4845. Walter Savage Landor to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 29, 13–14.
[Florence]
March 9 [1861] [1]
Dear Browning,
Yesterday I was favored with a visit by Miss Blagdon, who tells me she has not heard from you more lately than I have.– Until the close of the present week I have continually had my dinner from the trattoria—but, as my teeth are gone, I never have attempted to eat three morsels, and have sent the two dishes down. Today I told Mrs Romagnoli that I should be glad if she would twice or thrice in the week dress a chicken or lambs head for me. She would not undertake it, pretending that she was sure she should never please me. Now, not once since I was in the house have I complained all the time she really did dress a dish for me. The fact is, she is vext that I no longer feed her family. She told me, if things were to be drest at home, she must send away her maid and get another. The present maid <is> one of a large family, very <a>ttentive and honest. One would <t>hink that such qualities should have their value. My son Charles, [2] these two last weeks, have [sic] brought me a meat-pie—about two ounces are as much as I ever eat—I took this quantity out of four days in each week, and sent the remainder down-stairs. It contained two chickens and three pounds of loin of beef, with truf[f]les. When I told my son that I never was <to re>ceive anything from my family, he assured me that a woman he could employ had made it: yet she could not bring it, and he did. I must now be content with my chocolate for dinner as well as breakfast. My appetite is gone, so is my sleep, excepting half a[n] hour of dozing three or four times a day when I attempt to read. But my room smokes so horribly that I am forced to open all the doors, and am become half-blind, and my lungs are grievously affected. It was in vain that I complained of the stove. After this day I will begin to give a proof how little will content me. A cup of milk and another of chocolate will be my whole sustenance for the remainder of my life.
In the beginning of May Mrs Field leaves her lodgings for the new square—a mile distant. [3] The young lady permits me to teach her the rudiments of latin. Within a week she has learnt the co<njuga>tions of the verbs as well as <the> declensions. Her quickness <is> equal to her sound unders<stan>ding. I shall be sorry to see no more of her after May—for I doubt whether I shall be able to go beyond my short street.
Ever sincerely yours
W S Landor
Address: Robert Browning Esq / 126 Via Felice / a Roma.
Publication: BBIS-5, pp. 36–37.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. The year is provided by Landor’s mention of teaching Latin to Kate Field, on which EBB comments in letter 4854.
2. Charles Savage Landor (1825–1917).
3. Since their return from Leghorn in October, Kate Field and her mother had occupied rooms in the Piazza Pitti, a short walk from Landor’s residence. The “new square” was Piazza dell’Indipendenza, a new name for the former Piazza Maria Antonia (see letter 4508, note 6).
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