Correspondence

4063.  EBB & RB to Sarianna Browning

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 24, 159–160.

Thursday, Oct. 1. ’57.

Dearest,

I feel quite uneasy at not hearing from you—having written three weeks ago. Can you have received that letter? I know I was long in arrear—but I always find you kinder & more considerate: I directed the letter to the R. de Grenelle—tho’ when you last wrote you were still at Dieppe. Perhaps my letter was lost—yet I think you would have written. Lytton went, as I said, a fortnight ago: dear little Peni became unwell this day fortnight—& has been in bed till half an hour ago ever since last Monday week, of gastric fever—very mild, never dangerous, but teazing: he is fast recovering & allowed to sit up to day for two hours & eat some dinner,—little enough,—for the first time—he has been perfect, poor little dear, in all to be done or left undone. Ba is pretty well considering the worry– Wilson became ill,—premature confinement was expected, but after lying a week in bed she got better, & left last Saturday for Florence. We got another, & very good maid—& alas she too is laid up with cold & fever—but better, we believe– We shall go to Florence the moment it is possible .. in a week, I hope—direct there. I do trust, dear papa is not unwell, nor yourself. I write in a great hurry. Ba would write—but I won’t lose another post,—being sorry I waited till now.

All love to you– God bless you– Mrs Jameson is here[.]

Ever yours affectionately

R Browning.

Peni is wonderfully well, & unreduced.

[Continued by EBB]

Dearest Sarianna Mrs Jameson is here, but I must write a word lest you should think worse of our precious darling than the case is. God has been very merciful to us, & the fever was light—only you may understand what terrible apprehensions & anxiety we have suffered under– Think too! Wilson forced to go!—all in tears, poor thing. The new maid is happily taken a fancy to at once by Peni, & proves most devoted—then, by exposure at night, she too is struck down by fever– We have moved her up stairs, & the doctor says it is very slight– Still, we have another stranger!– See what a complication– Peni’s came on from over-fatigue one day– During the rains, after the heat of the summer, there are tendencies to such things– but Peni was so strong (my darling) we were foolhardy with him, .. I was that day! and let him play by the river after over-heating himself–

Oh—such a joy it is to see him up—looking quite himself– He complains of famine ravenously, poor child– Yet he has been kept low– A little, little bit of bread, and a little, little bit of turkey he is to have today–

The English physician had gone to Florence—we had a strange Italian [1] —but he has dealt well with the case– Poor Peni called him a “cruel man” for not letting him eat. Such a darling the child looks! Rather paler & thinner, but able to run even, as he joyfully points out. We are anxious to get back to Florence, very–

Do write. Why have you waited so– Give my love to the Corkrans– Oh, I am so sorry for them! [2] Write– Robert stands behind urging me to have done. Observe, this gastric fever is not contagious– But there have been more cases than usual this year, from the heat of the summer.

Publication: LRB, pp. 45–47.

Manuscript: British Library.

1. Ridolfo Marchi; the English physician was Thomas William Trotman.

2. As implied by EBB in letter 4089, the Corkrans had left Paris—a consequence of John Frazer Corkran’s losing his position with The Morning Herald (see letter 3978, note 10).

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