4421. EBB to Anna Brownell Jameson
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 174–178.
Florence. Casa Guidi
June 4– [1859] [1]
Why did I think you for a moment so poor in heart, my generous dearest friend, as not to sympathize with Italy .. why, but because you are intensely English—for that, & no other reason– And why do I think that the English “except a clique,” do not sympathize––why?–
Ah, the reason is too wide & deep. Would to God I could think otherwise of England– Would to God I could say, ‘It is a clique’ .. “it is Mr Reeve” [2] .. or “it is only the Times Newspaper”, or “it is only the Saturday Review”, or “it is only the Derby ministry,” or ‘it is only the ministerial side of the House of Commons’!–. What fills me with despair is, that no generous living voice rose up in the corrupt, immoral, ignobly selfish multitude, .. that the leaders of the liberals agreed with the leaders of the government, .. that men like Lord Brougham ate dirt, that men like Lord John Russell calmly digested it, that all England during a general election when the popular expression is most distinct, approved the diet, and that a poet like Alfred Tennyson (that was the last blow to me) sang a grace for it– [3] If the English-Austrian sympathy exist only as you say, in a “clique,” .. why are all the rest of you dumb, dead, undemonstrative? Why do you let the “clique” act for you, without a protestation, almost—? Why do your elections increase the power of your English-Austrian ministry? [4] Why?– You have something else to do, you say, you who having attained political freedom, are striving for social,—you have something else to do– My dearest friend, all my dear friends, my sisters, my countrywomen, I tell you plainly out of the depths of my soul that you ought not, at this crisis, to have something else to do– If England is to keep some honor among the nations of the world, & not go down to the bottom like a dead pebble in the living current of progress, you must not have anything else to do than to help her in this strait. As God sees me, I believe the strait to be greater now for England than for Italy– I told you some time back that England had lost her prestige in this country– [5] Now I tell you that she has lost her respectability– Whoever has influence among you therefore, for England’s sake, speak here—for every other question is a question of toys & bric a brac in comparison– Do you know what the Italians think of you? Do you expect them to believe that Louis Napoleon whom you considered good enough to help you in the Crimea & in China, [6] is too bad to help them who have no other helper? Did you mean to help them yourselves,—and did you ever? & would you ever, while the world lasted? Are you aware of the advice given by your Mr Gladstone at Turin? I will tell you– “The only hope of Italy is union with & submission to Austria”– After that I dont want to read his article, which Robert however has seen & calls “loathsome.” [7] As to the Emperor of the French, he does not want me for an advocate– I am content to leave his acts to the comprehension of the world– The passion of gratitude with which he is regarded throughout Italy would be guerdon enough for a man of a lower ambition than his is,—& I believe that, at last, he will leave this country with empty hands, for a fulness of glory– He risks his dynasty in the face of Europe for a noble cause– That is well– On the other hand, if he fails, the whole European democracy drops with him, & he will have hymns in his destruction–— We are very well informed, through having been shaken up with all sorts of responsible minds, whether at Rome or here,—and Robert is of one opinion with me at this moment—indeed we are subscribing so much a month to the war, according to our means. (He is swearing over a number of the Saturday Review while I write–) [8] In proportion to his English predilections—& you are aware that he has many more than I have,—has been his deep humiliation at the conduct of England– As to the bearing of English travellers & residents abroad, it was disgusting enough in Rome,—but here it passes all toleration– There have been dinners, at which “Success to Austria” has been drunk without a dissenting voice, except a trustworthy witness who told us– [9] Every sort of insult has been offered to the Italians .. besides that insult to their flag which went deep– [10] We have had even a small English conspiracy to bring back the Grand Duke, headed by Mr Sloane, [11] .. to whom the Tuscan government sent an expressive message, that they were not to seek in ammunition, & he & his friends had better keep quiet– Our friend Mr Busacca, the new minister of finances, with a book under his arm, trudging along the street, met Robert on our arrival here—who, extending his hands, cordially congratulated him on the new prospects of Italy. “Ah—but,” .. said he, “England! England has done ill by us.” It seemed to be as near to his heart, that grief, as was the joy about his own country– In fact Busacca used to be much attached to England—he was Anglomane & anti-Gallican– “Mais nous avons changé tout cela.” [12] And this change has come upon all the intelligent men of that order of ideas—on such men as Villeri for instance, author of the Life of Savanorola [sic],—& Giudicci, [13] &c &c &c—men deep in the literature & constitutionalism of England––& Pantaleone of Rome, who has an English wife, & was proud of the English blood in his boys– [14] He said to me in a low & melancholy voice, speaking of England .. “It is the decadence”– Yes, and I have seen a letter from Azeglio, written from England .. which would make your blood run cold– Such a judgement!– And he had associated with men of all parties–
The movement here has been calm & grand—and you may praise the women,—tell the English woman’s journal. The women, who cannot fight, unite with those men who cannot fight, to give what they can– The daughter of an Florentine draper, sent a volunteer to Piedmont at her own expense– It is only one instance out of many– Nothing can be more touching than the printed papers sent about for the subscriptions of the poor .. (papers like those used in England for the penny subscriptions to bibles) marking the half & quarter pauls, given from the day’s or week’s work– The laborious classes work through the festa day, & subscribe the small result. So many pauls from the month’s wages are given here, & so many days extra work is given there. The young men joining the ranks drain the Tuscan homes dry—& indeed this is so everywhere– Widows lose their only sons, (awaking in the morning to miss them) & after weeping their hearts away, receive letters which re-open the flood,—pathetic letters to say .. ‘We did not leave you because we loved you less, but because we loved duty more [15] —La patria ci chiama’– [16] Up to this moment, never was there a nobler struggle, kept holier from taint– The emotion excited by the arrival of the French, is great. Prince Napoleon passed through the streets of Florence, in an open carriage, buried in flowers to the waist– [17] The troops said they had walked three miles on a carpet of flowers. Viva la Francia, was returned in Vive l’Italie—the national hymn, caught up by thousands of voices, taking all. Ladies of rank, receiving into their carriages any lame or lagging veteran, outside the gates– Young children employed to give cigars & nosegays to the soldiers, who smile & say ‘merci bien’. [18] We have the camp in the Cascine, & all Florence goes there every day to sympathize, & clap their hands, & admire, & be grateful– It would have been worth England’s while to have won the friendship of such a people—yes.
You speak of the first Napoleon– Certainly there were drawbacks—drawbacks in his personal ambition .. & in the unripeness of the times– But with all drawbacks, the remembrance of even the first Napoleon has always been associated in Italy, among the masses, with the last light of hope which visited their sad eyes. With all drawbacks, his name is dear—& so dear (observe) that since it was renewed in France, there has been here a sort of blind impulsive turning for the dawn, to France. The English view of the first Napoleon’s career, has never been the view of the populations, but the view of the dynasties. The treaties with which you tied up your victories, were the heartstrings of the nationalities—cruel & accursed were they. But these things are over. The third Napoleon is a man unlike the first. The times are other—the necessities of progress & civilization are upon us. You never any of you understand the power of ideas in France, nor that it is as active as the desire of a material or commercial advantage is, with you. Neither have you comprehended what Louis Napoleon is & must be. ‘Territorial aggrandizement’ is a term expressing to him the merest anachronism. He is the representative of the Democracy, & he goes where the Democracy must go––far ahead of dynastic & political & irresponsible conventions–
Dont be vexed with me, dearest Monna Nina. My very bitterness about England proves that I loved her better than I supposed. I really did not think I could feel so much. I heard an American girl [19] say the other day to some one who asked why she walked about with the tricolor .. “Because I am so afraid of being taken for an Englishwoman.” The Trollopes have behaved very well—& few besides. You may rely on it that the order to bombard Florence was read as described– [20] Though Napoleon said to the Duc de Grammont that if the Tuscans liked to have their G Duke back he wdnt interfere .. “qu est ce que cela me fait” [21] .. the feeling here is resolute against the dynasty.
Dear Geddie looks <well> & cheerful– She seemed doubtful whether or <no>t to come to Leghorn for change this summer.
So consoled I am by your admissions as to your dear self– You must be better, I feel & think– Use your influence for good—for the good of England, I mean. Robert[’]s love with that of your ever attached
& grateful Ba–
Address: Angleterre / Mrs Jameson / 16. Chatham Place / Brighton.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Year provided by postmark.
5. See the first paragraph in letter 4404.
6. During the Arrow War, also known as the Second Opium War (see letter 3986, note 14), French forces joined with those of the British in the attack on Canton.
7. EBB refers to an unsigned article by William Ewart Gladstone, “Foreign Affairs—War in Italy,” that appeared in the April 1859 issue of The Quarterly Review (pp. 527–564). Towards the end of the article, Gladstone suggests that the relationship of Austria to Italy would be “favourable to the interests” of both parties if it were based on the relationship of the Ottoman Empire to the Danubian Principalities: “First, the modified and partial sovereignty called suzerainty is acknowledged to belong to the central power [Austria]. Secondly, the provinces thus placed in subordination are liable to a fixed pecuniary contribution. Thirdly, the suzerain has no rights or liabilities whatever in regard to them, except such as are strictly defined. Fourthly, they enjoy an internal autonomy practically complete, with their own native legislature, administration and army” (p. 559). On his way back to England in March 1859, after visiting the Ionian Islands, Gladstone stopped in Turin and met with Piedmont’s prime minister, Camillo di Cavour. We are unable to confirm the statement that EBB attributes to Gladstone.
8. Probably the issue of 21 May 1859, which contained five articles either partly or wholly concerned with Italian affairs: “Policy of Germany” (pp. 609–610), naming Napoleon III the aggressor in Italy; “Tuscany” (pp. 610–611), which satirized the provisional government and maligned the intentions of Cavour and Napoleon III; “The War” (p. 612), with further criticism of the French emperor; “The Neutrality Proclamation” (pp. 615–616), made by Queen Victoria in regard to Italy, France, and Austria, which the writer of the article considered unfair to Austria; and “The Campaign in Italy” (pp. 619–620), a fairly objective assessment of the opposing forces.
9. Henry Cottrell, as indicated in letter 4417.
12. “But we have changed all that” (Molière, Le Médecin malgré lui, 1666, II, 4).
13. Paolo Emiliani Giudici (1812–72); see letter 2826, note 9.
14. Diomede Pantaleoni (1810–85) and his wife, Jane Isabella (née Massy-Dawson, 1832–1904), had two sons at this time: Maffeo (1857–1924) and Guido (1858–1948).
15. Cf. Richard Lovelace (1617–57), “To Lucasta, Going to the Warres” (1659), lines 11–12.
16. “Our homeland calls us.”
18. “Many thanks.”
19. Probably Kate Field (see letter 4402, note 14).
21. “What is that to me?” (Molière, L’Impromptu de Versailles, 1663, scene 5).
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