4272. EBB to Sophia Eckley
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 274–275.
[Florence]
[13 November 1858] [1]
Dearest friend & Sophy, you are not & shall not be in earnest– But I am when I say you must let me have our Doady on monday to dinner unless there’s a better reason against it than you give me– Peni, in an agony exclaims, ‘Give me some paper—let me write myself’ .. & there he is writing, with such spelling as the gods permit. Oh, do let Doady come. How can he hurt me? .. except indeed by staying away. Peni vociferates to me that Do & he are to do nothing but paint on monday–
And here Mr Wilberforce comes in– [2] “What are you doing, Master Pen.” To which comes the solemn response, “I am writing a letter to a friend.”
But this is the “break up” of the bad weather, Robert says, & therefore better, he declares–
O Peni, Peni!– What a blotted letter. But I must send it, I suppose, or there will be offence.
May God keep you, dear. I thank you much for Miss Martineau. [3]
In all love your
Ba
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Dating based on RB’s declaring, “this is the ‘break up’ of the bad [i.e., cold] weather.” It started to rain on 13 November (see letter 4273).
2. Edward Wilberforce (see letter 3982, note 1).
3. Presumably, a book or article by Harriet Martineau.
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