exquisite up to this point--and the sight of Saul in the tent, just
struck out of the dark by that sunbeam, 'a thing to see,' ... not to
say that afterwards when he is visibly 'caught in his fangs' like the
king serpent, ... the sight is grander still. How could you doubt
about this poem....

At the moment of writing which, I receive your note. Do _you_ receive
my assurances from the deepest of my heart that I never did otherwise
than _'believe' you_ ... never did nor shall do ... and that you
completely misinterpreted my words if you drew another meaning from
them. Believe _me_ in this--will you? I could not believe _you_ any
more for anything you could say, now or hereafter--and so do not
avenge yourself on my unwary sentences by remembering them against me
for evil. I did not mean to vex you ... still less to suspect
you--indeed I did not! and moreover it was quite your fault that I did
not blot it out after it was written, whatever the meaning was. So you
forgive me (altogether) for your own sins: you must:--

For my part, though I have been sorry since to have written you such a
gloomy letter, the sorrow unmakes itself in hearing you speak so
kindly. Your sympathy is precious to me, I may say. May God bless you.
Write and tell me among the 'indifferent things' something not
indifferent, how you are yourself, I mean ... for I fear you are not
well and thought you were not looking so yesterday.

Dearest friend, I remain yours,

E.B.B.

_E.B.B. to R.B._

Friday Evening.
[Post-mark, August 30, 1845].

I do not hear; and come to you to ask the alms of just one line,
having taken it into my head that something is the matter. It is not
so much exactingness on my part, as that you spoke of meaning to write
as soon as you received a note of mine ... which went to you five
minutes afterwards ... which is three days ago, or will be when you
read this. Are you not well--or what? Though I have tried and _wished_
to remember having written in the last note something very or even a
little offensive to you, I failed in it and go back to the worse fear.
For you could not be vexed with me for talking of what was 'your
fault' ... 'your own fault,' viz. in having to read sentences which,
but for your commands, would have been blotted out. You could not very
well take _that_ for serious blame! from _m