Correspondence

3432.  EBB & RB to William Page

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 20, 243-244.

[16 June 1854] [1]

<***> [2] & goodness to me– My love too to your daughters– Dont any of you forget me & Robert & Penini– Little Penini is growing fat & rosy again & sends a kiss to Mrs Page– Such a dull letter I have written, & so dull I feel– We have had a sad, crying morning over our poor dear Flush who is gone at last, [3] & my head aches so I can scarcely see– You wont laugh at me for Pinch’s [4] sake!

Affectionately & gratefully yours

Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

Virginia goes to Venice on Monday–

Address, in RB’s hand: Stati Pontifici. / Mr William Page, / Via di Bocca di Leone, 43. 2do po / Roma.

Publication: None traced.

Source: Microfilm at Smithsonian Institution.

1. According to Joshua C. Taylor, the original manuscript, seen by him while it was in the private possession of Page’s descendants but since lost, bore this date, which is confirmed by a Florence postmark on the extant envelope of 17 June 1854. The text presented here appears on the flap of the envelope.

2. Taylor, in a letter to the editors, summarized the contents of this letter from the Brownings as follows: “Robert Browning: discusses his portrait by Page which had been finished just before the Brownings left Rome. John Tilton, who is much devoted to Page, is helping with the framing. His friend Jarves has seen the painting and is much impressed. A crack has appeared in the panel of the painting. ‘How perfect the picture is; how it has grown to be alive among us who watch it every day.’ Elizabeth Browning: ‘I always must fail in any adequate expression of my grateful feeling to you for your princely gift. You have done most for me next to God, who gave me my husband.’ Jarves has told her of a spirit circle in his own family and of spiritual affairs in America. Urges Page to go to Paris.” Taylor published these quotations from the Brownings’ letter in William Page: The American Titian (Chicago, 1957), pp. 134 and 136.

3. Flush was at least thirteen years old, but may have been fourteen, when he died. EBB acquired him, a present from Mary Russell Mitford, at the beginning of January 1841 (see letter 787). EBB later asked Miss Mitford: “Was he four months or eight months old when he came to me?” (letter 1118). Many years after Flush’s death, RB wrote to John Massie that the pet had died “in extreme old age” and was buried “in the vaults under Casa Guidi” (18 November 1879, ms with Meredith).

4. From the context we take this to refer to the Pages’ dog.

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