4766. EBB to Arabella Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 201–203.
[Florence]
[ca. 24] [October 1860] [1]
<***> una voce corre” [2] says the telegraph, “che Austria minacciasse” [3] ! Indeed we are prepared for an intervention at any hour— .. if Warsaw enables Francis Joseph to carry out his bad intentions. [4] The Italian feeling is that France increases her troops at Rome, chiefly to be prepared for that possible contingency,—& Victor Emmanuel’s first use of power in Umbria & the Marches, is to levy troops– No one can calculate on the event of a few weeks,—but, under the circumstances, there’s quite as much safety in Rome as in Tuscany– For my part, I am afraid of the cold, but my nervous system is impervious to fears of war– Politically, things go on prosperously– The divisions & mistakes at Naples have occasioned the loss of precious time—but we shall be in time at last, .. as Garibaldi yields– See how right I was about Garibaldi! Give me credit for being accurately informed as to some other men, Arabel. Garibaldi’s weakness however went beyond the point I had perceived as probable. He fluctuated between yes & no– He would & he would not. Whoever was with him last, persuaded him. When he has laid down the dictatorship, we shall all breathe. An honest, loyal man & a hero, .. but otherwise, weak. The King is to be in Naples today, [5] thank God—& then, there will be no more weakness. Cavour is extraordinary for power of head .. for comprehension & far-sightedness– He stands next to the Emperor. He has power too—for the whole of Italy goes with him. The Mazzinians are but a handful of men, after all– Only a handful of gunpowder is dangerous, in certain positions—and they had the post of dangerous advantage.
Let me tell you of a most beautiful present I received yesterday. Robert brought me in, one of the new photograph-books [6] .. books to receive photographs—crimson leather, clasped in gold, with so many prepared frames in card, into which you slip the photographs– Mine holds a hundred– I had been longing for one, as I want to make a collection of the portraits of all the public men mixed up with the Italian question– These photographs seem to me the most deeply interesting of possible sights—the very faces of the men .. & their souls,—as far as souls are seen in faces. Robert brought me, too, a heap of photographs to begin my collection. Was’nt it kind?– I told him I would rather have it than .... “diamonds,” I said .. & that was poor praise. —Tell me of the governess. [7] When does she come? Arabel, you dont mention Miss Sewell’s books– Has Henrietta read ‘Ursula.’ [8] Tell me. Write to me. Love me. I am with you, dearest. You do me good with all your words. May God hold you & love you.
Your own Ba–
Robert’s love to all with mine.
Publication: EBB-AB, II, 497–498, as [15 October 1860].
Manuscript: Gordon E. Moulton-Barrett.
1. Approximate dating based upon EBB’s remark: “The King is to be in Naples today” (see note 5 below).
2. “Rumor has it.”
3. “That Austria could threaten.”
5. King Victor Emmanuel II joined the Piedmontese army in Ancona on 3 October. Twelve days later, they crossed the frontier into the Kingdom of Naples, encountering for the most part little resistance. Various reports in the press during this time anticipated the king’s arrival in the city of Naples. The Morning Post of 19 October 1860 carried a bulletin from their Naples correspondent dated 13 October: “We are not aware exactly when Victor Emmanuel will enter this city. Some say on the 20th or 24th” (p. 6). The Daily News of 24 October ran a telegraphic dispatch from Turin that announced he would “arrive at Naples on the 28th inst.” (p. 4). In fact, the king entered Naples on 7 November.
6. This album bears an inscription by RB: “(This was E. B. B.’s ‘own’ album;—all the photographs in it were chosen and placed where they now are by herself: the names are in her pencil-writing. RB. May 31. 1878).” The album was designed to hold the fashionable carte-de-visite, a type of photograph. The cartes-de-visite that EBB placed in it, along with RB’s inscription, are reproduced as Appendix IV. The cover of the album is illustrated facing p. 176.
7. It is not clear whether a governess was engaged prior to early February 1861, when Surtees recorded in his journal: “Miss Lewis came as governess to our children” (Surtees, 5 February 1861).
___________________
