Victorian Superstar

I started thinking of Elizabeth Barrett-Browning as I reflected on the past year of my life this morning - not to be so vain as to think I have even a tenth of her talent, but because she became most famous after spending five years bed writing and fell in love.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to rest when we are ill and just do what it is we are actually able to do?

Elizabeth's writing made her famous and inspired Robert Browning to write to her:

January 10th, 1845
New Cross, Hatcham, Surrey

I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett, -- and this is no off-hand complimentary letter that I shall write, --whatever else, no prompt matter-of-course recognition of your genius and there a graceful and natural end of the thing: since the day last week when I first read your poems, I quite laugh to remember how I have been turning again in my mind what I should be able to tell you of their effect upon me -- for in the first flush of delight I though I would this once get out of my habit of purely passive enjoyment, when I do really enjoy, and thoroughly justify my admiration -- perhaps even, as a loyal fellow-craftsman should, try and find fault and do you some little good to be proud of herafter! -- but nothing comes of it

all -- so into me has it gone, and part of me has it become, this great living poetry of yours, not a flower of which but took root and grew ... oh, how different that is from lying to be dried and pressed flat and prized highly and put in a book with a proper account at bottom, and shut up and put away ... and the book called a 'Flora', besides! After all, I need not give up the thought of doing that, too, in time; because even now, talking with whoever is worthy, I can give reason for my faith in one and another excellence, the fresh strange music, the affluent language, the exquisite pathos and true new brave thought -- but in this addressing myself to you, your

own self, and for the first time, my feeling rises altogher. I do, as I say, love these Books with all my heart -- and I love you too: do you know I was once seeing you? Mr. Kenyon said to me one morning "would you like to see Miss Barrett?" -- then he went to announce me, -- then he returned ... you were too unwell -- and now it is years ago -- and I feel as at some untorward passage in my travels -- as if I had been close, so close, to some world's-wonder in chapel

on crypt, ... only a screen to push and I might have entered -- but there was some slight ... so it now seems ... slight and just-sufficient bar to admission, and the half-opened door shut, and I went home my thousands of miles, and the sight was never to be!

Well, these Poems were to be -- and this true thankful joy and pride with which I feel myself.

Yours ever faithfully
Robert Browning

And they were to be. Robert became the Browning in her name - her husband. Elizabeth grew stronger through the course of her marriage to Robert and their love is one of the most famous love stories in the history of English writing.

The two became like pop stars and even went on tour through the United States. Their fans were cult like and would dress in brown for the Brownings. Their writings continued to influence popular culture write up through the twentieth century - even inspiring one of John Lennon's last songs: "Grow Old With Me."


Lennon wrote this song basing it on two sources: Yoko Ono's poem called "Let Me Count The Ways, which she used Elizabeth's poetry to help her write; and Robert Browning's "Rabbi Ben Ezra," which begins:

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be...

Even if hard things happen in our lives, good people come to us when we need them most.