3404. EBB to Anne Braun

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 20, 202–203.

Via Bocca di Leone

Thursday. [ca. May 1854] [1]

Will you thank your husband for me, dearest Mrs Braun, because that will be acceptable thankfulness, as far, at least, as the voice & eyes can make it so– He is too good & generous, & what he has sent me is most beautiful in itself– [2] When your messenger goes away I shall sit down to study it, & remember, in the midst of the mythology, how kind you both are. There is no obstacle to the sunday’s engagement I am happy to find—so we shall expect you–

Affectionately yours always

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. Approximate dating suggested by EBB’s mention of Emil Braun’s book on mythological art; see note 2.

2. EBB refers to Emil Braun’s Vorschule der Kunstmythologie [An Introduction to Mythological Art], published at Gotha in the spring of 1854. It contains one hundred engraved “Views from the Antique,” preceded by sixty-five pages of text.

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