FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98  
99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   >>   >|  
to think severely upon Dr. Scully's candour with me as to the danger of the journey. He _does_ think it 'likely to do me harm;' therefore, you know, he was justified by his medical responsibility in laying before me all possible consequences. I have considered them all, and dare them gladly and gratefully. Papa's domestic comfort is broken up by the separation in his family, and the associations of this place lie upon me, struggle as I may, like the oppression of a perpetual night-mare. It is an instinct of self-preservation which impels me to escape--or to try to escape. And In God's mercy--though God forbid that I should deny either His mercy or His justice, if He should deny me--we may be together in Wimpole Street in a few days. Nelly Bordman has kindly written to me Mr. Jago's favourable opinion of the patent carriages, and his conviction of my accomplishing the journey without inconvenience. May God bless you, my dear dear friend! Give my love to dearest Annie! Perhaps, if I am ever really in Wimpole Street, _safe enough for Greek_, you will trust the poems to me which you mention. I care as much for poetry as ever, and could not more. Your affectionate and grateful ELIZABETH B. BARRETT. [Footnote 57: _Poetical Works_, iii. 186.] CHAPTER III 1841-1843 In September 1841 the journey from Torquay was actually achieved, and Miss Barrett returned to her father's house in London, from which she was never to be absent for more than a few hours at a time until the day, five years later, when she finally left it to join her husband, Robert Browning. Her life was that of an invalid, confined to her room for the greater part of each year, and unable to see any but a few intimate friends. Still, she regained some sort of strength, especially during the warmth of the summer months, and was able to throw herself with real interest into literary work. In a life such as this there are few outward events to record, and its story is best told in Miss Barrett's own letters, which, for the most part, need little comment. The letters of the end of 1841 and beginning of 1842 are almost entirely written to Mr. Boyd, and the main subject of them is the series of papers on the Greek Christian poets and the English poets which, at the suggestion of Mr. Dilke, then editor of the 'Athenaeum,' she contributed to that periodical. Of the composition of original poetry we hear less at this time. _To H.S. Boyd_ 50 Wi
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98  
99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

journey

 

letters

 

Barrett

 
escape
 
poetry
 

Wimpole

 
written
 

Street

 

confined

 

Browning


invalid
 

original

 

intimate

 

friends

 

composition

 
Robert
 

unable

 

greater

 

absent

 
London

returned

 
father
 

finally

 

regained

 

husband

 

outward

 

events

 
record
 

papers

 

series


subject

 

beginning

 

contributed

 

summer

 

Athenaeum

 

months

 

warmth

 

periodical

 

comment

 

strength


English

 

literary

 

Christian

 

suggestion

 

editor

 

interest

 
struggle
 

oppression

 

perpetual

 

associations