3918. EBB to George Goodin Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 23, 119–120.
[Marseilles]
Monday. [27 October 1856] [1]
My ever dearest George, As you wanted to hear from me here I am writing from Marseilles. In a horrible humour, however, for they ask so enormously for the land journey to Genoa, that we are deciding on going by sea .. having missed the French post-boat besides—so that by land & sea there’s failure– It seems really too much to give—twenty pounds only as far as Genoa, with the road before us to pay to Pisa over & above—whereas we go by sea to Leghorn for ten pounds– So I am disappointed.
Otherwise we had a most favorable journey, & drop into absolute summer here at Marseilles .. windows open for air, & the whole southern sentiment everywhere, .. & my cough is in abeyance accordingly, & I slept from end to end of last night,—feeling only tired in a healthy degree, this morning. At Dijon we found our friend M. Milsand, at the station, & had the joy of a wringing of the hand from him: n.b. Robert had the embrace & double kiss all to himself. [2] The weather has been beautiful the whole way, & the scenery of the southern half of France; never praised enough, to my mind– At Paris, we heard from Florence that all was right with Casa Guidi, which was prepared to receive us & so we shall be at home (if it please God) by wednesday. Do let me have letters. Oh—I shall be so anxious to hear of the return from Ventnor & its results.
Penini has been doing nothing except eat grapes since he entered France .. I expect him to turn into a small Bacchus– Only they made him pay all the way as if he were a man (of full age) instead.
Oh—my visions of Hyères, Cannes, Nice, & the rest!—never to be seen by my actual sight. For mark—as we dont go this time, with such weather, such a purse, & such desires, .. we never shall again. I blot it all out of my hopes, from this time.
Robert said he wd do it if I liked. But then he said it so, that I plainly saw what his opinion was—and I suppose it would have been unwise, rash, unadvised .. find me all the epithets by which pleasant actions must needs be described in this cross-grained world,—& use them all.
A really magnificent town is this Marseilles!—quite grand! We have been out walking—& I sitting on the boulevards at past six, & thinking how warm it was–
Dearest George, how good you were to me those last days—how I felt & feel the dear warmth of your affection .. (not the sun here, more clearly)—but the love is more precious than any sun. May God bless you my dearest George. We sail tomorrow morning at eight by the .. Durance, I think the name is—(at least it’s a new French steamer of some name.) Robert having gone out to take our places, I cant ask him.
Peni’s best love– We’ve had a whole day of disagreeable .. “Shall I? shant I? ought I? ought’nt I? would you? would’nt you?” and now the doubting’s over to the hoping’s disadvantage. The boat goes at eight—Oh, I said that before–
Your ever attached Ba–
Address: Angleterre– / George G M Barrett Esqre / 50. Wimpole Street– / London.
Publication: B-GB, pp. 219–221.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. This letter is postmarked 28 October 1856, a Tuesday.
2. Milsand describes this meeting in SD1985.
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