4728. EBB to Eliza Anne Ogilvy
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 111–113.
Villa Alberti. Siena–
August– 24. [1860] [1]
I do thank you, my dear friend, for all the trouble you have taken for Wilson—it is pure goodness both to her & to me. We empower you to insist on the child’s being at the ship on the day you shall indicate. Wilson will write to her people by this post. It would be a lamentable thing if such an opportunity were lost through the tenacity or awkwardness of her family– She ought to have her own child—& she ought not, moreover, (between you & me) to pay so much for the protection hitherto afforded to him. Also it is time for the Orestes who cant speak Italian, to meet the Pylades who cant speak English & that they should learn to understand one another in a brotherly way.
I am very sorry you should have more care about your Louisa [2] —but her constitution will steady itself presently. Dear Mrs Ogilvy too! —Yet I sympathize with souls that dont sympathize with bodies—souls that rebel & persist—when the strength cries, ‘Past work’– After all there’s something not ignoble in it—is it not so?–
Of my own deep anxiety I have not the heart to speak much– My two last accounts have had a shade of improvement in them—which lightened (comparatively) a few days to me—but I know too well, that if there were any reliable betterness, I should be told of it distinctly.
There is one cause of suffering which is incidental purely & not dangerous—piles. The pressure partly, & partly the opiates & their consequences are the cause of this– May God help us.
I am alive still to public interests. It is a time of grave crisis– We are looking for war—intervention from the enemy Austria. Toeplitz means mischief, if not the special mischief denied by dozens of newspapers– Certainly the Prince of Prussia gave his “parole de gentilhomme” [3] (which I translate to you “word of a rascal”) to assist Austria under certain conditions. [4] Dall’ Ongaro, the Venetian poet, came over from Florence the day before yesterday & found me sitting under my own figtree outside our windows here– He came full of the gravest news. You should have heard him talk in indignation of “questa canaglia di Germanià.” [5] Of course its all a coalition against France—only observe, what has been said by no unauthentic speaker—“Let Prussia move against Italy, & in that moment[”] “le Rhin commençera à couler dans la France.” [6] And for my part I say Amen—well-deserved!
Still .. the fiercer the struggle the sooner over. There is not a simple desire here for the unity of Italy, but a passion. The outrageous thing is, that by the fault of Germany, the Italian war should not be allowed to seek its natural issue, without a general war– And I fear much.
Still my friend was very hopeful about Italy– So am I– As we parted in the sentiment of it, I was carried away to say, “Vivo per questo” [7] ——to which he answered, his face in a blaze,––“Vivete dunque.” [8]
Our love to dear Mr Ogilvy when you write or see him. And my love & kisses to the children– Very dear friend, May God bless all of you–
Your most affectionate &
grateful EBB–
Wilson comes to press,—would it be quite impossible for Gigia [9] to go to East Retford Nottinghamshire on her road to Liverpool, and spend two days with the Wilsons– Then she could make friend[s] with the child, & one of them could travel on with her to Liverpool– Of course she would be their visitor at Carrol Gate—no expense. Consider if it be possible.
The address of the Wilsons is Carrol Gate East Retford Notts.
Address: Angleterre via France– / Mrs Ogilvy / Crawford’s Lodging / Carnoustie / Forfarshire. / NB.
Publication: EBB-EAHO, pp. 153–156.
Manuscript: Eton College Library.
1. Year based on EBB’s reference to Teplitz, where the Austrian Emperor and the Prussian Regent met on 26 July 1860.
2. Eliza Anne Ogilvy’s eldest child, Louisa Mary (1846–70). “Mrs. Ogilvy” refers to the recipient’s mother-in-law, Marcia Anne Ogilvy (née Napier, 1783–1861).
3. “Word of a gentleman.”
5. “Germany, this scoundrel.”
6. “The Rhine will begin to flow in France.”
7. “I live for this.”
8. “Live therefore.”
9. The Ogilvys’ Italian nurse (see letter 3207, note 2).
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