4312. EBB to Sophia Eckley

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 16.

[Rome]

[ca. 6 January 1859] [1]

I am so sorry, so sorry, that dearest Sophie should suffer from the dyspepsia which has left me today. That’s too bad. And it is horrible weather, to the point that one cant rejoice properly over the softening of the wind–

No, no, no– I can live without the watch– It will be like shutting one’s eyes to let the spirits use one. And you will miss your watch as I miss mine today.

You dearest Sophie,—but you never think of yourself, not you.

I hear that Miss Haworth has left Florence since last wednesday—therefore she must be close to us somewhere, getting the benefit of all this melancholy weather.

So I miss you, dear, today—& you wont even go to bless the Cardinal-archbishop– [2] Robert will, however: Miss Weston [3] is to call for him. And how badly he behaved last night in being drawn away too early by somebody who wanted no protection. But he did’nt go to the Storys– Understand that.

Yes, I would wait for the Venus a little–

But I cant wait, dear, for here is somebody just come in to talk, & I only have entreated for one moment to finish this– May God bless you, dear dearest Sophie. Peni insists on a word to Doady.

Love your loving

Ba.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Berg Collection.

1. Approximate dating based on EBB’s reference to Fanny Haworth’s having left Florence the previous Wednesday. In letter 4316 RB writes that Miss Haworth and Miss Heaton were expected last night, but evidently they were still travelling.

2. Perhaps a reference to Joseph Othmar von Rauscher (1797–1875), Austrian prelate, who was made Cardinal at a consistory held in the Vatican on 23 December 1858.

3. Either Caroline Weston or Emma Weston (see letter 3994, note 3), who were staying in Rome with their sister Lucia, as indicated in a letter from Richard Davis Webb to Caroline Weston, 6 March 1859 (ms at Boston PL).

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