3447. Adelaide Sartoris to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 20, 258–259.
Bagni di Lucca
[Postmark: 2 July 1854]
In the 1st Canto of Don Juan & at the 119th verse, you will find the following words—
“Oh pleasure you’re indeed a pleasant thing
Altho’ one must be damned for you no doubt.” [1]
(Forgive the clerical style. I am just home from a long sermon of Mr Green’s). [2]
My dear friends—I am this instant returned from church & find your insane appeal—thunderstruck at your conscientiousness & considerably agitated by the very opposite demands you make upon my activity[.] I would nevertheless endeavor to mitigate the burning remorse you appear to labor under—but lo! the above remark (sensible too I beg you to observe) is the only one that suggests itself for consolation.– When you tell me “not to conclude” about the house, I feel rather indignant—did you imagine I should have waited until after post this morning to have secured your lodging? however I won’t reproach you—my letter (which will have reached you this morning) will show you that your friends are rather more anxious about you than you give them credit for—dear Mrs Browning. I have written so far & am now in an agony lest in your annoyed state of mind you should take all my nonsense for earnest– I hope that tomorrow’s post may confirm me in what I have already done (alas!) about your lodging. Should you however write me nothing further upon the subject, I will proceed immediately to put the Apothecary once more at liberty—tho’ I shall do so with a very heavy heart—the place is so pretty & I had such pleasure in thinking how well it would suit you– I am very glad Brinsley [3] knows how to be pleasant. I wish he had done it for me—I never heard anything so audacious as the babbling he indulged in the whole of the evening he passed with you when I was in Florence—so carefully & advisedly idiotic & foolish! Give my love to your husband & thank him for having taken thought & trouble for my daguerreotype—how is it that in artistic Florence there should be any difficulty about such a thing? Virginia is writing to you herself—she did not seem intolerant—only intolerable from her extreme entertainment at my chopfallen appearance as I read your note– Good bye! Write soon & believe me yours affectionately in great disappointment (not a bit easier to bear because you happen to be in the right tho’)
Adelaide Sartoris
Address: Madame / Madame Browning / Poste Restante / Firenze.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. Byron, Don Juan, I, cxix, 1–2.
2. Henry Greene (1808–76); see letter 3235, note 14.
3. i.e., Thomas Brinsley Norton; see letter 3427, note 6.
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