3267. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 19, 290–292.
[Bagni di Lucca]
[18 September 1853] [1]
My dearest Sarianna, I never deduced that you were “moderate,” mind, .. I only accepted your profession.
We have had Mr Lytton staying with us for a fortnight (within a day) & like him the better for the close relation, which is a good test. He is full of noble aspiration of all kinds—very affectionate .. very cultivated, & remarkable for faculty. In our desire to show him the mountain-lions, we went with the Storys to the Prato fiorito, where we were four years ago,—&, though it is three days since, I can scarcely walk across the floor I was so beaten half to death on donkey-back. Altogether, perhaps, twelve English miles for the day’s work—but such miles!– You had only the courses of the torrents to ride in, &, except for the roughness, it was like riding up a wall. Yet the divine scenery kept your soul apart from your body, & fed it on ‘honey dews,’ [2] & Morally, if not physically, I am considerably better for the excursion. Whether Mr Lytton or I was most tired it is difficult to say—for he is by no means strong .. but we agreed in being very glad that we did it. If you were caught up to the third Heaven [3] for a day, you wd probably feel “done up” afterwards, yet you would scarcely regret the translation.
Oh—our poor darling Penini has had such a misfortune– He has lost his favorite rabbit! Killed before his eyes! We heard a shriek yesterday followed by the most heartrending scream & sobs .. & on proceeding to the scene of action .. there, was the poor little black rabbit dead on the floor, & the child in Wilson’s arms crying & kicking in an agony. Thus it happened. Penini & little Nini Tolomei were playing together when a stick too heavy for Nini (he is only two years old) fell out of his hands on the rabbit .. which in a moment turned over on its side & expired. Was’nt it sad that poor Penini should see such a thing? It was hard to pacify him, poor darling, & he was in very bad spirits all the rest of the day. Towards evening he thought he would “come to Papa,” and he lay with Robert on the sofa till his dear eyes were filled with sleep. “Oh—I not a bit pleased!” There was a pathetic crisis too, during which he laid his head on the dead body of his favorite & kissed it .. but I did not see that, I am glad to say. We are to have a new black rabbit directly, & there will be consolation, I dare say .. though it will be difficult to fill the place of the deceased who was full of genius in various ways & would come at a call & sit on the table & eat cake. Poor little rabbit! Penini used to be very proud of his various gifts. “He luns lite a bear, mine wabbit,” … meaning to say that he ran like a hare, I suppose. Well—but we shall get over it, I see. Already Nini is received back into favour,—which was vowed against, in a fit of sobbing yesterday. “I never will play no more wiz lat naughty boy … oh no!” But it was’nt Nini’s fault—a most accidental rabbitcide.
Thank the dear Nonno for the new sketch which passed from hand to hand with universal admiration. Penini’s love & kisses to “mine nonno”. His album is growing richer & richer.
Oh, dearest Sarianna, it is an unfurnished apartment that we want of course. As to paying for furnished apartments either in Paris or elsewhere a week more than we are obliged, that we certainly cannot do– We have not the means of living on such terms. Under two pounds a week for a furnished apartment, we could not find anything at Paris, & it would be impossible for us to go on giving that. What Robert meant was that you should look out for a home for us. Still, when we are in Paris simply on our way to England next spring, certainly we shall slip into some temporary nest, & perhaps Mr Byrne would make room for us on the usual terms. We have had only three hundred pounds this year to manage with, & we find it little. Extravagant we are, I dare say, in some things, & not as clever as you would be in others. Our hospitalities too, humble as they are in quality, cost us something from their repetition .. but with whatever hermit-tastes & determinations, it is impossible to live like hermits in this actual world .. impossible at least for us– Meat & poultry in Tuscany are less than half the price of what they cost in London—& everything else (except sugar which is much dearer) has the advantage in cheapness. Butter & milk, though cheaper than in London, are dearer than in Paris. Altogether we ought to live very cheaply here, & I hear of people who “do it” for just nothing, only we are not of them unhappily. Ferdinando is honest we think, but too good a cook, says Wilson, to be a good manager. By the way Penini has taken quite a passion for Ferdinando, & we are all dreadfully jealous. We have to look to our loves, I assure you. The child had the cruelty to tell Wilson the other day, that, though he loved her “velly mush,” he loved Ferdinando “more better,”—the tradition of which alarming me extremely, I began to enquire into the love kept for me, & only got this answer—“I love evellybody velly mush, … Papa, Mama, Ferdinando, Lily, God, and Flush–.”
The truth is that he would be ungrateful if he did’nt care for Ferdinando, who is devoted to him, spoils him, plays with him, & has a supernatural patience with all his degrees of mischief. I heard the other day that he was celebrated at the Baths .. talked of generally for prettiness & grace. No wonder, I say! If ever you see the papers you will read of an English lady arrested here the other day for propagandaism– [4] She was injudicious, & the government was infamous .. but as I am warned against writing my inward woman in my letters on these subjects, let me stop in time– Whoever opens this letter is welcome to the brief opinion. The masses here are sick at heart, and one may hint with every due delicacy, that the time of vomiting cant be far off.
Ah yes—you thought of us on our wedding-day! Seven years of deep happiness it has given to me .. to say nothing of our Penini.
I have heard from Arabel again. She does not say she is better—perhaps there was scarcely time for much improvement .. but the weather was continuing, she said, to be execrable. The comet may have troubled the weather into such general badness—only, we have had an exquisite summer for enjoyment here in Italy, &, except for two or three weeks, by no means too hot. We have enjoyed it much, Robert & I were agreeing the other day .. & there seems a prospect of a third general letting-out of waistcoats. I wish I could share in that kind of prosperity—but I am very well indeed .. as much as remains of me from Pratofiorito!——
Best of loves to you both. Tell me if you see Miss Kemp. I have not yet heard from Mr Marston. Love to the Corkrans. Did’nt I tell you that Arabel had seen to my proofs? [5] That work is finished but the book not out. Oh—abominable. We are very discontented with the bearing of the English Government on the Turkish question. [6] If they did but know it! Dearest Sarianna’s
ever most affectionate Ba.
Address, in RB’s hand: France. / Mademoiselle Browning, / (Chez M. Byrne) / Avenue des Champs Elysées 138. / Paris.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Lilly Library.
1. This letter is postmarked 19 September 1853. We date it a day earlier based on EBB’s reference to the excursion to Prato Fiorito “three days since.” According to William Wetmore Story, the excursion took place on 15 September (see SD1683).
2. Cf. Coleridge, “Kubla Khan” (1816), line 53.
3. II Corinthians 12:2.
4. Sarah Cuninghame; see letter 3266, note 19.
5. For Poems (1853), which was published on 12 October.
6. The Brownings wanted England’s coalition government, headed by Lord Aberdeen, to play a more active role in supporting Turkey against Russian aggression. Aberdeen chose to rely on negotiation to ease tensions (see letter 3245, note 2).
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