4186. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 126.
[Florence]
[June 1858] [1]
<***> No, I must say one word about dear Mrs Jameson, of whom I am so sorry that Robert in his impulsiveness spoke unjustly to you. The fact was, I mistook a direction, & my letter never reached her, so that she was hurt by my apparent silence– As she passed through Florence this last time, she & Robert however were on excellent terms. Her faults are .. a naturally irritable temper carefully subdued, which gives an aigre-doux [2] character sometimes—and an inclination to lecture .. a habit—& we are apt, some of us, or all of us, to dislike being lectured, whether we deserve it or not. For the rest she is one of the most entirely noble, generous, affectionate, & truthful women I ever knew—and if you were acquainted with her well, you would think so, Sarianna. Its mere justice that I should say so. As for the omission years ago, I was always of opinion that if she had been clearly made aware of the pleasure she was likely to give, there wd have been no omission–
Great heat we have just now– Miss Heaton passing through to England, exclaims that such heat she never felt in her life. I invite her to <***>
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Lilly Library.
1. Dated by EBB’s reference to the heat (see letter 4197) and Ellen Heaton’s presence in Florence (see the sixth paragraph in letter 4190).
2. “Bitter-sweet.”
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