3632. EBB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 271–273.
13. Dorset Street.
Friday– [21 September 1855] [1]
My dearest Isa, I must write to you though there’s but little to say. We shall be in London when you pass through, so never pretend to ignore us, mind– For the last month we have kept saying “We go in a fortnight”—& still we push on this moveable fortnight between us & Paris– As to Paris, if you have presentiments I cant fight against them—and yet, & yet, you will be driven I think to try Paris at any rate, inasmuch as the news of the cholera at Florence, seems from the papers most disastrous– [2] Tell me whether your letters speak of this plague. As to your returning to face it, it is out of the question certainly– Paris & the presentiments must be accepted rather. And really anything is better than London,—though during the last two or three days the weather has been better & warmer than is common here– Still, I am “done for” in the way of “nationality”—since my present visit to England: my faint hearted patriotism has breathed out its remaining life in convulsive gasps–
You would like Paris– I know you would– Also you would find it less dear than Rome at least– But I am too interested in the question to press you—and against the packing of presentiments too!– It would be so easy to get a ground-floor! Consider, dear Isa!
I always forget that jacket, & your question– I paid for it about ten shillings English: two scudi for the making (because of the embroidery)—& then the muslin–
Yes—it pleased me very much to hear of Dickens’s disinterested opinion on your poems– [3] I almost wonder, that taking such a view, he did not publish them in his Household Words,—but probably it was a touch too much of pepper for the milk-teeth of his most innocent public–
On the anniversary of our wedding day we were to have had Forster & Macready to dinner—but Macready was siezed on the road with cholerine & forced to retreat– Mr Forster was very agreeable, & affectionate too– He is so very kind to me & “loves me so,” he says, that I am beginning to love him—having pardoned him years ago for despising me, which he cant help doing still– [4] Really his kindness & affectionateness are very winning! To my Penini, too– There’s a heart in that man, be sure– We dined at his house & met Macready, having missed the latter at ours– Afterwards he came & called here & sate two hours– [5] He is gentlemanly & sensible & sad .. all touching qualities. For the rest, there is nothing brilliant in him “off the boards”– Rather, slow & cold he is.
We met Lytton too at Forster’s, [6] the day before he went to Paris–
You shall tell me when we meet, how Forster “bore it” when the medium moved the table &c at Knebworth, & what impression Gibson received also. I dare’nt ask anybody anything except behind the door or in the cupboard—& I’m not on easy terms enough with Mr Forster, to find myself in either place with him– My interest in the subject is all the deeper of course, for the compression—so I hope you will hear what you can, & tell me– Gather up the fragments into twelve baskets, that nothing be lost– [7] I am particularly anxious to hear the result of Home’s visit to Italy, [8] & how Mr Powers judges & discerns—but, dear, you had better not write anything about it to me– I sometimes have it in my fancy that a man like Powers, just & honest & bold, would be very likely (if he came, upon investigation, to any decided opinion of Home’s integrity) to write his conviction to Robert .. considering the circumstances which everybody of course has heard of, in or out of Florence. [9] I fancy that sometimes– Anyhow, may the truth come out–
Robert is close at the end of his work– You are to have a copy, he says—and I hope you wont go out of reach till you get it. [10]
My poor Arabel, driven to distraction by losing me for all these weeks, is meditating the wicked romance of eloping to London & lying perdue in the house of a friend opposite this– [11] I am as virtuous as possible, for I have said softly– “Oh, dont come,”—feeling sure that she would’nt mind me.
Dearest Isa, you are better, I do hope, in spite of all the winds– Paris is a place least likely of places for anybody to “miss” anybody .. & so I hope you will stay in Paris, & never think of Florence at this cholera-time– Sebastopol’s taken [12] —but our enthusiasm was exhausted long ago– You cant imagine how quietly Robert heard it– We are used to Sebastopol’s being taken. Yours in the truest love & stupidity–
Ba.
Publication: B-IB, pp. 78–80.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Dated by EBB’s reference to a possible London visit by Arabella (see note 11), and to Macready’s visit on 14 September (see note 5). The intervening Friday was 21 September.
3. On 9 September Isa wrote to Elizabeth Kinney: “I had such a very civil letter from Dickens about the poem Seeming which you liked” (ms at Columbia). Among the other poems Isa sent Dickens were probably some of those mentioned in letter 3462.
4. Doubtless, EBB uses the word “despising” in jest. Forster’s review of her Poems (1844), though critical of her approach to sacred subjects and her lack of compression, is largely positive (see vol. 9, pp. 345–348). EBB appreciated this at the time (see for example, letters 1733 and 1734). His notice of Poems (1850) was far more laudatory (see vol. 16, pp. 337–340). Perhaps, EBB thinks Forster despised her for being the cause of RB’s leaving England. In spite of Forster’s irritation at having heard of the Brownings’ marriage by way of the newspaper (see SD1280 in vol. 14), there is no evidence that he disapproved of the marriage.
5. Macready was at Forster’s dinner on 13 September 1855, and he visited the Brownings the following day, as indicated in the sixth paragraph of letter 3631.
6. On 8 September; see letter 3622.
7. Cf. Matthew 14:20.
8. Daniel Dunglas Home left England for Italy the first week of September 1855 in the company of Wilkie Rymer and a friend of the latter. They arrived in Florence on 20 September, and ten days later Home and Rymer began staying with the Trollopes at Villino Trollope, where the medium was soon conducting séances. Among those attending was Hiram Powers, to whose house Home relocated prior to 16 November (see Waddington, pp. 276, 297, 298, and 307).
9. EBB refers to the séance at Ealing (see letters 3587, 3605, and 3606) and the subsequent confrontation between RB and Home at 13 Dorset Street (see letter 3606, note 2).
10. Isa Blagden’s name appears on RB’s list of friends and relatives who were to receive copies of Men and Women; see letter 3673. We have been unable to trace the present whereabouts of her copy.
11. The house of Frances McIntosh at 39 Dorset Street. Arabella did come for a short visit, arriving on Tuesday 25 September and leaving on Saturday the 29th (see letter 3645).
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