4712. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 80–82.
[Siena]
[Postmark: 21 July 1860]
My dearest Sarianna I am very little inclined to write or do anything, as Robert will tell you. My poor Henrietta hangs like a stone at my heart—& although Robert persuades me (or rather tries) that nothing will come of it, I suffer moments of terror besides the continual anxiety. The first impulse was to go– I wanted Robert to let me go with Annunziata, as I might easily have done, leaving Peni to his care—but he would’nt hear of our not moving all together if at all, & Pen cried out piteously. Perhaps he is right too—that we should be simply in the way, & that if I went & was ill I should just complicate the distress– Still I have written to Arabel to bid her tell me to come if she thinks it at all desireable for any reason—in that case I am sure Robert will agree to go for a month or six weeks– It is therefore on the cards that we may see you this year. And oh Sarianna, forgive me that I do not wish it—for such a reason!– But if we go, we shall manage our special visit to you next year. In any case we shall do that.
Arabel says, “We are anxious very anxious”—& I know she who is so tender & afraid of giving me pain in the least degree would not have said that if she were not most anxious.
It is a tumour in the neck of the womb—& there is great suffering.
But why throw one’s pain upon you? We are settled here to our content,—& some successive thunderstorms have broken up the atmosphere into living air & given us respite from heat. Hot days have come of course. It was beginning to burn at Florence—& indeed here. Still it has been very moderate heat for Italy, so far,—& in comparison with last year’s. Robert likes the villa, where he has a room to himself & plenty of space. The silence & rest are delightful. The Abbé is living at the Story’s, (because they could’nt find a lodging for him in this wilderness) and Pen rides there every morning to take his lessons. He is the most amiable & innocent of Abbés, & very fond of Pen who returns the love. Robert has hired a horse by the month, & rides with Pen. Both very well.
Isa Blagden is here, at a villino a quarter of an hour’s walk from our’s. It was all she could find after great endeavours, & without furniture .. except beds & straw chairs—but she bought chintz, & covered with it certain bed-coverings & quilts, doubled & spread on benches .. to pass for sofas .. & has made it look civilized they say. I have not seen it– The road does not admit of a carriage safely, says Robert. We have newspapers from all parts of Italy, seen in passing, besides Galignani of course—& books from subscriptions in Florence. I could’nt live without books & papers, whatever Robert might do– Just now there’s much uneasiness about Sicily. Garibaldi is a hero, but weak– If there had been only a Garibaldi for Italy, she would not stand where she does. Only people see & recognize the sword rather than the thought. We are now for the first time threatened with divisions through his having fallen under certain Mazzinian influences—yes, under Jessie White’s–! To think that that girl should have the power to furrow with anxiety for Italy, the brows of meditative men. She is doing great harm, I fear.
Dear M. Milsand’s photograph pleased us very, very much. [1] Tell him from me that it is precious to all of us. Yes, like.
You dont mention the Corkrans. Give them my love. Did I ask you to thank her for her kind letter?
I forgot to say last time that you were wrong to be vexed about “spiritual inspirations”– Did’nt you know ‘Aurora Leigh’ was written so? That was believed all over Florence– And in the just published Spiritual Mag., Mr Howitt in a violent criticism on the Congress poems, suggests that all my poetry from Casa Guidi downwards is the effect of my being “biologized from the infernal world.” [2] Hence the admiration for that [“]Moloch Napoleon”! [3] Love to the dearest Nonno.
ever your affectionate sister.
Address, in RB’s hand: Mademoiselle Browning, / 151. Rue de Grenelle / Faubourg St Germain, / Paris.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Lilly Library.
1. Perhaps the earlier of two photographs of Milsand, later placed in RB’s photograph album, now at Balliol (see Reconstruction, H169). This likeness is reproduced facing p. 49.
3. In William Howitt’s review of Poems Before Congress, he wrote: “In the ‘Casa Guidi Windows’ she suddenly veered round to a great admiration of war. Since then she has become fascinated with the second modern Moloch, Louis Napoleon; her admiration of this man, whose life is a lie, amounts to little if anything short of possession” (The Spiritual Magazine, July 1860, p. 293). For the full text of this review, see pp. 378–379.
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