4869. EBB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 29, 67–68.
[Rome]
[13 April 1861] [1]
<***> very highest opinion of his abilities for science .. and also of his indolence & uncertainty of will. He has no imagination in proportion to his other faculties: so he says, & she believes– Her mode of speaking led me rather to doubt the nature of their former relations—she spoke from such a disinterested & analysing height—but I wont give an opinion– [2]
She told me that his advancement in political ideas was the cause of mutual coldness in the Prussian diplomacy line—.
‘Agnes’ is not named, in the Saturday Review– [3] Where did you hear she was?– And I must wait for Mrs Mackenzie then? [4] It is hard!
There are strange movements among the French troops– Nobody knows what is to happen: but something is. Many have gone– The pope’s newspaper clamours loudly that we are on the edge of war– [5]
I have no Nazione—nor have seen Garibaldi’s reply to the deputation– [6]
The illumination last night being bought & paid for, did pretty well– [7]
Not a moment for more except that unchangeably I do love you
Ba–
How can there be “too many marriages” at the end of a novel? I delight in Framley. [8]
Pen on his poney was close to an open carriage yesterday at the review– A lady spoke, admiring his poney, & .. “I recognized the Neapolitan language” said Pen loftily. “Che bel carin cavallin” [9] .. he repeated, mimicking. Asking who she was, it was the queen of Naples—added he! “Oh mama, she is so very pretty! Not like your photograph! [10] So fair! such golden hair! & looking so melancholy–”
Poor little creature! Isa—dont think ill of me! and yet I do not mean the poney—nor Pen even. <***>
Publication: B-IB, pp. 445–446.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Dated by EBB’s reference to the illuminations (see note 7 below).
2. EBB refers to the Prussian minister, Baron von Canitz, and his wife; see letter 4814, note 2.
3. The review of Agnes Tremorne did not appear in The Saturday Review until 27 April 1861 (see letter 4890, note 7).
4. Mary Mackenzie (née Wood, 1800–90); see letter 4146, note 2.
5. Perhaps a reference to a notice in the Giornale di Roma for 11 April 1861 that referred to the “dangers of war that threaten Europe” (p. 3).
6. On 29 March 1861 at Caprera, Garibaldi was visited by deputations from the Italian Working Men’s Associations. They asked the “Citizen General” to save Italy from the many problems and threats facing her, including imminent Austrian and French attacks: “The country is unarmed, not one point is in a state of defence, not one measure is adopted to resist the invasion of Austria on one side, and on the other the still more evident and imminent invasion of France in the kingdom of Naples. … Speak only one word, and the 500,000 bayonets which you asked to be ready for this expiring month of March will rise and follow you as if by magic” (The Times, 8 April 1861, p. 9). In his reply, signed and dated Turin, 3 April, Garibaldi attempted to allay the deputations’ fears of invasion while stressing the need for Italian unity and concord. He emphasized his support for King Victor Emmanuel II but condemned the “corrupt atmosphere” that surrounded him; that is, Cavour and his allies. He particularly opposed the formal and arbitrary separation of the regular army and the volunteers: “They [Cavour et al.] wished to create dissensions; they have undone the work of unification initiated by us; they wished to divide two elements so precious and necessary in our present circumstances” (p. 9).
7. On 12 April the city of Rome was illuminated in honour of the anniversary of Pius IX’s return from exile at Gaeta in 1850.
8. The last chapter of Trollope’s Framley Parsonage is entitled “How they were all married, had two children, and lived happy ever after.” It gives an account of four marriages.
9. “What a fine pretty pony.”
10. A carte-de-visite in EBB’s album; it is reproduced in vol. 28, p. 391.
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