4474. EBB to Euphrasia Fanny Haworth
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 26, 262–264.
Villa Alberti. Siena.
August 23 [1859] [1]
Dearest Fanny
This is only to say that I wrote to you before your letter reached me, directing mine [2] simply to the post office of Cologne, & that I write now lest what went before should miss for want of the more specific address– Thank you, dear friend, for caring to hear of my health—that, at least, is pleasant. I keep recovering strength by air, quiet, & asses milk, .. and by hope for Italy, which consolidates itself more & more.
You will wonder at me, but these public affairs have half killed me. You know I cant take things quietly– Your complaint & mine, Fanny, are just opposite– For weeks & weeks, in my feverish state, I never closed my eyes without suffering ‘punishment’ under eternal articles of peace & unending lists of provisional governments– Do you wonder?
Observe– I believe entirely in the Emperor. He did at Villafranca what he could not help but do– Since then, he has simply changed the arena of the struggle—he is walking under the earth instead of on the earth, but straight and to unchanged ends.
This country, meanwhile, is conducting itself nobly. It is worthy of becoming a great nation–
And God for us all!——
So you go to England really?—— Which I doubted, till your letter came.
It is well that you did not spend the summer here, for the heat has been ferocious—hotter, people from Corfu say, than it was even felt there. Italy however is apt to be hottish in the summer—as we know very well.
The country about here though not romantic like Lucca, is very pretty, & our windows command sunsets & nightwinds– I have not stirred out yet after three weeks of it—you may suppose how reduced I must be– I could scarcely stand at one time. The active evil however is ended, & strength comes somehow or other– Robert has had the perfect goodness not only to nurse me, but to teach Peni .. who is good too, & rides a pony [3] just the colour of his curls, to his pure delight. Then we have books & newspapers English & Italian—the books from Florence—so we do beautifully.
Mr Landor is here– There’s a long story– Absolute revolution & abdication from the Florence villa– [4] He appeared one day at our door of Casa Guidi, with an oath on his soul never to go back– The end of it all is, that Robert has accepted office as Landor’s guardian, (!!) & is to “see to him” at the request of his family in England—& there’s to be an arrangement for Wilson to undertake him in a Florence apartment—which she is pleased at– He visited the Storys, who are in a villa here (the only inhabitants) & were very kind to him– Now, he is in rooms in a house not far from us, waiting till we return to Florence. I have seen him only once—& then he looked better than he did in Florence where he seemed dropping into the grave .. scarcely able to walk a hundred yards.
He longs for England,—but his friends do not encourage his return—& so the best that can be done for him must be– Now he is in improved spirits & has taken to writing Latin alcaics on Garibaldi .. which is refreshing, I suppose.
Ask at the post office for my letter, but dont fancy that it may be a line more lively than this. No alcaics from me! One soul has gone from me—at least the soul that writes letters.
Mr Kirkup writes to tell us of a spiritual manifestation he has just had, beyond any questioning–
May God bless you dearest kindest Fanny. Love me a little. Dont leave off feeling “on private affairs” too much for that–
Robert’s best love with that
of your loving
Ba
Mention your headaches particularly when you write, & write soon. So sorry I am you missed your sister– [5] How vexing!
Address: Mademoiselle Haworth / aux soins de [illegible words] / Marien Platz / Cologne [illegible word] / post rest<ante>. Redirected: [illegible words] / Bonn.
Publication: LEBB, II, 322–324 (in part).
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Year provided by postmark.
3. Stella, a four-year-old Sardinian pony that RB would later buy for Pen. EBB describes the pony more fully in the last paragraph of letter 4502.
4. Villa Gherardesca, just outside Fiesole on the road to Florence, which Landor purchased in the summer of 1829 (see R.H. Super, Walter Savage Landor, New York, 1954, p. 208).
5. Julia Meikleham (née Haworth, 1807–70). See 4044, note 3.
___________________
