the
as thoroughly disused hand-writing, in the ... I fear ... still as
completely obsolete feeling--no, not so bad as that--but at first
there was all the novelty, and social admiration at the friend--it is
truly not right to pluck all the rich soil from the roots and hold
them up clean and dry as if they came _so_ from all you now see, which
is nothing at all ... like the Chinese Air-plant! Do you understand
this? And surely 'Ion' is a _very_, very beautiful and noble
conception, and finely executed,--a beautiful work--what has come
after, has lowered it down by grade after grade ... it don't stand
apart on the hill, like a wonder, now it is _built up_ to by other
attempts; but the great difference is in myself. Another maker of
another 'Ion,' finding me out and behaving as Talfourd did, would not
find _that me_, so to be behaved to, so to be honoured--though he
should have all the good will! Ten years ago!

And ten years hence!

Always understand that you do _not_ take me as I was at the beginning
... with a crowd of loves to give to _something_ and so get rid of
their pain and burden. I have _known_ what that ends in--a handful of
anything may be as sufficient a sample, serve your purposes and teach
you its nature, as well as whole heaps--and I know what most of the
pleasures of this world are--so that I _can_ be surer of myself, and
make you surer, on calm demonstrated grounds, than if I had a host of
objects of admiration or ambition _yet_ to become acquainted with. You
say, 'I am a man and may change'--I answer, yes--but, while I hold my
senses, only change for the _presumable_ better ... not for the
_experienced worst_.

Here is my Uncle's foot on the stair ... his knock hurried the last
sentence--here he is by me!--Understand what this would have led to,
how you would have been _proved logically_ my own, best, extreme want,
my life's end--YES; dearest! Bless you ever--

R.B.

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

Sunday.
[Post-mark, December 8, 1845.]

Let me hear how you are, and that you are better instead of worse for
the exertions of last night. After you left me yesterday I considered
how we might have managed it more conveniently for you, and had the
lamp in, and arranged matters so as to interpose less time between the
going and the dining, even if you and George did not go together,
which might