Correspondence

4029.  RB to Edward Bulwer-Lytton

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 24, 120.

Bagni di Lucca,

Dear Sir Edward,

Your son continues much in the same state—no worse, certainly, (says the Doctor)– He past not quite so good a night, but is better this morning. He takes arrow-root, & other nutriment, & the stomach seems to act somewhat more satisfactorily: the weakness is great,—while the feverishness, tho’ abated greatly, remains decided enough to prevent any great attempts at strengthening him. There is no danger but in a relapse—or other ill turn to the present state of things.

Depend on my keeping you duly informed of what occurs– I see no good in using the telegraph—which might cause you a journey of seven or eight days to very doubtful good as regards Robert: I mean, that we trust he will be plainly convalescent by then.

By this post I mention the receipt to Forster of his letter to your Son, & explain the reason of his delaying to answer it.

Pray accept my wife’s true sympathy with you on this occasion of anxiety, & that of

yours faithfully

Robert Browning.

A trifle occurs to me—& yet not such a trifle, if it save you an apprehension I myself have more than once experienced thro’ the carelessness of other people; I will apprise you then, that I am “in mourning” for the decease of my father-in-law—& usually unable to dispense with the silliness of using black wax, edged paper &c. Should such things leave our house by any chance,—or should you see a note of mine arrive at a mutual friend’s—for instance—you will at once understand—that it is nothing but pure silliness–

Publication: BBIS-10, pp. 137–138.

Manuscript: Lord Cobbold.

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