4384. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 121–123.
[Rome]
[Postmark: 15 April 1859]
Dearest Sarianna, People are distracting the Athenæums, Robert complains, as they distract other things—but in time you will recover them, I hope. Mr Leighton has made a beautiful pencil-drawing, highly finished to the last degree, of him,—very like, though not on the poetical side .. which is beyond Leighton– Of this you shall have a photograph soon, [1] —& in behalf of it, I pardon a drawing of me which I should otherwise rather complain of, I confess. [2]
We are all much saddened just now, (in spite of war), by the state of Una Hawthorne, a lovely girl of fifteen, Mr Hawthorne’s daughter, who after a succession of attacks of Roman fever, has had another complicated with gastric, which has fallen on the lungs—& she only lives, from hour to hour. Homœopathic treatment persisted in!—which never answers in these fevers– Ah—there has been much illness in Rome– Miss Cushman has had an attack—but you wd not recognize other names. We are well however, Pen like a rose, & Robert still expanding! Dissipations decidedly agree with Robert—there’s no denying that—though he is horribly hypocritical, & “prefers an evening with me at home ” .. which has grown to be a kind of dissipation, also.
We are in great heart about the war—as if it were a peace, without need of war. Arabel writes alarmed about our funded money [3] —which we are not likely to lose perhaps, precisely because we are not alarmed. The subject never occurred to me, in fact. I was too absorbed in the general question .. yes, & am.
So it dawns upon you, Sarianna, that things at Rome & at Naples are not quite what they should be!– A certain English reactionary party would gladly make the pope a ‘paratonnerre’ [4] to save Austria,—but this wont do. The poor old innocent pope would be paralytically harmless but for the Austrian, who for years has supported the corruptions here against France,—& even the King of Naples would drop flat as a pricked bubble if Austria had not maintained that iniquity also– We, who have lived in Italy all these years, know the full pestilent meaning of Austria everywhere. What is suffered in Lombardy exceeds what is suffered elsewhere. Now, God be thanked, here is light & hope of deliverance–– Still you doubt whether the French are free enough themselves to give freedom—!! Well, I wont argue the question about what “freedom” is– We shall be perfectly satisfied here with French universal suffrage & the ballot, .. the very same democratical government, which advanced liberals are striving for in England– But, however that may be, the Italians are perfectly contented to being liberated by the French, & entirely disinclined to wait the chance of being more honorably assisted by their “free” and virtuous friend on the other side of the hedge, (or channel) who is employed at present in buttoning up his own pockets lest peradventure he should lose a shilling.! Giving dinners though, & the smaller change, to “Neapolitan exiles,” .. whom only this very cry of ‘war’ has freed!– [5]
Robert & I have been of one mind lately in these things .. which comforts me much.
But the chief comfort is .. the state of facts.
Massimo d’Azeglio came to see us, & talked nobly, with that noble head of his– I was far prouder of his coming, than of another personal distinction you will guess at .. though I dont pretend to have been insensible even to that. “It is 48 over again,” said he, “with matured actors.” In fact the unity throughout Italy is wonderful. What have been properly called “the crimes of the Holy Alliance” [6] will be abolished this time—if God defends the right, [7] which He will, I think. I have faith & hope–
But people are preparing to run—& perhaps we shall be forced to use the gendarmes against the brigands .. (with whom the country is beset, as in all cases of general disturbance) when we travel—but this is all the difference it will make with us– Tuscany is only restraining itself out of deference to France, & not to complicate her difficulties. War must be, if it is not already.
Yes, I was “not insensible”—democratical as I am, & unEnglish as I am said to be. Col. Bruce told me that “he knew it would be gratifying to the queen that the prince shd make Robert’s acquaintance”– “She wished him to know the most eminent men in Rome.” It might be a weakness, but I am pleased. Pen’s & my love to the dearest Nonno & you.
Your affectionate Ba
The Sandfords have taken a house at Brighton for seven years—another. [8]
Address, in RB’s hand: France. / Mademoiselle Browning, / 151. Rue de Grenelle, / Faubourg St Germain, / Paris.
Publication: LEBB, II, 310–312.
Manuscript: Lilly Library.
1. Later produced by Robert Macpherson (see letter 4370, note 23). This copy, sent to Sarianna, is now at ABL (see Reconstruction, G19).
3. Invested in Tuscan securities.
4. “Lightning-rod.”
5. Various London newspapers carried accounts of dinners and parties given in honor of, and to raise funds for, “Neapolitan exiles.” The Morning Post of 4 April 1859 ran the following item: “Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Napier entertained at dinner, on Saturday [2 April], at his residence in Albemarle-street, Messieurs Settembrini, Spaventa, and Picca [sic for Pica], Neapolitan exiles” (p. 5). Under the heading “The Neapolitan Exiles,” The Daily News noted that the Gladstones “entertained Baron Poerio, the distinguished Neapolitan, at dinner on Monday evening at their residence on Carlton House-terrace. … Mrs. Gladstone had a select party later in the evening, at which several of the chief Neapolitan exiles were present” (6 April 1859, p. 4). The exiles were liberal and constitutionalist Neapolitans fleeing the repressive regime of King Ferdinand II.
7. Cf. Richard II, I, 3, 101.
8. As indicated in the Brownings’ address book of this period (AB-4), the Wills-Sandfords relocated in Brighton from Hove Place to 33 Palmeira Square.
___________________
