4456. RB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 233–234.
Siena, Villa Alberti,
Tuesday. [2 August 1859] [1]
Dearest Isa,
We transported Ba hither yesterday evening. She was utterly unable to close her eyes all night, so unintermitting was the cough—tho’ I fancied it not so violent of its kind, but teazing in the extreme: she slept a little after getting some coffee at 4½ this morning. She is now decidedly better, I venture to believe,—dressed & sitting in the drawing room: we have wind here, wind there, wind every where & even more than enough of it, spite of the hottest of days outside: the Villa is cool decidedly, and so far a success. [2] I am far from sure that I managed to make Dr Grisanowsky understand how deeply indebted I am to him for his goodness to us those two days [3] —I was too confused by it all to say much. Tell him so, with renewed thanks, whatever they may be worth. The Storys are most kind to & careful of us in every way: and I do believe myself that Ba will soon get better, get best, & quite well again—& that this could not easily have been the case had we remained in Florence—so set your own dear, quick-beating heart at ease. I will write & keep you informed of Ba’s progress—she bids me send her best love to you. And both of us want—or at least, Ba wants her love to be given to Miss Field.
Ever yours affectionately
Robert Browning.
This is a wild, rough old Villa with Masters not to match, for they could give a lesson to Brichieri. Tell Dr. G. that they took from me, when the bargain was at an end, the whole of the second floor which I had fancied mine—turned francesconi into “scudi,” thereby mulcting me of two dollars,—& finally made me pay the whole term in advance lest I should grow restive when scorpions make their appearance in the beds, or some such pleasant accident happen! The “Count” [4] is a fiery haired, hook-nosed, fair-speeched man—very likely to have pictures to sell—inform Jarves!
Publication: B-IB, pp. 221–222.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Dated by RB’s reference to the Brownings’ arrival at Villa Alberti, which occurred on 1 August 1859, a Monday.
2. The Villa Alberti, in the district of Marciano, about two miles west-northwest of Siena, situated “across a valley of olives and vines” from the Storys’ residence Villa Belvedere, as Edith Peruzzi (née Story) recalled years later (see “Walter Savage Landor,” The Cornhill Magazine, New Series, 38, April 1915, 489). William Wetmore Story refers to the distance between the two villas as “a stone’s throw” (see SD2277).
3. During which he attended EBB at the Hotel Aquila Nera (see the following letter).
4. Presumably Giovan Battista Alberti, the owner of the villa; see Piergiacomo Petrioli, “The Brownings and Their Sienese Circle,” SBHC, 24 (2001), 81.
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