3076. EBB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 18, 183.
58 Welbeck Street
[ca. August 1852] [1]
Dearest Isa,
(Will that do? Only there really must be reciprocations.) [2]
I did not in the least understand that thursday was a day fixed on for Wiedeman’s visit—but I send him today, not to seem ungratefully careless of your kindness to him & me–
Why not fix an evening & bring Ange Pitou [3] .. & the other ‘ange’ who is staying with you? [4] We are not forgetting to call on you, but various cross purposes hinder us crossly– Can you come to us on thursday, you & Miss Agassiz, .. & will you? and did she get my note, the unfortunate wandering note? You left behind you the other evening a pair of white gloves, and I send them to you by Wilson & Wiedeman.
As to Mr Jago, his terms quite surprise me. [5] He is an excellent man .. I was going to say, “so is his wife” .. which will prove to you the state of mind I write in, .. Mrs Jameson & Robert talking all the time most confusingly (not confoundedly)– [6] Best love to Miss Agassiz.
Your affectionate
EBB ——
Publication: B-IB, p. 22.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Dating based on EBB’s reference to Ange Pitou; see note 3.
2. This is the first letter EBB addresses to “Isa” rather than “Miss Blagden.” The “reciprocations” occurred a year later; see EBB to Isa Blagden, 24 August [1853], ms at Fitzwilliam.
3. Ange Pitou (8 vols., 1851) by Alexandre Dumas (père) is the third in the series of four historical novels that begins with Mémoires d’un médecin: Joseph Balsamo, continues with Le Collier de la reine (1849–50), and concludes with La Comtesse de Charny (1852–55). EBB tells Sara Jane Cust in letter 3089 that she had been reading the latter work.
4. We take this to be Louisa Emma Alexander (1838–58), second daughter of Major James Alexander (1806–58), of the 8th Madras Cavalry, and his wife Fanny (née Abbott). Louisa’s father was born to an unidentified woman and Josias Du Pré Alexander (1771–1839) three years prior to the latter’s marriage to Isa’s aunt, Mary (née Bracken, 1790–1867). During the summer of 1852 in London, Louisa, an invalid of some sort, was placed in Isa’s care at Dr. Jago’s advice.
5. Probably the terms offered to Jago that EBB describes in the third paragraph of letter 3159.
6. Cf. Paradise Lost, II, 996. EBB altered “confoundedly” to “confusingly” and interpolated “(not confoundedly)” above the line.
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