4325. EBB to Alfred Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 42–45.
Rome. 43. Bocca di Leone.
Jany. 28– [1859] [1]
My dearest Alfred, I do congratulate you & dear Lizzy from my heart. I have been looking out for a letter on the subject,—& a better one than this, who could receive?– Thank you my dear Alfred. Your anxiety and also your joy must have been great indeed .. great in proportion to the gigantic size of the baby. [2] I remember objecting to the largeness of the cap Arabel bought in France [3] —but of course she bought it precisely so, in virtue of some half conscious presentiment. As for the rest, when your sight clears a little, you will find that the baby is no more like other babies in feature & modes of being than in dimensions. There’s as distinct a variety in babies as in men—& I am sure Lizzy would recognize hers in a foundling hospital, through a process of .. shuffle babies, cut, & deal. She would put her finger on the trump-babe in a moment.
Now I was going to ask you to give (for me) an auntly kiss to the new darling—but your imagination may fail me, not conceiving of aunts—& so, instead, give a paternal one,—and give a sisterly kiss to dear Lizzy—you can conceive of that, I think. Nobody knows (except you & us & a few others) what a light in the household, a young child is– Lizzy will take to loving children now, wont she? May the boy be a Penini to you! That’s the best wish I can make—and a “six footer” besides, if you please, .. which my Pen is not likely to be ever.
He is grown though, & is generally considered tall for his age, though very young looking & with such small bones that they cant draw out to any notable height I must suppose. Just the same joyous, spontaneous child as ever .. as when you gave him your grand dinner at Marseilles, [4] you remember—and, at the same time, developped in many ways,—in languages & music,—forward for his age, & not with the common forwardness of over-cultivated children. There’s a mixture of knowledge & ignorance which is attractive—& I assure you we are admired extremely, though we have not begun Latin yet, and know nothing of the multiplication-table. Time enough I say for the pounds, shillings & pence– Meantime he is reading Monte Cristo in an Italian translation with the utmost delight– “Now,” says he, “I mean to take to reading novels”–
Not too fast Master Pen. I must put my naughty French books far away into lock-up drawers.
He and I are full of our Italy & Napoleon, & the Piedmontese marriage. [5] There are some wild beasts in Rome just now with a keeper who goes in to play with the tiger. Said I to Pen, “Would you go in to that tiger for a napoleon?”. [6] “No indeed,” said he decidedly. “Would you go in to make Italy free?” ‘Yes,’ he answered. “I would go in, in one moment. Do you think I would not put down my life for my country?”
Still I hope he will keep clear of army & navy—and if dear Harry will forgive me, I must wish the same for your boy. [7]
Rome is gay enough to disturb the ashes of the Cæsars– Robert is out every night, with engagements two or three deep a night—& I have visitors too many, while the cold wind keeps me at home. The amount of dukes & princes here is remarkable, & the young prince of Wales when he comes will be but a spark in the fire. The wife of his ‘governor,’ Colonel Bruce, [8] has arrived already, & brings a letter to us, so that we shall hear a good deal about him. Also through Odo Russell, Lord John’s nephew, who is to do him the honors of Rome, .. & whom Robert sees frequently .. & with whom Robert went the other day to dine at a pothouse on the other side of the Tiber in order to enjoy Roman viands & manners at the purest. “I shall bring the prince here,” said Odo Russell charmed.
Then the Americans swarm here—some, very interesting & loveable, others .... simply American. I continue to prefer my own quiet life at Florence, and yet our winter at Rome so far, has been amusing enough, and I have enjoyed the blazing sun through the windows even when unable to go out—which has been the case for a month.
Our plan is to go to Naples in the spring, but I doubt whether we shall do it—in fact, it’s better not to make plans, till one can be sure of carrying them out. I hear dear Storm persists in going to Jamaica– The more’s the pity! I hate thinking of it, for my part.
My chief occupation is, sitting for my picture—which is of course useful & moral–
“When nothing’s left that’s worth defence
We build a magazine” [9]
said Swift, & so with me. When nothing’s left worth looking at, people begin to draw it. There are three artists at this great work, & when anyone succeeds you are all to be blessed with photographs. I only wish they would paint Peni, who would really make a picture.
Robert’s love & congratulations, with mine & Penini’s. We are well, thank God. May He bless & keep you all three– Three, after being only two!– What a difference, inexpressible by the science of numbers!
<…> [10]
Address: Angleterre. / Alfred Moulton Barrett Esqre / Devonshire House / Leamington / Warwickshire.
Publication: Ronald Hudson, “Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Her Brother Alfred,” Browning Institute Studies, 2 (1974), 156–157.
Manuscript: Eton College Library; and Harvard University (envelope).
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. Edward Alfred Moulton-Barrett (1859–1932), born 17 January at Leamington, Warwickshire.
3. Arabella was in France with the Brownings from August to October 1858, the last three weeks in Paris.
4. In June 1855 (see letter 3564).
5. The marriage of Prince Napoleon (1822–91), first cousin of Napoleon III (see letter 3537, note 4), to Princess Marie Clotilde of Savoy (1843–1911), daughter of King Victor Emmanuel II. Rumors of the marriage had been circulating during the last few weeks. The Times of 20 January 1859 carried the following item filed by their Italian correspondent in Milan on 16 January: “The marriage of Prince Napoleon and Princess Clotilde … has come upon us suddenly. I heard a flying rumour of it in Turin on the night of the 11th, but nothing beyond that. Here, for the last three days, it has been regarded as positive, and passages in the French papers seem to leave no doubt of it” (p. 9). The wedding took place on 30 January 1859 in the Palace chapel at Turin. The marriage was one of the terms of the agreement made between Camillo di Cavour and Napoleon III at Plombières the previous summer (see letter 4472, note 8).
6. Perhaps the coin, worth 20 francs, rather than the emperor.
7. Edward Alfred Moulton-Barrett would become a Brigadier-General, C.B., C.M.G.
8. Katherine Mary Bruce (1824–89), second daughter of Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 6th Baronet, and his wife, Eliza Mary (née Farquhar). She was the wife of Robert Bruce (1813–62) of the Grenadier Guards, second surviving son of the 7th Earl of Elgin. They married in 1848. Colonel Bruce had recently been appointed governor (9 November 1858) to the Prince of Wales and accompanied him on his Grand Tour of the Continent.
9. Attributed, erroneously, to Jonathan Swift. Asking about a building under construction, he was told that it was a magazine, whereupon he is said to have produced the following lines: “Behold! a proof of Irish sense! / Here Irish wit is seen! / When nothing’s left, that’s worth defence, / We build a magazine” (Ann Cline Kelly, Jonathan Swift and Popular Culture, New York, 2002, p. 160).
10. The closing and signature have been excised.
___________________
