f come all this
time? I have kept this letter to go back with it.

I had a proposition from the New York booksellers about six weeks ago
(the booksellers who printed the poems) to let them re-print those
prose papers of mine in the _Athenaeum_, with additional matter on
American literature, in a volume by itself--to be published at the
same time both in America and England by Wiley and Putnam in Waterloo
Place, and meaning to offer liberal terms, they said. Now what shall I
do? Those papers are not fit for separate publication, and I am not
inclined to the responsibility of them; and in any case, they must
give as much trouble as if they were re-written (trouble and not
poetry!), before I could consent to such a thing. Well!--and if I do
not ... these people are just as likely to print them without leave
... and so without correction. What do you advise? What shall I do?
All this time they think me sublimely indifferent, they who pressed
for an answer by return of packet--and now it is past six ... eight
weeks; and I must say something.

Am I not 'femme qui parle' to-day? And let me talk on ever so, the
proof won't come. May God bless you--and me as I am

Yours,

E.B.B.

And the silent promise I would have you make is this--that if ever you
should leave me, it shall be (though you are not 'selfish') for your
sake--and not for mine: for your good, and not for mine. I ask it--not
because I am disinterested; but because one class of motives would be
valid, and the other void--simply for that reason.

Then the _femme qui parle_ (looking back over the parlance) did not
mean to say on the first page of this letter that she was ever for a
moment _vexed in her pride_ that she should owe anything to her
adversities. It was only because adversities are accidents and not
essentials. If it had been prosperities, it would have been the same
thing--no, not the same thing!--but far worse.

Occy is up to-day and doing well.

_R.B. to E.B.B._

[Post-mark, October 27, 1845.]

How does one make 'silent promises' ... or, rather, how does the maker
of them communicate that fact to whomsoever it may concern? I know,
there have been many, very many unutterable vows and promises
made,--that is, _thought_ down upon--the white slip at the top of my
notes,--such as of this note; and not trusted to th