4769. EBB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 204–205.
[Florence]
[ca. 31 October 1860] [1]
Ever dearest Isa, yes my letter did not please me– It was from George, & chiefly on business [2] —but of the subject, he said that there was little or no change since Arabel wrote, except on the point of weakness, which increased, he seemed to think– For two or three days she had been very low– Tomorrow perhaps, she will be revived, said he– Yet his impression is evidently that the strength fails. He attributes this to the constant drain, [3] adding that it was their object to contend with the difficulty by tonics & diet– The pain, thank God, remains much overcome, & she is able to take wine—both sherry & champagne everyday,—while the appetite is tolerably good.
I am not at all happy, my Isa, & have a small heart to see anybody on sunday—only I must—& it will be once in a way. [4]
Dearest Isa, I am so sorry you are not well, your dear self– May Cooper [5] be light to you! I find to my disappointment that only two of the ribbon-scarfs have been unworn by Peni—but I send you these with my best love–
Mdme Peruzzi was here yesterday & very radiant about public affairs,—& not willing to wait till the spring in order to take back Venice– In which I must say I sympathize–
Will Austria fight? Everything evidently depends on Warsaw– [6]
As to Prussia, she’s Prussian. You see, the English volunteers did fight really this time—& seven of them dead, brave fellows! [7] The Constitutionel proves what we knew [8] —you & I, that is– Mr Cartwright seems rather vexed that France did’nt fight the Piedmontese– He’s quite pathetic about the Holy father.
Yes, I feel with you as to Mademoiselle de Fauveau– Her earnestness consecrates her– [9]
Mr Landor was here yesterday bewailing himself for the “great loss” of the world. In whom, do you suppose?
In Orsini, [10] when I hear him talk, I find myself inclined to the hypothesis that genius is scarcely respectable, & not at all desireable.
Yours in true love
Ba–
Publication: B-IB, pp. 372–373.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Dated by EBB’s references to the letter from her brother George; see note 2 below.
2. Letter 4770 indicates that George had written on the subject of changing the trustees of the Brownings’ marriage settlement.
3. i.e., hemorrhaging, as noted by Surtees in his journal (Surtees, 14, 19, and 26 October 1860).
4. EBB may refer to an impending visit from the Robsons; see the sixth paragraph in letter 4770.
5. Perhaps a medication known as “Sir Astley Cooper’s Restorative Pills,” named for the famous surgeon Sir Astley Cooper (1768–1841), 1st Baronet, who had nothing to do with patent medicines. According to The Household Encyclopædia (1858), it was “of great value in all those slight indispositions which, though troublesome enough … do not quite oblige the patient to leave his business and go to bed” (I, 352).
6. See letter 4753, note 12 and letter 4755, note 12.
7. An item in The Examiner of 27 October 1860 reported that an English regiment of volunteers under the command of Colonel Peard was holding a position near Sant’Angelo (3 miles E. of Capua) when it was “attacked by a Neapolitan brigade. … The Englishmen fought bravely to the last; the first and third company charged the Neapolitans more than once, and thoroughly beat them. Colonel Peard lost six men, and had about twenty wounded. Captain Tucker, an artist, who had long resided in Naples, was killed on the spot” (p. 683).
8. EBB may have in mind an editorial by L. Boniface in Le Constitutionnel of 24 October 1860, which contained the following observations: “For whose benefit would the Emperor have taken up arms against his former ally, the king of Sardinia, and put himself in outright conflict with England? For the benefit of governments which, giving us neither their friendship nor their confidence, have no right to clamor for such sacrifices. The Emperor cannot and does not want to make sacrifices except for just causes, for governments that are not unfriendly to their own countries and that do not claim to be enemies of France” (p. 1).
9. Presumably an allusion to Félicité de Fauveau’s Legitimist sympathies (see letter 4223, note 4).
10. Felice Orsini (1819–58), who tried to assassinate Napoleon III in January 1858 (see letter 4121, note 5).
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