4232. EBB to Anna Brownell Jameson
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 210–213.
Maison Versigny. 2 rue de Perrey.
Le Havre.
August 25. [1858] [1]
Thank you my dearest Moña Nina for your supererogatory goodness—meaning your own letter & the Letters of the Betrothed: [2] the first so genuine, the second so obviously no such thing at all– No, not genuine. Not according to my impression. Love-correspondences are not conducted so, it seems to me– I want more fantasticalness—that is, more unreasonableness perhaps,—and not so cunning an ‘intarsiato’ [3] of the tender bits. It’s a graceful book, likely to play its part of attractiveness with one segment of the public, but not likely to hold anybody long & fast. An excellent idea too, if it had fallen into stronger hands. What I like best is the paragraph about Robert (how strange!) [4] & that, I like very much indeed, thanking you earnestly for your great kindness in letting me see it.
Dearest Moña Nina, you like Brighton as little as you thought you would. Well. I wish you were out of that atmosphere. Write soon, & tell me what I may hear about yourself—how you are in the body at least. Stronger, I do hope, for the summer. Certainly I am. My bad symptoms have not recurred, & although I dont walk yet distances to boast of, I do walk a little, & did get down to the jetty yesterday. So much for my body– For my soul, I cant say, for I have’nt called it my own since I came here—I shant have a good look in its face till I get clear away towards my Italy which I love both for its positive and its negative .. its negative .. its negative– Do we thank God ever enough for the things we have not?--
Ungrateful Ba—yet I have had the deep joy of holding my dearest Arabel’s hands & seeing her looking well & cheerful & loving to me. That’s blessing. Also two of my brothers have been very kind– George came with her & is still staying here. Harry brought his new wife—pretty, nice, gentle, affectionate, sensible—I liked her: they were here a week. M. Milsand left Paris for a week to visit his friend, Robert, & we only parted from him this morning. George talks of wandering through Normandy & Brittany next week. Arabel remains & will go with us to Paris for a little when we leave this Havre in less than a month– Robert’s father & sister are domiciled with us–
Out of which, take the good & the bad of it, you will judge how it is with me– No, you cant—but I do–
I believe we have led such a life in Italy (at least I have—) that even after a correct calculation of the drawback of certain pains & bitternesses suffered there, I am no more fit for the common everyday life of sensible people here, than I should be if I had spent a few years in the land of spirits & then expected to sit down at Mr Smith’s dining-table with a good appetite–
Say nothing of this when you write—not for the world– I suppose you saw something of it in my last letter, by what you replied—but I don’t want Robert to think that I would have anything otherwise than it is, observe– Also, I would’nt– We came here for his and for mine—& not for me and for him– Then it’s my fault I know, if it feels strange sometimes—& if, in spite of myself, I count the weeks for leaving Havre.
Arabel has had a photograph taken of Penini this morning, [5] which we are all buzzing over, & which is allowed to be as satisfactory as such things can be– Penini has been winning hearts, lately—but he is good—he is not spoilt– My sister asked him to go and live with her, and held out enchanting inducements—“No,” said he, .. “I cant leave mama! I’ll be mama’s boy, and your friend–” Was’nt that pretty?– I overheard his telling somebody the other day how “very kind” Mrs Jameson had been to him: showing your “musical-album” gift. [6]
I have read lately Grillparzer’s Medea [7] which has some fine things—but his other plays disappoint– Archer Gurney over-rates him much I think. It[’]s all the reading I have done– I tire myself out with talking & hearing, & then lie down & shut my eyes–
What you tell me of dear Mdme Braun deeply interests me– Tell me more of her. I hope for her, & will. Has she, do you suppose, any distinct expectation of a life beyond the act of death, so called, or does she only hope & desire– Oh– Moña Nina, dearest friend– Would that I could tell you something– But I must not now. I am bound. I was bound in Paris, & struggled sorely & victoriously against a temptation to speak to you– I could not, and must not yet. Only the things we have talked of are true, are true– The highest manifestations of spiritual presence are possible, are possible– This by my love of the truth,—in all simplicity of the truth—and you know that I am not fanatical– As surely as we live, we shall live, my beloved friend– And I could prove this to you on quite other grounds from any I have spoken from before to you—and I hope I shall be free to speak to you one day– Say nothing of it in writing– I write in mysteries today, you will observe, .. but I want you to know that I think I have knowledge—not faith, any longer—but knowledge–
You have heard from Florence & the Bagni, & so have I– Fanny Haworth is at the Bagni. Isa Blagden talks of going to Elba for sea-bathing–
Here ends my letter– Give my love to Mdme Braun, & write to me my ever dear friend– May I send my regards to your sister–?– [8]
Yours in grateful love
Ba–
Robert’s love & Pen’s–
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Newberry Library.
1. Year provided by reference to the return address; 1858 was the only year the Brownings stayed in Le Havre.
2. The Letters of a Betrothed by Marguerite A. Power was published anonymously on 1 January 1858. This copy, which sold as lot 1017 in Browning Collections (see Reconstruction, A1891; now at ABL), is inscribed: “From Anna Jameson” and contained a note (now missing) in RB’s hand: “Written by Miss Power, sister [sic, for niece] of Ly Blessington, and addressed to [Robert] Lytton.”
3. “Inlaying.”
4. The letters’ author, Honoraria N., thanks her beloved for recommending RB’s poems. She denies their incomprehensibility and blames the public for being unwilling to treat poetry as anything other than light reading. To her, RB is “a man of singular genius, immense learning, extraordinary boldness and vigour of idea and expression, keen observation and an originality even more remarkable, perhaps, than any of these other qualities” (The Letters of a Betrothed, p. 83). Honoraria quotes from Paracelsus (1835), III, 831–842, on p. 135.
5. This photograph has not been traced. Arabella had another one taken of Pen, which she gave to the Brownings on their wedding anniversary (see letter 4241, note 13).
7. The third play in Franz Grillparzer’s dramatic trilogy, Das goldene Vließ, first performed at Vienna in March 1821.
8. Probably, Camilla Sherwin (née Murphy).
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