3975. EBB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 24, 28–29.
[Florence]
[mid-March 1857] [1]
Indeed, dear dearest Isa, I have been very grieved at your suffering so,—& if I have’nt written, it has’nt been ‘for want of thought.’ [2] It seems ungenerous (either to Robert or me) to make him take up a letter,—to repeat his news, or to have mine repeated by him. I know he likes to tell you everything himself, as why should’nt he? For my part I am the great loser through your being ill, and a hundred audible groans would not make it more evident. So right you are in being decided about tomorrow– You are not strong enough, I know, to have visitors all day to amuse (& guide)—and I was quite vexed about the proposition for saturday, until it failed & you were saved. Are you sure it will not hurt you to come to us tomorrow? are you sure? Because I do beseech you to run no risk whatever: I shall only lose you for a longer time if you come & catch cold again—and these influenzas are not to be trifled with, I do assure you. People are actually dying of them just now. Commit no more glorious imprudences I beseech you, Isa, even though I should miss you tomorrow.
I have faithfully delivered your message. Miss Haworth goes to Rome next week, & will gladly accept your proposal for some evening of this, she says. This moment I have come from her, having gone in with your message. Alas. Lotti wont throw in his lot with us—that’s plain—and she’s satisfied it should be so, because “probably, after saying ‘yes’ she might have repented”– He seems to signify that, the lines having fallen for him in unpleasant places, he does’nt like other people to find goodly heritages [3] in dancingrooms & the like. He was here last night & the night before—but plainly on the defensive.
Well—I am quite glad that you have found the face of your friend again. [4] Such reasonless changes are painful– They seem to sweep away the foundations of the earth. Its almost better to have done something very bad oneself, & deserve to be thrown over.
But why does’nt Lytton write? why, why? I am expecting him every morning & every evening, observe. [5]
Mdme Gil Blas pleased me so much that I sent for Le Paradis des Femmes; & I shall read more of Paul Feval. He has improved since Le fils du Diable. [6] There’s something of Soulié—the same faults of involution, but something of the same vividness & opulence of incident, besides.
Your ever loving Ba–
Publication: B-IB, pp. 119–121.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Dated by EBB’s statement that “Miss Haworth goes to Rome next week.” In letter 3976, EBB reports the departure of Miss Haworth “today.”
2. John Dryden, “Cymon and Iphigenia” (1700), line 85.
3. Cf. Psalm 16:6.
4. Unidentified.
5. Lytton had told the Brownings in letter 3945 that he hoped “to get to Italy this winter—about March.” But it was July before he arrived in Florence.
6. Le Fils du diable was published in Brussels, 1846; Madame Gil Blas, in Paris, 1857; and Le Paradis des femmes, in Paris, 1854–55.
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