ABSTRACT
First publ. Oxford (v 492–3) as ‘Epigram on Justina Deffel’. The lines occur in a letter of 30 Apr. – 1 May 1853 from EBB. to her sister Arabella recording the visit of Justina Deffel; she was the daughter of John Henry Deffell [sic], ‘a Barrett family friend for many years’, who killed himself by drinking prussic acid on 28 Oct. 1847 (EBB to Arabella i 216 n.35): ‘Arabel—I had a visit the other day from <Justina Deffel>. She is not charming, you know, .. she abused Italy, depreciated art, climate, scenery, in the most trenchant way—swore that all the trees were pollarded!—!!!!!—Do you understand how Robert was all but uncivil to her after that? It was the way, the manner, the tone of voice. Oh, he took such a hatred to her—he “never saw such a hateful woman in his life” … Think of the magnificent chesnut forests being pollarded, every tree of them!! Robert would have pollarded the lady, if he had had his own way’ (ibid., p. 574 [Deffel’s name obliterated, probably by Arabella]). Towards the end of the same letter EBB. adds: ‘By the way here’s Robert’s last word of crossness against her—he wrote it in pencil & threw it to me, promising that he wdnt. be cross anymore.—’ (ibid. 578): EBB. then quotes the lines. How much upon a level Lie these expressions two— We see just-in-a Devil What we see just in you.
