4608. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 27, 189–193.
[Rome]
[Postmark: 18 February 1860]
My dearest Sarianna, I fear you will have been wondering at a silence which has lengthened itself out strangely– But if I did not write with Robert’s last letter, there was just a beginning of my evils,—& I have had a miserable attack again, with the old symptoms recurring– A huge blister over the whole chest however, (& the advantages of the climate abetting, I dare say) I got over it all at less cost, though a week confined to my bed .. which never happens to me without necessity. I was much weakened & for weeks saw nobody, not to have to talk– Now its all over, I thank God, & not worth a sigh– The fact was, that it might not have happened if I had’nt gone to see the Emperor’s sword– It was agreed that the thing could not hurt me, & it did–. So, now a sword must be run into me before I stir again– Robert & Pen have both had colds, & were kept in the house (with a great outcry from Pen) three days each—but a cold kills nobody except me—and they are very well, both of them– As to Pen, he is getting on with his abbé & Latin, wonderfully well. It seems to me that he is as advanced in Latin already as English schoolboys after a year or two’s plodding– Of course a good deal of it comes from his being penetrated with Italian—not knowing the language simply as you & I do, but having the idiom of it in his blood. Then the teacher is excellent– Also having to work with Edith Story who is between fifteen & sixteen (& a very good, truthful, intelligent affectionate girl! so much improved in nature!) keeps up his energy by force of emulation– These were the lessons he had to do for this morning’s appointment with the abbé– A page of Latin history translated into Italian, & written out fairly– Twenty lines of Italian nouns translated into Latin & adapted to their specified cases– A Latin verb to say– Also, what Pen calls “a problem” in arithmetic involving addition & subtraction. It’s a great deal of work for a child like Peni—with only one day’s time for preparation– I catch at half an hour once or twice a week to prevent his forgetting his German. French is spoken at the lessons .. & a Fable of La Fontaine [1] learnt once in the week, on the geography day so that he does not lose even there– We are very much satisfied– For the music, his daily two hours are not suffered to be mulcted for any reason—& Robert gets him on beautifully, only wishing at intervals, as he may well do, that he himself had had half Pen’s advantages. Pen is now at ‘The Trout,’ Schubert arranged by Stephen Heller, [2] —& has just finished Blumenthal’s “Na palomba,” [3] to which a great deal of brilliant execution is necessary. This without losing hold of Beethoven of course–
Get me on Peni, & I [4] never lose hold! Nevertheless I have a heart full of thanks to dear M. Milsand, which I beg you to give him, for the more than justice he has done my ‘Villafranca’– Generally I am stricken with disgust (after a while) for my own poems—but he has secured me from this. As long as I can read his exquisite translation, so long shall I like my ‘Tale of Villafranca’– How happy it would be for Robert & me if he had nothing to do in the world but to translate us into French!—our reputations would be worth double what they are– Not that we are selfish enough to wish it! No, I am told of the French generals here (Goyon & Noué) being charmed with his work– In fact it seems hard to get it back from that camp—but we will.
My new “brochure” of “Poems before Congress,” will contain this Villafranca tale, of course—perfectly justified by the facts, as the Times itself confessed after the resumé of the events of the year made by the Prussian government the other day– [5] Prussia would have marched if a step had been taken to take Verona. Then (as the emperor signified in his letter to the pope) the revolution in the general confusion would have escaped his influence in the south of Italy– He was bound to give the Pope certain chances—& moreover to constater [6] before Catholic Europe that it was impossible to constrain the papal government to the liberal requirements of the populations– This for the sake of the populations–
Villafranca was forced on him therefore,—& he made the best of that misfortune. “J’ai surpassé ma finesse ordinaire,” [7] he said to Pepoli.
His game with England has been superb– The commercial treaty will hold her not merely neutral but favorable in her influence with Germany, whatever may remain to be done in Italy– And there is something to be done– For instance that clause about Venetia [8] in the English prepositions [sic] (which riled me like a second Villafranca) could only be accepted by France because of Napoleon’s wonderful insight into approaching events & actual facts which render impossible the carrying out of the same–
His popularity is as high as ever in Italy—in spite of that pitiful cry about Savoy which has been stirred too soon– There has always been a floating idea of annexation among the mass of the people there, who are French, & not Italian at all—and that the enemy should take occasion by it now to blaspheme, is only like all the rest.
—We shall have war again in Italy this spring, if probabilities realize themselves–
Think of Pen’s impertinence to his Abbé– In the geography-lesson there was a talk of frontiers & the nature of such– “For instance,” said the Abbé, “point out to me some part of Italy which does not belong to the Roman government—specify anything”– “Romagna” said Pen quite gravely– [9] “O, mon Dieu” cried the Abbé– He must really be very good-natured.
Dearest Sarianna I am so glad that the dear Corkrans are coming back to Paris– It gave me a real thrill of pleasure, for your sake, & theirs— .. also for our own, let me add. Our love to them all. The Chronicle too is in the right way of politics for the alliance & so forth– [10]
I hope you have confessed to Archer Gurney how right he was about the Emperor’s views as to the papacy– But we knew that long ago,—& specifically since last spring.– Napoleon has never faltered in one of his ideas—though exoterically & officially he has had to follow the practical logic of events, & bide his time– He is a wonderful man. Copies of my little book will go to you & M. Milsand—& also to Mr Corkran– [11]
Yes, mediums cheat. So do people who are not mediums– Even you are sometimes taken in, I observe. Why therefore should not I [12] always be? For my part, I am nearly sick of such specimens of dear M. Milsand’s noble “Anglo-Saxon race,” English & American as come to Italy—especially of the women– They come to me, lay themselves under my feet,––& end by tripping me up– Oh—the want of truth, the want of moral cleanliness! it is dreadful. [13]
I consider Fanny Haworth very truthful. She wont even preserve her consistency at the price of her truth—& that is why she changes in our sight so– By the way I wrote to her, & hope the old address will not be too late. Tell the dearest nonno how Pen & Robert & I keep him in constant mind– Love us, both of you.
Your affecte sister
Ba.
Robert is hard at work at a poem. [14] I am so glad–
Address, in RB’s hand: France. / À Mademoiselle / Mlle Browning, / 151. Rue de Grenelle, Faubg St Germain, / Paris.
Publication: Letters to Robert Browning and Other Correspondents, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, ed. Thomas J. Wise (London, 1916), pp. 45–53.
Manuscript: British Library.
1. Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95), French poet, whose Fables choisies first appeared in 1668.
2. “La Truite” by Franz Schubert (1797–1828), arranged by Stephen Heller (1813–88), op. 33.
3. “Na Palombella Ghiama. Chanson Populaire Napolitaine,” transcribed for piano by Jacques Blumenthal (1829–1908), German-born pianist and composer. In 1848 he settled in London and became pianist to Queen Victoria. He appears in RB’s later address books (AB-5 and AB-6).
4. Underscored twice.
5. The Times of 16 January 1860 carried excerpts from a speech made by the Prince Regent (Prince Wilhelm) at the opening of the Prussian parliament on 12 January. In reviewing the “grave and important events” that had occurred in Europe during the previous year, Wilhelm stated: “The war which already then had declared itself in Italy was rapidly approaching the German frontiers. The importance of that situation called upon us to assume a serious attitude. I ordered the mobilization of six corps d’armée. They had already commenced taking up their positions in conjunction with the troops of those members of the German Confederation not engaged in the war, when the war was suddenly brought to an end. The preliminaries of Villafranca led to the conclusion of peace” (p. 9). An editorial in the same issue commented on the speech: “These important words explain the past policy of this great military Power, and justify the declaration by which Napoleon has excused his concessions to Austria, even in his hour of victory” (p. 8).
6. “State,” or “confirm.”
7. “I have surpassed my usual finesse.”
9. At this time, Romagna was still considered a Papal State, even though it had voted for union with Piedmont and formed a new province with Modena and Parma (see letter 4493, note 4).
10. According to John Frazer Corkran, in his application to the Royal Literary Fund, he was appointed Paris correspondent for The Morning Chronicle in January 1860. The newspaper, recently purchased by an American merchant, was intended “to be an organ of peace and good will between the two countries [France and England]” (31 March 1862, no. 1592, ms at RLF).
11. These presentation copies of Poems Before Congress have not been located.
12. Underscored twice in addition to the underscoring of the entire phrase.
13. A further allusion to EBB’s estrangement from Sophia Eckley.
14. Perhaps the “long poem” mentioned by EBB in a letter to Fanny Haworth, dated 18 May [1860] (ms at Fitzwilliam), which may have been “Caliban upon Setebos” (see The Poems of Robert Browning, Vol. 4, ed. John Woolford, Daniel Karlin, and Joseph Phelan, Harlow, England, 2012, p. 576).
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