4756. EBB to Sophia Eckley

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 185–186.

[Siena]

[ca. 5 October 1860] [1]

<***> to Pen it is an even more familiar mode of expression than English is– There are so many excellent Latin grammars for English students that I should advise you to leave the selection of one to Dody’s tutor,—and of course he will select it with reference to the future education of Dody .. I mean that if you think of sending the child to any particular school or college, the tutor would wisely select the grammar used at such a school & college, to facilitate & abbreviate the process of study by an identity in the means–

I have been slightly relieved by my accounts from England, but remain very heavy-hearted–

Can dear Mr Eckley know the state of public affairs, that he has fixed on Rome? I think you will not have Miss Ogle [2] with you, in that case– If the French stay in Rome, they are threatened with an attack by Garibaldi,—& if they go, .. it remains to be seen whether the Mazzinians will quietly abandon their last hope in Italy– It is a great crisis—and though we may pass it quickly, few English families will trust themselves in Rome, probably this winter. Our own plans are quite in suspence, & indeed I have had little heart for making plans .. Our united love to <***>

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Berg Collection.

1. Dated by EBB’s references to “accounts from England” concerning Henrietta and to Garibaldi’s attacking Rome. EBB had received from Arabella two recent letters that contained encouraging news of Henrietta’s symptoms (see letters 4743 and 4753). Although Garibaldi had threatened an attack on Rome after capturing Naples in early September, by the end of the first week of October, such an attack was no longer feasible or desirable.

2. Anne Charlotte Ogle (1832–1918); see letter 4299, note 9.

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