4779. EBB to George Goodin Moulton-Barrett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 224.
Florence–
Novr 19 [sic, for 17]. [1860] [1]
Beloved George,
We are going to Rome tomorrow morning. Robert thinks it best that I should not wait for more letters good or evil, lest I should be prevented by the weather from going at all– So I shall find your next word at Rome– As for me I do as he likes– It is better perhaps– I told him to decide,—it was the same for me–
I have your two dreadful letters; of course I feel as you know I must——feeling sure too that you make everything as soft to me as you can– May God help us all– There is a ray in your post[s]cript—which will do to try to travel in– And you say she is not weaker than when you wrote before– But I am very frightened—& it is perhaps better to wait for news in a carriage than sitting here in this chair—which makes one mad almost–
Any way Robert says its a duty for me to go to Rome—& if we are to go, the only chance for it seems to go at once– We shall find your letters waiting for us, if you wrote in the time you said——“again that week”.
Write straight to Rome (poste restante) after receiving this.
May God be with you all– My whole heart is—dear dearest George–
your Ba—
Robert’s eyes were not dry over your letter,—feeling for me & with me. His love[.]
Address: Angleterre. / George G Moulton Barrett Esqre / Stoke Court / Taunton / Somersetshire.
Publication: B-GB, p. 250 (as 11? Nov 1860).
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. Year provided by postmark. Corrected date based on EBB’s first sentence; the Brownings left for Rome on 18 November (see letter 4780).
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