4426. EBB to Sophia Eckley
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 186.
[Florence]
[?12] [June 1859] [1]
Dearest Sophie I do wish that in your goodness to me you had been pleased graciously to consider that I want to know about your headache–
There is preaching in Italian today by the famous Malan from Geneva, [2] at the Swiss church, at one; & if you will call for us we shall be delighted to go with you–
Yours in all love
Ba
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Conjectural date based on EBB’s reference to Malan, who, as indicated in letter 4438, preached at the Swiss church in Florence throughout the summer of 1859. The 12 June date was the second of three Sundays between the time of the Brownings’ return to Florence from Rome and the Eckleys’ departure for Bagni di Lucca.
2. The famous Malan was César Henri Abraham Malan (1787–1864), minister and hymn-writer, of the Reformed Church of Geneva. However, we can find no evidence that he ever visited Florence. The more likely candidate is Barthélemy Malan (1810–73), a Waldensian clergyman who preached at Florence (in Italian) at the Swiss Church in 1850 (see letter 2884) and again in the summer of 1859.
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