The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning   By: Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)

The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning provides a captivating glimpse into the private correspondence of one of the most famous poets of the Victorian era. Through her letters, Elizabeth Barrett Browning's wit, intelligence, and deep emotions shine through as she discusses a wide range of topics, from literature and politics to personal relationships.

Readers will come to appreciate Browning not only as a talented writer but also as a complex and passionate individual. Her letters reveal her struggles with chronic illness, her deep love for her husband, fellow poet Robert Browning, and her unwavering commitment to her craft.

The collection is well-edited and organized, offering readers a comprehensive look at Browning's life and work. It is a must-read for fans of Victorian literature, as well as anyone interested in the lives of literary figures. Overall, The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning is a valuable resource for understanding and appreciating this remarkable poet's legacy.

First Page:

The writer of any narrative of Mrs. Browning's life, or the editor of a collection of her letters, is met at the outset of his task by the knowledge that both Mrs. Browning herself and her husband more than, once expressed their strong dislike of any such publicity in regard to matters of a personal and private character affecting themselves. The fact that expressions to this effect are publicly extant is one which has to be faced or evaded; but if it could not be fairly faced, and the apparent difficulty removed, the present volumes would never have seen the light. It would be a poor qualification for the task of preparing a record of Mrs. Browning's life, to be willing therein to do violence to her own expressed wishes and those of her husband. But the expressions to which reference has been made are limited, either formally or by implication, to publications made during their own lifetime. They shrank, as any sensitive person must shrink, from seeing their private lives, their personal characteristics, above all, their sorrows and bereavements, offered to the inspection and criticism of the general public; and it was to such publications that their protests referred... Continue reading book >>