[28 September 1837]. Browning, Elizabeth Barrett to Bordman, Eleanor Page.

              <***> & we have paid one bridal visit, & wd have paid more, if it had not been for the small pox. She is very very happy, I do believe, & Mr Hayes “the husband of her soul” looks happy too & appears very fond of her.

Mother Frederick was kind enough to come to the church at the time of the ceremony; but to the wedded wife [s]he has paid no visit, except in the shape of a beautiful black Parisian Mantilla, for a wedding gift.

Oh! how I do wish that she may be blessed by the Blessed God, & taught to be happy. People think in general that happiness requires no teaching. I think it does—& more than Sanscrit.

I am so glad that you have heard from our dear friend Mr Curzon. I mean soon again to write to him.

Have I not before an[n]ounced to you the birth of a new little cockney dove.? I am dreadfully proud of it,—& in consequence of its appearance I opine that there must be a development upon my cranium, of the organ of self-esteem. Everybody said that nothing alive cd come out of an egg rolled backwards & forwards every day under my fingers—& behold a little Dove!– It is just like a ball of floss silk (the effect of the rolling) & its present acquirements are confined to eating & drinking (which I am sorry to say it was not precocious in acquiring by its own act) & sleeping. As to sleeping, it combines all the talents of the seven sleepers in one! When it has eaten it sleeps! When it has drunk, it sleeps! When I have kissed it, it sleeps! When I have given it a lesson in flying, it sleeps! When the sun shines, it goes to sleep in it! And when the wind blows, it goes to sleep from it. In short, it very seldom has an eye open—& when it has, it is scarcely ever more than one at a time! This is no poetical license or exaggeration.

I am very glad to hear of all that you enjoyed at Herne Bay, & of Mrs Bordman’s & your own benefit from the excursion. I liked so much to hear of it!—and I was particularly interested in the account