4775. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 212–215.
[Florence]
[Postmark: 6 November 1860]
My dearest Sarianna you must set us down as the most ungrateful of the obliged! So good it was of you to send the photographs, so glad we were to have them, tho’ so slow to give thanks!– I believe it was the grippe which stopped the first impulse—& after that is stopped, one waits for other things, .. such as to know something of one’s plans about Rome, .. for instance. The grippe griped our poor little Pen … in the course of a general onslaught on Florence—and he was in bed with hot skin & high pulse for four days, .. shaken too by the worst cough he ever had in his life. On the third day, as our remedies did not act we had the doctor, who gave him a calming draught & conquered the fever– He was much pulled down by it all, & left his bed thin & pale—quite another Peni. However he is like me in the best of me—he catches back what is lost in an extraordinarily short time—& after two days more he did not look as if he had been ill. Now he is in full bloom again, in high spirits & health. If Pen is unwell we bear it ill—the house is wrapt in a cloud–
Now for the photographs– They are both excellent—not merely faithful to the letter, but to the character. Mr Kirkup said of yours, “What a nice animated English face”? Does’nt that please you, Sarianna? As to the dearest Nonno’s, it is admirable. [1] Pen is enchanted with his Nonno, .. thinks it “the image”—& Robert values it for pure gold—and I clap my hands. A kind & good thought of you to send us your shadows!
Peni has had the gift of a photograph-book in which he holds many who are dear to him & us—and you are put very near the beginning—near the papa & mama of him, poor pet.
By the way, Robert brought me in, one day, a splendid volume of the same kind, to realize a wish I had of collecting the public men of the day, .. in any way mixed up with Italian affairs. [2] This is not difficult, as everyone is photographed at present. Robert has asked you he says to secure a portrait for me, which I have seen here & much admired– After all, nothing at Rome is quite equal to some of the Paris photographs—such as we have seen lately. I shall bring my book to show you next summer. Meanwhile we are going to Rome to get the pope’s photograph & Antonelli’s.
My letters from England have been much more comforting in this respect, that the pain has diminished. Arabel said “Dont hope too much,” and I tried not to be over-sanguine—but, in spite of wisdom perhaps, my spirits mounted, .. I felt as if a great weight were lifted from me. Yes, even now I am easier .. even now, when they note to me the failing of strength—for the strength fails, Sarianna. But she is able to take wine .. & the appetite is not bad—and the knowledge that this precious sister no longer suffers intense pain is a relief for which I thank God everyday– Still she is weak & low .. increasingly so—& the drain continues. [3] The anxiety is very great. I had one delightful letter which I lived on for days– Now we go to Rome where letters take more time to come—but it makes little difference. Dr Grisonowsky thinks it “safer” for me to go,—& certainly to stay here & be ill would not help anybody,—not even myself. So we go when this wind will change & let us–
As to political dangers .. only a few days since, the danger was an attack on Tuscany on the part of Austria. Rome is not more threatened than the north—indeed less so.
So you think diplomats must be frank or say nothing– Then you must needs go out of the world, Sarianna. If Napoleon had been frank with regard to these Italian movements, not only would he have pulled down Europe on himself but on Italy. If it had not been for his wonderful “finesse” & “savoir faire”, do you imagine that England would not have been as adverse to Italy at the end as she was at the beginning? As an English paper observed the other day, .. “France is a potent friend to Italy, but the very friendship draws down on Italy enemies still more potent.” [4]
The great fear in England is, that France may defend Italy again,—which she must & will do if Austria attacks– Our Italian papers protest very seriously against the “platonic love” offered by the English government,—& observe that platonic love & jealousy of France will not help them sufficiently–
The withdrawal of the French ambassador & a few phrases about international law, mean no more that [sic, for than] “Not at home”, & “your obedient humble servant,” nor amount to greater breaches of veracity. Strictly speaking every law was broken by the attack of the north of Italy on the south. There was no excuse in the law of nations, & even Cavour wrote weakly when he tried to defend it. The conventional law was all against us—but the higher moral law justified us, & therefore we dared to act.
It was by understanding with Napoleon that we acted—and yet he could not do otherwise, as the head of a regularly constituted nation, & with obligation to carry out his words into deeds than offically to protest. He could not stand between Italy & final destruction on other terms– It is perfectly perceived here– They say, “Napoleon holds our hand under the table”. As to Savoy, he never “lied” about Savoy. If he is to blame, Victor Emanuel and Cavour & every noble man in the government deserve like blame. For me, I see nothing to blame in that whole affair, except the calumnies on it. —But Garibaldi is not a politician. He saw simply that he lost his native town, suffered by it—& the Mazzinians about him have poured poison into the wound ever since. People who talk to you of “understanding,” between Garibaldi & Cavour, know nothing of Garibaldi. It’s too true that he hates Cavour .. too true. Only the other day he said to a friend of ours .. “Cut me to pieces! io non posso inghiottire questo traditore”– [5] His loyal heart & personal attachment to the King save us—otherwise the consequences would be terrible. Without that “traditore” & the other enemy, Napoleon,—little good could Garibaldi’s heroism have done in the south—but Garibaldi cant see where he stands & why. He is like a child for simplicity, be sure. His government gives ample proof of it unfortunately.
The French occupation of Viterbo &c was a means of keeping the pope from going to Gaeta. A scheme was discovered which it was necessary to frustrate, otherwise the Italian main movements would have been abruptly stopped. We could not attack Gaeta or even starve it out, while His Holiness suffered. Garibaldi might do such a wicked thing—but we!—— You understand?
You must not judge people in enormous difficulties too hardly. Conventions in private life are observed very strictly by all of you, & you must allow them to operate in public life. Neither Austria nor Italy has been deceived by Napoleon—no–
Love to M. Milsand when you write. You will hear next from Rome. Robert is quite well. Best love from Pen & me to the dear Nonno.
Your affec sister.
Address, in RB’s hand: France. / Mademoiselle Browning / 151. Rue de Grenelle, / Faubourg St Germain, / Paris.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Lilly Library.
1. The photograph of Sarianna has not been located. The photograph of RB, Sr., a carte-de-visite, was taken in Paris at the Michel Studio, 3 Rue de Miroménil. It is reproduced facing p. 49. Joseph Milsand refers to it in SD2404.
4. Not traced.
5. “I cannot swallow this traitor.”
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