3561. EBB to Alfred Moulton-Barrett

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 180–181.

[Lyons]

[24 June 1855] [1]

Note the second from Lyons–

My dearest Alfred,

You will think us perfectly mad—or poetical–

There is a another large box, a trunk, marked R.B in brass nails on the outside, & with the marks of the railroad from Firenze to Livorno, left behind. Ferdinando is of opinion that both it & the small deal box of which I wrote to you before, are to be found at the Custom house—but you will enquire, I am sure, at the hotel, & at the Bastia steamer the ‘Industrie.’ What we shall do without these boxes I cant imagine– Here’s the advantage (observe—I do!) of travelling with a man-servant for the first time– Never before did an accident occur to us of this kind–

Forgive me, dearest Alfred, for heaping up this trouble & annoyance on you– For my sake you w<ill not> grudge the trouble, I do believe <***>

Docket, in recipient’s hand: Mrs Barrett Browning. / I cut off the signature. [2]

Publication: Ronald Hudson, “Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Her Brother Alfred,” Browning Institute Studies, 2 (1974), 147–148.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. Dated by EBB’s references to “the Bastia steamer” and the lost “deal box,” both subjects being mentioned in the preceding letter.

2. The address, on the verso of the page with EBB’s signature, was also removed.

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