so true an interest in your ultimate success : the silence 
 was bearing false witness against myself, do believe me. 
 Forgive me too. I have been absorbed a good deal lately, and 
 less by thought than by feeling ;* (which, as a woman, renders 
 me excusable if not cleared,) and thus while remembering 
 you and the poems, I forgot to write to you of them. At last 
 I write, and thank you and acknowledge the indications of 
 faculty which will, I trust, go on to manifest itself and carry 
 you on to the crowning place. If I feared for yout book — 
 
 * In 1846 she became Mrs Browning. 
 
from knowing something of the ways of the public and the 
 booksellers in reference to rising merit among poets, I am 
 sure I am more glad to hope for you now — only, the courage 
 you have acted by, you must not faint in, and to work is still 
 more necessary for all of us (of whom I myself am last) than 
 to print. I agree with you that there are signs of immaturity 
 in the Collection of Poems you have published, and neither 
 you nor I need scruple to make the admission when there are 
 also signs of a good grape through all the occasional acidity. 
 What is wanted is the labour in the vineyard — and " the blue 
 sky beudeth over all " for the rest. 
 
 It is ungrateful to your kind enquiry to forget to say 
 that my health is considerably improved through the mildness 
 of this extraordinary winter. 
 
 With sincere good wishes and sympathy believe me, 
 
 Dear Mr Paton, 
 
 Faithfully yours, 
 ELIZABETH BAEEETT BAEEETT. 
 
 19 Warwick Crescent, W., 
 Dec. 24, 83. 
 
 My Dear Sir, 
 
 I had only just I'eturned to England after an 
 absence of some months, and was on the point of starting for 
 the country, when your very kind letter with its enclosure 
 reached me : on returning I can have no more pressing 
 business than to thank you gratefully for your goodness as 
 shown in what you write as well as in the relic you send. I 
 shall not deprive you however, of what you so adequately 
 value, and restore it herewith, very gratefully, I repeat. I 
 
10 
 
 have so many letters by the author of this one, that- an 
 additional example is hardly needed : the same remark applies 
 to your generous offer of the copies of tliose early poems. I 
 myself possess them, and why should they be taken from so 
 kindly and appreciative a depository ? 
 
 Your name has very long been familiar to me, and the 
 presentation copy of poems of which you speak is still in my 
 Library. I can assure you that I was aware even before my 
 marriage, of the estimation in which your abilities were held, 
 and the belief in what they would eventually effect. If, as 
 you say, circumstances have militated against the more 
 effectual employment of these depend upon it "there has been 
 no perdition if some loss."# 
 
 Your sympathy with my own endeavours shall be always 
 duly remembered in connection with your care for what is 
 more worthy of memory ; and you must believe me ever. My 
 dear Sir, 
 
 Yours most sincerely and cordially. 
 
 KOBEET BROWNING. 
 
 Allan Pakk Baton, Esq., 
 Watt Monument. 
 Greenock. 
 
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