... though a few of us have escaped rather by a
caprice than a reason: and I am never called anything else (never at
all) except by the nom de _paix_ which you find written in the
letter:--proving as Mr. Kenyon says, that I am just 'half a Ba-by' ...
no more nor less;--and in fact the name has that precise definition.
Burn the note when you have read it.

And then I take it into my head, as you do not distinguish my sisters,
you say, one from the other, to send you my own account of them in
these enclosed 'sonnets' which were written a few weeks ago, and
though only pretending to be 'sketches,' pretend to be like, as far as
they go, and _are_ like--my brothers thought--when I 'showed them
against' a profile drawn in pencil by Alfred, on the same subjects. I
was laughing and maintaining that mine should be as like as his--and
he yielded the point to me. So it is mere portrait-painting--and you
who are in 'high art,' must not be too scornful. Henrietta is the
elder, and the one who brought you into this room first--and Arabel,
who means to go with me to Pisa, has been the most with me through my
illness and is the least wanted in the house here, ... and perhaps ...
perhaps--is my favourite--though my heart smites me while I write that
unlawful word. They are both affectionate and kind to me in all
things, and good and lovable in their own beings--very unlike, for the
rest; one, most caring for the Polka, ... and the other for the sermon
preached at Paddington Chapel, ... _that_ is Arabel ... so if ever you
happen to know her you must try not to say before her how 'much you
hate &c.' Henrietta always 'managed' everything in the house even
before I was ill, ... because she liked it and I didn't, and I waived
my right to the sceptre of dinner-ordering.

I have been thinking much of your 'Sordello' since you spoke of
it--and even, I _had_ thought much of it before you spoke of it
yesterday; feeling that it might be thrown out into the light by your
hand, and greatly justify the additional effort. It is like a noble
picture with its face to the wall just now--or at least, in the
shadow. And so worthy as it is of you in all ways! individual all
through: you have _made_ even the darkness of it! And such a work as
it might become if you chose ... if you put your will to it! What I
meant to say yesterday was not that it wanted more additional verses
than the 'ten per cent' you spoke of ... though it does perhaps ... so
much as