4137. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 48–51.
Casa Guidi–
Tuesday. [23] February– [1858] [1]
My dearest dear Arabel, I will write, though it wont be a very gay letter, I fear,—but anything is better than to set you dungeon-building in the air as usual. Dear, we are able to send you a tolerably clean bill of health, though the ‘grippe’ has been busy with us,—influenza, I mean,—& Robert & Peni having both been hurled down from their ‘high estate’ [2] by it– Regular influenza, which has been rampant in Florence,—fever & nervous depression, cold & cough,—not lasting long, but keeping Robert to his bed one whole day, & Peni (who was’nt as unwell, but whom we were careful of) one day & a part of two others. The worst was that these were the last days of the carnival, the ‘bouquet,’ [3] the glory of the whole—and my poor Pen, with his dreams & his pretty domino had to give up all,—lent his domino to his friend Emilio, & comforted himself as he could with story-books & Wilson’s baby– “Such a comfort,” said he, “that baby is!” Indeed on the day of his confinement to bed he had him on his pillow for hours together, & expressed his opinion towards evening, that “if it had not been for the baby, he should have died.” By the way I would not have exposed the said babe to the infection of grippe, if Wilson had’nt maintained that he had a small grippe on his own account,—for certainly Peni caught it from Robert: it is very communicable. Pen was kept to the house for full ten days,—not from necessity but prudence,—& because he had one relapse as it was, through running out on the terrace to look at masks– I escaped, wonderful to say—but I have been weakened by the colder winter than usual, & have had a good deal of cough in the mornings,—keeping steadily, though, to the cod’s liver oil & feeling the good of it– I suppose we shall have a hot spring to make up for our “inverno stravagante” [4] in which the north & south seem to have almost changed places. In Rome it has been as bad or worse than here,—and in Palermo even, & Malta—while in Canada they have had mild weather,—& in Boston have slept with the windows open, & with one sheet. In England too, .. much milder than usual, though not as mild as you say—for there have been certain awful fogs in London, and twice there has been skating, Arabel—we examine the newspapers & meteorological accounts & states of the thermometer, observe. Still, there have been strange times when people felt warm in the north of Scotland while we froze here– I never felt such a winter in Italy since 1849, certainly. How the Italians bear it without fires,—only with their scaldini, .. little baskets of lighted charcoal, .. is what I cant imagine,—& here is Annunciata declaring that she has hurt her health by sitting in a room with a fire this winter– “She is’nt used to it, & has made a resolution never to do so again.” This, because she has had one or two colds in her head, which I should not certainly have considered caused by the fire–
So my dearest Storm & Sette & Occy are all gone. It is very saddening to think of it, and I dont at all see the use, the use. Sette’s going may be as good occupation as another for him, but Occy—and I almost wish they had gone in the steamer than in that horrible, old, slow David Lyon, which moves like a sick tortoise. I am glad you did not go, as Storm says he wishes– A sea voyage would be the worst thing that could happen to you I imagine .. next to living in London always. Not a word do you tell me of yourself, of your ear, .. darling, why dont you tell me?– You dont tell me in detail enough about yourself. I am very glad that you like little Emma & think she will be a pleasure to you: that’s all I wanted to know. In that case, it is quite right of you to have & to keep her– Is she forward in her lessons?– I only hope you wont think it right to work yourself the rest of the way that’s wanting to your being worked to death, over Emma– Peni had Mr del Bene for a few days at home when he could’nt go out to his music-lessons– Robert is eager that he should lose not a day– It’s funny to hear Peni talk, he is so passionate for music– While he was kept at home in spite of carnivals, he exclaimed one morning—“Oh mama! how unhappy I am! how I hate my stepmother Eve!” (he had been reading about wicked stepmothers in Grimm.)– “Dont you think she must have gone to hell?–”
Imagine what a lecture I gave him! I leave it to you, Arabel.
“But really, dear mama, Eve was very naughty & made us all unhappy– You cant expect me to love the spirit of Eve as I love Beethoven’s: it would’nt be just.”
Did you ever read of Beethoven & Eve in the same sentence? But I am hearing of the glory of Beethoven all hours of the day: it comes in àpropos to everything. The day before yesterday—playing on the piano, he suddenly stops & says .. “I wonder if Beethoven hears me. If he does, he must think, .. ‘what a shame to have a piano so out of tune’”– I know I ought to write to dearest Henrietta: it is her turn, or was, two letters ago– You told me very little of her children, Arabel, when you wrote last,—and also you dont tell me of my dear Minny .. no, you dont– Give her my love. Sometimes I have fancied that you might have liked Mary Hunter with you,—but perhaps not. As to your other friend, [5] whom I like much, you know, I dont believe anything will come of that affair– I know nothing observe; but with my eyes shut I can tell .. through having had a good deal of experience in such confidences– What a pity they should ever be made, Arabel!– One has an instinct about them (I have) always.
So Henry is to be married in April!—and to settle in or near Torquay, which rather surprised me, for I thought he would have used his new advantages of settling for himself, by plunging head forwards into country-life, so called,—country-life, where he could have his own partridges & magistrates– How does Henrietta like ‘Amelia’– I think I shall, .. I liked her letter so much– Shall any of you go to the marriage? Where are Alfred & Lizzy?– What has Alfred done or what is he doing? What was that about his entering some business?—and how was his connection with the government dissolved?—on what account? I thought his being sent to China was preliminary to some other arrangement– [6] We have had an account sent in to us from the David Lyon, .. of a “balance due to Boddington & co. of £189–14.8”– This is prosperous work considering too that we received nothing last year!! I want Robert to persuade our trustees into selling out from the Bank of England, now that consols have risen again—for it is a mere mockery to have money there. [7]
It has seemed to me sometimes that you & Miss Russel[l] might have agreed to live together—you agree in so much,—& what you want in certain respects, she has—so that I should have been glad rather—only one person cant arrange for another—& now you have Emma, & that may suit you better perhaps—May God grant it–
Tell me of yourself, my darling Arabel,—do– Do you take in a newspaper,—or subscribe to a library?—or do anything else pleasant? Oh, I forgot to tell you. Peni & Robert have both been ministered to homœpathically,—& Robert is going on with it systematically for his derangement of the bilious organs to which you know he is so painfully subject,—not more now than heretofore however. You know how in chronic maladies, I am a believer in homœopathy, & how Robert is not, or was not, .. for he begins to confess that he feels a difference .. as if the medecines had a hold on his constitution. He is obedient to the rule, has left off wine, and takes the prepared chocolate—& his appetite has wonderfully enlarged itself. If it were not for my opium-habits I would try the system myself——only that nothing can help me much except a thermometer in the right place– Not that I am at all ill, observe– And here’s the Italian sun bright & glorious in spite of the still cold air.–
Do you see much of the Strattens?– How long did Bummy stay with you? Give her my dear love when she comes again, or when you see her–
Peni expressed his opinion this morning, that he must practise more– Now I think two hours of music enough—dont you? I have a letter from Ruskin—some of it on spiritualism– [8] He does “not laugh at it”—has seen a letter—wishes to see more—isn’t a believer as yet. The subject is beginning to take silent hold on thinking minds in England. He sent us his last book [9] which is beautiful. Annunciata is going on as well as possible. She works indefatigably, & is kind. Her patent fault is breaking china—but otherwise I see nothing to complain of– (I wish I had no other–) I shall send you a little note to enclose to Storm one of these days–
(Peni at the piano–) “Really this is Stupendously difficult.” I wish he spelt as well as he plays. How does Mi[r]atry [10] get on with music & the rest? How destractedly [sic] I have written today! Can you make me out? I keep you in my heart– Dear dearest, don’t expose or overwork yourself– Write of yourself, & love your Ba.
Robert’s love & Ba’s. What of dear George?
Address: Angleterre viâ France / Miss Barrett / 7. Delamere Terrace / Harrow Road / London.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 334–338.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Day and year provided by Florence postmark of 25 February 1858, a Thursday.
2. Cf. John Dryden, “Alexander’s Feast” (1697), line 78.
3. “Fireworks,” or “fireworks display”; especially the finale thereof.
4. “Odd winter.”
5. Perhaps Mary Anne Russell, who is mentioned below. EBB described her as “a pleasant & sympathizing companion” in letter 4014.
6. Alfred went to China in the spring of 1857 and returned that autumn. Previously, during a posting to Madeira, he had expected “a consulship to be found for him” (see letter 3873).
7. A large part of the Brownings’ income, until they received their bequests from the estate of John Kenyon (see letter 4005, note 5), derived from EBB’s £6,000 in Bank of England securities, paying at three percent.
9. The Political Economy of Art (1857).
10. i.e., Mary Arabella Susan Reynolds (1849–1917).
___________________
