2937. EBB to Eliza Anne Ogilvy
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 94–95.
[London]
[ca. 15–] [20 August 1851] [1]
<***> the water cure so tragically, that he took fright & his passage to England. In the course of the water cure, said M. de Goethe, he would have committed suicide several times if he had’nt had friends by him to hold his hands; and though the cure was complete, the risk was tremendous. A Wertherian recommendation which failed with our friend from America. [2] His plans seem unfixed still. He may stay a week, or two or three weeks in London—and he likes it, he says, for the sake of the continual “twilight”. Now he & I always agreed about a half light being better than a whole—but this sort of twilight (half fog, half smoke,) without vesper star or silence, really does not charm me.
Think of a copy of an American edition of ‘Casa Guidi’ [3] being sent over the other day to Mr Kenyon. The pirates keep early hours,—you see .. Robert has agreed to a proposition about editing some new m∙s. letters of Shelley’s, for which he is to be well paid. [4] Monkton Milnes married lately, [5] .. well, it is considered both in a worldly & unworldly sense,—but bride & bridegroom are of course invisible so far.
Such dislocated scratches I send you– Wiedeman tugs at my gown at every sentence. Only you will know that we dont forget you. How should we indeed? With Robert’s love & mine to both of you, & with our warm regards to dear Mrs Ogilvy,
ever believe me your affectionate friend
my dear friend–
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Do write. Oh .. I will understand your finding your first love again among the Scotch mountains. That sort of local-love does not die out—unless it is killed by some slow, murderous grief. I honour the Grand Duchess [6] for appreciating your children– You see there is apt to be some sort of human good even in a Bourbon.
Here has this letter been lying for days! My head, my head, my head, I have no head. Your reproach comes to remind me, not of my ingratitude but my stupidity. I send this off now without another word——except ‘thank you’ .. & except the Paris address– The hotel we were at last was, “Aux armes de la ville de Paris, Rue de la Michaudiere, [7] Boulevard des Italiens–” The hotel “Ville de Paris, rue Ville Eveque[”] (I think) was more elegant & cheerful, & scarcely more expensive .. so we found on our way to Italy—but we shall return to the one we last left on account of its great cheapness & quiet.
We shall be in London on the 29th & after, certainly, & very glad indeed to see you– After all, we found <***>
Address: Mrs David Ogilvy / King’s Place / Perth.
Publication: EBB-EAHO, pp. 50–51.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. Beginning day suggested by EBB’s remark: “Here has this letter been lying for days!” The final date is provided by postmark.
2. Thomas Buchanan Read, mentioned in letter 2924.
3. Prometheus Bound, and Other Poems; Including Sonnets from the Portuguese, Casa Guidi Windows, etc. (New York, C.S. Francis and Co.; Boston, J.H. Francis, 1851).
4. This “proposition,” made by Edward Moxon, resulted in Letters of Percy Bysshe Shelley. With an Introductory Essay, by Robert Browning (1852). The forty-four page essay is dated: “Paris, Dec. 4th, 1851.” As reported by EBB in letter 2992, RB received “fifty pounds” for his contribution to the volume. The letters, purchased by Moxon at auction, turned out to be spurious. They were written by a man claiming to be the son of Lord Byron and the Countess De Luna of Cadiz. Styling himself Major George Gordon De Luna Byron, he always held to his parentage. He died in London on 4 June 1882, aged 72.
5. Richard Monckton Milnes to Annabella Hungerford Crewe (1814–74), daughter of John, 2nd Baron Crewe, on 31 July 1851 at Madeley, Staffordshire.
6. Of Tuscany, Maria Antonia de Bourbon (1814–98), daughter of Francis I (1777–1830), King of The Two Sicilies (1825–30).
7. Sic, for Michodière.
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