Correspondence

3473.  EBB to Elizabeth Clementine Kinney

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 20, 318.

Casa Guidi–

Friday. [?22] [September 1854] [1]

My dear Mrs Kinney

Robert went to you this morning in the hope of speaking to you– How long since we spoke to you last by the way! I have been unwell this week, (to say nothing of having had my head nearly pulled off by the excellent dentist, [2] which is not good for the nerves), or I should have gone over to you in some interval or other–

What will you say to me, dear Mrs Kinney, when I tell you that Robert went to you this morning to put off our drive tomorrow & engagement to Mr & Mrs Jarvis?. [3] The truth is that Mrs Sartoris has proposed to us to stay another day in Florence, & to spend the last evening (Saturday) with us. It was not possible under the circumstances to say ‘no’—( how could we?) and thus we are forced to throw ourselves on your goodnature for pardon & excuse for the breach of our engagement. We will go with you on sunday, if you please .. or monday, if you prefer it. Will it be the same thing to Mr & Mrs Jarvis, and to yourselves.?

So much I should like to ask you to meet Mrs Sartoris here. But she came to Florence under painful circumstances, & makes such a point of seeing only familiar faces while here, that I do not venture to listen to my own wishes on the subject.

I hope you are better pleased with the change of weather than I am, & that it does not affect your health much–

With our united regards to both of you,

believe me

affectionately yours

Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

The dentist is going to Rome on tuesday & is much engaged. But if you will go to him tomorrow between half past one & half past two he will receive you– His address is .. English Chemist’s, [4] 2d floor .. Via Tornabuoni.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. Dating based on EBB’s reference to Adelaide Sartoris. Letter 3472 indicates that she would soon visit Florence. We conjecture that she visited within a day or two and stayed over until Sunday, 24 September, her “last evening” being Saturday, the 23rd.

2. Levi Spear Burridge; see letter 3396, note 2.

3. Elizabeth Russell Jarves (née Swain, d. 1861, aged 40), daughter of Oliver Swain, a New Bedford bootmaker, and his wife Amy (née Russell), married James Jackson Jarves in 1838. They had three children: Horatio Deming (1839–83), Chevalita (afterwards Loring, 1844–83), and Flora Amey (1855–1947).

4. Henry Roberts, who is listed in Murray’s Handbook for Travellers in Northern Italy (1852) at 4190 Via Tornabuoni (p. 457).

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