4661. EBB to Mary Ann Bruen
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 27, 307–308.
Rome. 28. Via del Tritone
[?4] May [1860] [1]
My dear Mrs Bruen, I do want to have a good happy letter from you this time about Mrs Perkins– Pray tell me that she makes you all happy, & that the baby continues in its former prosperity– [2] Your letter quite shocked me,—for I had not realized to myself there having been so much danger & anguish among you, though I had heard of illness– Shall you decide on leaving Italy for the summer, I wonder? Or will you go to Lucca as usual? I suppose we may say of the winter ‘it is past;’ [3] —& yet we had such a return of gloom & chill (even at Rome) when we said so three weeks ago, that it requires courage to affirm anything. I had begun to go out, & was forced to leave it off. Only, the warmth during the last three or four days has been re-assuring.
We shall be slow in returning to Florence, having, like slow snails, a house on our backs till June. But I mean to try to return before May is out. Our plans afterwards are very uncertain– The more repose for me, the better, I believe—even from good words & .. works, perhaps. You know how they have been pelting me in England with stones .. & mud. “If you speak truth enough,” said an American friend to me the other day, “you are crucified– Fall short of that punishment, & the defeat is simply in your degree of truth”. I have only been true up to the degree of pelting & pillory. The worse for me, that is.
Deep must be the anxiety of all of us in the Sicilian movement—not at an end I see by this morning’s paper. ‘May God be with the Right & against the wrong.’ [4]
The Lamoriciere business is the expression in Rome of the coalition of French oppositions against the emperor. [5] The party which has delighted in terming itself “the intellect of France” comes into light so, as exponent of civilization, & upholder of oppression in Italy. Better so perhaps–
Penini longs for Florence– He is faithful. Here he is hard worked– I cant leave you in error as to Edith Story– You must not fancy that she is backward in anything becoming her age, because she is forward in generosity & affection to little Pen. Very few girls would bear to drag a child after them, as she does Pen, allowing him to hang on her skirts. He has been in an agony at the idea of being left behind, & has insisted, & begged, & pressed in to use books somewhat beyond him, which, not to vex the poor child overmuch, the Abbé kindly yielded to, & Edith condescended to most sweetly– I am very grateful for this condescendance on Edith’s part, for it would be ruin & indolence for my child, if he learnt in company with a pupil more backward that [sic, for than] himself– He would sink, & do nothing– As it is, .. the worst is that he comes to me to complain bitterly of his Abbé who excludes him from reading Tasso because of “a child’s not being able to understand le bellezze,” [6] & sets him down to Pignotti’s fables [7] which he hates– “As if he cared for the conversations of a fire-fly & an elephant,—when he knows they cant speak one word—and as if he didn’t like to hear about Clarinda [8] & the sun & moon, just as well as Edith!– He, who is an Italian too!”
So I had to intercede for him with the Abbé– But would I ever intercede, if poor good dear Edith suffered for her kindness, in the estimation of anyone? Indeed I should’nt have the heart to do it, even for my Pen’s sake. She is intelligent, & very truthful & direct, as well as generous & unvain—& Pen is very justly fond of her .. which makes another reason of his desire to keep up with her, perhaps–
Mrs Story’s mother & brother [9] have arrived in Rome, & Miss Weston’s brother [10] is expected–
How I envy you for having seen Victor Emanuel enter my Florence. I, too, understand about “Clarinda, [11] & the sun & moon,” & would willingly have had part in your pleasure.
Give my love to dear Mrs Perkins, Miss Bruen [12] —all of you– Let me have a word of good news, if possible.
Affectionately yours
Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. The conjectured day is suggested by EBB’s references to the weather and the “Sicilian movement,” both of which are discussed in letter 4657. The year is provided by EBB’s mention of Victor Emmanuel’s entry into Florence, which occurred on 16 April 1860.
3. Cf. Song of Solomon 2:11.
4. Cf. Richard II, I, 3, 101.
5. The coalition supporting “the Lamoriciere business” included the French clerical, Legitimist, and Orleanist parties.
6. “Beauty.”
7. Favole e novelle (1782) by Lorenzo Pignotti (1739–1812). EBB refers to two of Pignotti’s fables: “La Lucciola” (“The Firefly”) and “Il Tope, e l’Elefante” (“The Mouse, and the Elephant”).
8. Sic, for Clorinda, the Ethiopian princess and woman warrior who fights against the Crusaders in Gerusalemme liberata (1581) by Torquato Tasso (1544–95). After Clorinda’s death in battle, the knight Tancred sees a vision of her in the heavens (XII, 91,1).
9. George Eldredge (1832–64), the youngest of Emelyn Story’s five brothers. He and his mother, Hannah Eldredge (née Smalley, 1793–1867), submitted passport applications in Boston on 8 and 9 March 1860, respectively (National Archives).
10. Hervey Eliphaz Weston (1817–82), a physician. He was issued a passport at New York on 7 April 1860. “Miss Weston” refers to Lucia Weston (1822–61); see letter 3994, note 3.
11. See note 7 above.
12. Mary Lundie Bruen (1828–86).
___________________
