4522. RB to Emelyn Story
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 27, 38–39.
Florence,
Nov. 23. ’59.
Dear Mrs Story,
When your note (full of kindness as it could hold) came to us more than a fortnight ago,—I was expecting that any day after the 8th Nov—when Mr Landor was to be definitively disposed of I should be able to write that we were certainly to be at Rome by the week’s end: that very day, or perhaps the next, the cold weather surprised us, and ever since we have been expecting & hoping for just such a decided change in it as will allow us to believe in three or four warm days for our journey by Siena: such changes always arrive, so far as we remember, and yesterday seemed the prophet of all we want,—but this morning is clear, sunny and cold again. Be sure that if we can risk the journey we will—our preparations are made, we could set out three days hence or earlier. It was so unfortunate a necessity,—that of domiciling dear old Landor, beside arranging other matters concerning his interests—and one could hardly foresee this extension of the first cold days—for where is the St Martin, [1] or your Indian summer? One good thing is that if we can but arrive in Rome, from your kind account, we shall meet with but little difficulty in housing ourselves, i.e sunning ourselves, fully to hearts’ content in the deserted English & American quarters. Hatty wrote to us two days ago and mentioned something about a capital house in Via Felice [2] —“which Story had probably written about”—has he done so? Nothing reached us, at all events. Both of us feel more grateful than we shall try to enlarge upon for that offer of your house on our first arrival—and we know your sincerity & generosity enough to believe that you would really be indifferent to the inconvenience for the sake of serving us so effectually—but indeed we shall not need your goodness in this respect– (I think we use it freely enough in the other matters!) We will sleep one night at the Hôtel, [3] —pass in review in the course of next morning the apartments that you recommend, and get settled by nightfall at latest. I will write to you the moment our course is decided: I shall trouble you to remember the lascia passare [4] for the frontier as well as the City-gate—but all particularities the last thing! I write with a visitor talking with my wife (she has been suffering, rather, from over-visitation). I don’t know that she will be able to add a word to mine: I can safely send her love to you all, if nothing more. She is not particularly weak or unwell, and could face the troubles of a journey quite as well as last year,—had we but last year’s mild weather!
Mr Landor told me last night that he had written to you & Edie two weeks ago– He seemed very desirous of hearing something in return. He is well and comfortably lodged for the winter—but is irritable, too often, at little misconceptions, forgetfulnesses of his own, which no solicitude can provide against. I will leave off with more love to you all, & more hopes of seeing you all very soon again from
Yours affectionately ever
Robert Browning.
Publication: BAF, pp. 54–56.
Manuscript: University of Texas.
1. “St. Martin’s Summer, a season of fine mild weather occurring about Martinmas” (OED); that is, St. Martin’s feast day, 11 November.
2. Possibly 126 Via Felice, where the Brownings stayed the next year (see letter 4536, note 3).
3. The Hôtel de l’Angleterre (see letter 4278, note 4), as mentioned by RB in letter 4526.
4. “Pass.” In this case, an official document suggested by the Papal government for persons travelling to Rome in private carriages “in order to avoid the formalities of the custom-house” (Murray’s Handbook for Travellers in Central Italy, 1853, part I, p. 2).
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