3281. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 19, 328–329.
[Florence]
[early November 1853] [1]
My dearest Sarianna, I shall not be able to write very much today, for Robert is in haste, & we are both overwhelmed with different engagements, the worst of which have been forced on me maritally rather than artistically by the portrait-sittings he of course has told you of. His own portrait by Mr Reade I must be glad about, seeing that though it by no means gives his best expression, the face is there, & it will be the best work extant on the same subject. I only wish that the artist had been satisfied with it, or taken my Penini in the second place instead of me, who am not wanted in canvass for art’s sake or for any other sake in the world. When gone from hence, may nobody think of me again, except when one or two may think perhaps how I loved them–
It vexes me to leave this letter without an enclosure from our Penini to his Nonno & Saiyanna– I am driven backwards & forwards like a ship in a wind, & cant set him to do anything,—only just hearing him read every day. He reads little stories of one syllable quite nicely, & in other respects is the same lovely, loving, joyous child as ever. Such a passion he has taken to Ferdinando– Wilson & I are dreadfully jealous I must confess to you. “I muss love mine Ferdinando,” says he! It’s a passion. Penini will be desperate in his love-affairs we shall see, whoever of us shall live to see. God bless the little loving heart!
I hear from Arabel who is better in her general health, the particular inconvenience not much diminished however. She stayed longer than was intended near Lymington on account of the Wimpole Street house undergoing repairs, but by this time they are all settled in London again. If you have had uncomfortable weather, the weather in England has surpassed all badness, .. which you may be sure of not only through private testimony but by the talk of even the Times in its leading articles– I read a few days ago in a leader that such an autumn following such a summer following such a spring were quite unexampled in England. [2] Here, we had a very enjoyable course of seasons, taking one with another, but the vintage has failed utterly .. it seems a more utter failure here than in France.
Do you think much of the war? I hope all will be done on the part of the two western Powers [3] honestly & directly——& then, may the Best that can come out of the Worst that must be– The poor Italians catch like men in an agony, at all these floating straws– We hear that the new Austrian Commandant has received instructions to hold no intercourse with members of the English & French legations till further orders are received.
We have lived a disturbed life lately .. too much coming & going even with agreeable people. There has been no time for work– In Rome it must be different, or we shall get on poorly with our books, [4] I think. Robert’s seems however, by his account, to be in an advanced state already.
Give my love to the Corkrans. How is the invalid child? [5] We have had a sort of influenza here, but Penini escaped, and Robert is quite well, thank God. Still, I must tell you that his miraculous obesity has disappeared again .. which vexes me. <***>
Publication: LEBB, II, 143–144 (in part).
Manuscript: Lilly Library.
1. Approximate dating based on EBB’s reference to the “leader” in The Times (see note 2).
2. EBB refers to the lead editorial in The Times of 22 October 1853 which suggested that one of the principal causes of the current economic “pressure” was the weather: “Never was there such an autumn, coming after such a summer, after such a spring. With possibly one fine day in a week, it usually alternates between rain, drizzle, shower, fog, blight, and wind. Land fogs and sea fogs struggle for the honour of overshadowing this metropolis, and they are only melted into showers or dispelled by storms” (p. 6).
3. i.e., France and England.
4. EBB’s Aurora Leigh (1857) and RB’s Men and Women (1855).
5. Perhaps Alice Corkran, as EBB wrote in letter 3228: “Mention particularly little Alice– So very sorry I am, that dear Mrs. Corkran should have such an anxiety.”
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