University of Virginia Library

Elizabeth Barrett and R. Shelton MacKenzie
by
David Bonnell Green

Although the letters of Elizabeth Barrett to Shelton Mackenzie[1] printed here for the first time do not contain startling revelations, they characteristically display her thought and opinions, her humor, and her essential femininity,[2] and they do disclose the existence of an interesting early review of her work that has not previously been known.

The chances are strong that even after their exchange of letters Miss Barrett and Mackenzie never met,[3] for during her years of invalidism in London she went out infrequently and entertained few visitors. But she maintained an extensive correspondence, and it is likely that Mackenzie

wrote to her without prior introduction. He was a journalist and man of letters who after a varied career in England emigrated to the United States where he settled in Philadelphia and continued his literary work. Among his projects was a biographical dictionary of living authors, and it was in connection with this venture—never brought to completion—that he wrote Miss Barrett.[4]

The first letter presented is evidently not the earliest in their correspondence but makes clear enough what the course of it has been. Miss Barrett devotes the opening paragraph to her first translation of Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound and includes mention of the review of it that appeared in the Gentleman's Magazine.[5] This review is of particular interest, for unlike the brief, unfriendly notice in the Athenaeum—the only one hitherto known—it is encouraging and alludes to the shorter poems in the volume. The reviewer is plainly aware of the author's identity, and he treats her work with gentle enthusiasm.[6]

The question of who the reviewer might be is an intriguing if apparently insoluble one. Edmund Henry Barker, the eccentric classical scholar, who tried at one time to ingratiate himself with Miss Barrett, is a possible candidate, although no definite evidence of any kind links him to the review.[7] Miss Barrett always refers to the reception of the volume in a disparaging way, however, and words of praise from Barker, whom she did not like, may have been unpalatable to her.

If you think it necessary to mention the translation I will not oppose it obstinately—although, being the work of twelve days, printed without a name & never advertised nor reviewed, few persons, I believe, ever heard of it, & still fewer ever read it. To prove to you how thoroughly I repudiate & am ashamed of it, I will tell you that I have half finished a new version of the same tragedy, in order to wipe off the blot on my poetical escutcheon.[9] I love poetry too well & Aeschylus too reverently, not to see as clearly as you must see, if you know the version, all its stiffness, baldness, coldness, & general inadequacy. But my object was a wrong one— —the attainment of a literal rendering;—besides the immaturity of power. The only review which noticed the attempt was I think the "Gentleman's"—& I think it was there, recommended to the junior idle scholars as a literaltranslationcramming book. Inglorious glory! But the version is, in fact, tolerably close & accurate,—&, for the rest, intolerable.

As to scholastic & anonymous matters, I do not know whether such a trifle as my papers 'On the Greek Christian Poets' which appeared in the Athenaeum of either last year or the year before (I fancy last year) would meet your purpose to hear of.[10] They are in plain prose, with poetical translations from the poets, & are without my name,—but they drew some attention, & have been referred to in general reviews of my writings—

I thank you much for what you kindly & encouragingly say of America,— & indeed the Americans have been very kind to me, & not only at New York & I felt it to be a kind as well as honorable concession when a New York bookseller agreed to print in the best types & paper (paying for the privilege) a work which might be snatched out of his hand by the bookseller next door & printed as a tract.[11] For if they took liberties with your 'Titian,'[12] dear Sir, you must consider the state of the copyright here, &

how the trade is surrounded by temptations to piracy, & undefended in its attempts at honesty. In fact, if the wrong is to English authors, the ruin is to American authors, who behold themselves superseded at their own hearthstones.

I am taking a great liberty in writing more than a simple answer to your questions;—I return to them.

It gave me too much pleasure to receive Mr. Leigh Hunt's gracious praise,[13] for me to object to your referring to it. I was born in the county of Durham, but spent the greater part of my life, & from my infancy, at Hope End, Herefordshire, close to Malvern— As to dates, I never could remember one in my life — I am constantly forgetting the Annus Domini & doubting myself into the middle ages. I am afraid I must be past thirty by three or four years—but your readers will not care "too curiously to enquire" which;—and your "living authors" of the feminine gender, in general, will not, I fancy, on such a point, combine to afford you information of such unlimited frankness—

You will decide, as you see best, on the mention of the 'Prometheus'. I am ashamed of this abundance of light words, & beg to remain, dear Sir, with much esteem.

As the foregoing letter indicates, Elizabeth Barrett took a lively interest in the United States, an interest warmly reciprocated by many Americans.[14] And the second letter gives further evidence of her concern with American literary affairs. Cornelius Mathews, of whom she speaks, was along with Poe one of her most enthusiastic admirers and worked diligently on her behalf.[15] Her sympathy and gratitude does not, however, exclude an astringent sense of the realities, and her remarks are properly balanced.

I must trouble you with a line in which I thank you for the kind opinion you have expressed to me of my poetry. To give me credit for truth & earnestness in it, is not more, I may venture to say, than is due to one who has lived in her art from childhood to this day, & who has tasted in it her sweetest experiences . . . . . she might almost say her only very sweet experiences;—of life under the earthly aspect. It is true of me indeed that I am an earnest writer,— that I write from impulse & conviction of heart & mind,— that my faculty, whatever it be, angel or demon, rather possesses than is possessed by me. I thank you for giving me credit for that quality of truth in my poems, without which I shd. be less than I am.

Mr. Horne's notice of me was kindly intended & written,— but there was no attempt in it at analysis of the character of my poetry.[16] The Quarterly did not please me, I confess, very well—[17] It is difficult, you know, for a reviewer to please his subject. The North American Review was something fuller—[18] but the attempts at critical analysis in respect to me, have certainly not found any particular favor in my sight. My last volumes having, according to my own impression far more maturity of mind & power in them than the 'Seraphim' book, I am presumptuous enough to hope for

more fulness in the judgment likely to be held on them & there has yet been only time for a gust of newspaper criticism, ruffling the leaves,—[19]

Your observations upon American literature are precisely suitable, I think, to the case, —and I particularly agree with you on the matter of its being no compliment to be called the 'Mrs. Hemans of America'. That Mrs. Sigourney shd. have been ruffled at all by your remark, proves . . does it not? . . the American view of things,— & their ignoble indifference towards their own individuality in letters? If you never read a little volume of poems "On Man" by Cornelius Matthews of New York,[20] I wd. recommend it to you as a rare instance of exception from the ordinary smooth run, on a beaten road, of American poetry. It is defective in grace,— & perhaps in clearness,— but it is strong & bold & suggestive, &, as a transatlantic production, is on those grounds, a curiosity. When Mrs. Sigourney was in England she did me the honour of writing a letter to me once,— but I am not acquainted with her otherwise, either personally or by correspondence.[21]

I hold that Dr. Channing & Emerson are the two greatest names for letters which America has yet given us. Add another,— Cooper's,—

Which reminds me that I am preparing to read your 'Titian' with the advantage of a personal association,— I am very fond of romances,— and the class called 'ArtNovels,' is full of interest to me. How I shd. have lived so long without the knowledge of your 'Titian' I do not know,—but I remember sending for it to the library in vain, when it was first published.

Allow me to remain, dear Sir, with sincere wishes for your prosperity in & out of literature,

Notes