2911. EBB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 19–21.
Florence.
May 1. [1851] [1]
I am writing to you, dearest Miss Blagden, at last, you see—though you must have excommunicated me before now as the most ungrateful of correspondents & friends– Do forgive what you can—and your kindness is so great that I believe you can, & shall go on to write as if you did. We have been in the extremity of confusion & indecision. Remember how the fairy princes used to do when they arrived at the meeting of three roads, and had to consider what choice to make– How they used to shake their heads & ponder, & end sometimes by drawing lots! Much in the like perplexity have we been– Everything was ready for Rome—the day fixed, the packing begun, the vettura bargained for. Suddenly, visions of obstacles rose up. We were late in the season. We should be late for the festas. May would be hot in Rome for Wiedeman. Then two journeys, north & south, to Rome & Naples, besides Paris & England, pulled fearfully at the purse-strings. Plainly we could’nt afford it. So, everything was stopped & changed. We gave up Rome .. & you .. and are now actually on the point of setting out for Venice .. Venice is to console us for Rome. We go tomorrow, indeed. The plan is, to stay a fortnight at Venice, (or more or less as the charm works) and then to strike across to Milan, .. across the Splugen into Switzerland, & to linger there among the hills & lakes for a part of the summer, so working out an intention of œconomy, .. then down the Rhine .. then by railroad to Brussels, .. so to Paris .. settling there .. after which we pay our visit to England for a few weeks. Early next spring we mean to go to Rome & return here, either for good (which is very possible) or for the purpose of arranging our house-affairs & packing up books & furniture. As it is, we have our apartment for another year, & shall let it if we can. It has been painted, cleaned, & improved in all ways, till my head & Robert’s ring again with the confusion of it all. Oh—that we were gone, since we are to go! When out of sight of Florence, we shall begin to enjoy, I hope, the sight of other things, but as it is, the impression is only painful & dizzying. Our friends Mr and Mrs Ogilvy go with us as far as Venice, and then leave us on a direct course for England, .. having committed their children & nurses to the care of her sister [2] at the Baths of Lucca meantime– We take with us only Wilson.
Do write to me at Venice, Poste Restante, that I may know you are thinking of me & excusing me kindly. If you knew how uncertain & tormented we have been. I wont even ask Robert to add a line to this, he is so overwhelmed with a flood of businesses—but he bids me speak to you of him as affectionately & faithfully (because affectionately) as I have reason to do. So kind it was in you to think of taking the trouble of finding us an apartment!– So really sensible we are to all your warm-hearted goodness, with fullness of heart on our side too– And after all, we are not parting! Either we shall find you in Italy again, or you will find us in Paris. I have a presentimental assurance of finding one another again before long. Remember us and love us meantime.
As to your spiritual visitor .... Why, it would be hard to make out a system of Romish doctrine, from the most Romish version of the s∙s. [3] The differences between the protestant version & the papistical are not certainly justifiable by the Greek original, on the side of the latter. In fact, the papistical version does not pretend to follow the Greek text, but a Latin translation of the same: it’s a translation, from a translation. Granting it however to be faithful, I must repeat that to make out the Romish system from even such a Romish version, could not be achieved. So little does Scripture (however represented) seem to me to justify that system of ecclesiastical doctrine & discipline. I answer your question because you bid me, but I am not a bit frightened at the idea of your becoming a RC, however you may try to frighten .. you have too much intelligence, & uprightness of intellect–
We do hope you have enjoyed Rome, & that dearest Miss Agassiz (give our kind love to her) is better & looks better than we all thought her a little while ago. I have a book coming out in England called “Casa Guidi Windows”, which will prevent everybody else (except you) from speaking to me again– Do love me always, as I shall you. Forgive me, and dont forget me. I shall try, after a space of calm, to behave better to you & more after my heart––for I am ever (as Robert is)
Your faithfully affectionate friend
Elizabeth B. Browning.
Shall I hear from you at Venice, Poste Restante?
Address, on integral page: A Mademoiselle / Madelle Blagden.
Publication: B-IB, pp. 19–21.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Year provided by EBB’s reference to the publication of Casa Guidi Windows.
2. Louisa Dick (1816–92), the eldest of Mrs. Ogilvy’s sisters. Casa Pierini is given as her residence in the subscription book of the English Church at Bagni di Lucca (ICS).
3. Sacred Scripture. We have been unable to identify the “spiritual visitor.”
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