4874. EBB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 29, 74–77.
126. Via Felice–
April 17 [1861] [1]
Dearest of possible Isas—are you vexed with me or what? why am I not capable of liking your book, dear? “Against all my shibboleths”—? “Only a line here & there,” to which I can be competent? How strange! “Too romantic” for me? I did’nt suspect before, that anything could be too romantic for me. I open my eyes– Have I said or done anything wrong, I wonder? We generally agree about books, I think—though we dont about “Elisabetta Sirana”, [2] —which I persist in thinking both poor & cumbrous. It is less sensual than Lytton’s poetry is apt to be, but then it is less spontaneous at the same time,—seems written for the sake of writing—as if a theme were selected and “improved” in sermon-fashion—or theme-fashion– There’s no throb of life in the thing. Now you know I always have held for Lytton, that though he felonizes from other people, he assimilates by the force of his own vitality—& that the “man is a man for a that”, [3] & not a mosaic floor– I dont find it so here. Then I made a snatch at sixteen lines on the very first page, & found that the poem was actually the better for losing them. Which is damnable, Isa.
Tell me the name of the poem in the “All the year round” [4] which I’m condemned “not to like” either, though you do—!– I’m astonished at myself, my Isa– What’s the meaning of it?
Shall we risk it with Odo Russell? He receives for me the Spiritual Magazine—which always comes safely. Consider.
Dearest Isa mine, when all’s said, the faculty of construction is the rarest in England at this time—therefore rejoice in your lot. “Costume & manners” are excellent from twenty hands & more—but the other is most rare– I am very anxious to see the book. I liked the doctrinal part quoted by the Athenæum [5] —& it seems to me probably that I shant hate the rest for being romantic–
I am glad you simply “hissed” & not “kissed” (as Robert & I read first) dear Mr Trollope .. you & Kate—for I can assure you Robert was fully prepared to consider the impropriety of the latter step, as great– (Himself not being the occasion & recipient!) What is this “lecture?”– For Garibaldi, do you mean that Dall’Ongaro “resents his going to Turin” .. as a fault on the part of Garibaldi, I mean? I am doubtful of the concatenation, from what you say close by about the King & Cavour.
Dear, if you cant understand Lady Lytton’s difficulties, or sympathize with her from her stand-point, you will, .. when you have lived in England five or six years,—having sponged off your Italian colours– I know that, for a woman like Lady Lytton to accept easily, such a daughter in law, would have been most unnatural, unEnglish, impossible. [6] — But the truth is, you see England a little softened by time & distance—. You are drawn to go back, you say? Well—and if you do––.. you will repent it once. (Written from Patmos). [7]
As for us, supposing we took an apartment in Rome for the winter-months .. which may be possible .. it is perfectly impossible that we should remain in the south, (mountains or no mountains) beyond that time– We never think of giving up Florence– People who stay near Rome through the summer, ruin their health—and we have Pen’s to think of. I would not consent to it, on any account. I consider Rome only tenable in the winter, on the condition of removing far from it northwards in the summer. The only motive for taking an apartment here, is the economy of saving some fifty scudi a month on the old terms—fifty at least! ever so much more when VE. comes, as he will do. Our present rooms (for which we pay fifty) let at nearly a hundred on the ordinary winters– See how ruinous! But to give up Florence—no, never. As for cheapness in Italy, I dont suppose there will be much more of that than in England– Only the terms of society are easier to keep, are possible to keep, for small incomes, on the continent. For the rest, material life may be just as cheap in England. The climate is another thing– For climate & social possibilities, such as you require, it will be wise of you to consider. Oh yes, my dear dearest Isa, you are not like me. What I would give, not to be forced to put my head again out of our Italy!
And you could have the heart to abandon us, & to leave this new-born nation with ‘nostro ré’, [8] & go back to Queen Victoria & the “glorious constitution,” with church attached,—& the Alexanders for sympathetic friends? Yes, Ansano would be content to go with you, but if he stayed long, you would have to raise his wages to the English proportion,—the wages of male servants being much higher in England, as you know.
I agree much with you on Adam Bede. [9] You do not estimate her higher than I do– She is great.
Will there be war?—is it evitable, at all? I have your letter, & Fauvety’s—for which I deeply thank you & Dall’Ongaro. How good of you to copy it out– It was very interesting to me– The point on which I particularly concur is the precautionary remark on conceding too much spiritual power to the pope– I have been saying here again & again .. “I hope they wont give up in excess—I hope they wont buy Rome too dearly– Allow an enemy to poison your fountains & he may afford well to give up his swords–” I have said it over & over– I have felt anxiety to a strong degree about it– Still, the position is very difficult, and if no violence is to be used, & the Holy father to continue his papaship at Rome, he must be bribed to it, I suppose– Only, for my part, as an Italian, I think I would rather wait for Rome, than submit the souls of this & other generations to Rome’s priests– Robert says, “Those who dont like it, may leave it”– But children have not a choice, & women generally, & men many, have not attained to the desire of a choice. Italy independent, and souls dependent—that does not please me. Well—the concessions are rejected so far—but perhaps they may be, in themselves, of a less extensive character than I suppose.
M. de Fauvety exaggerates about Mazzini,—&, for Garibaldi, nothing will persuade me that the sentiment of national unity is stronger in him than in Cavour, though the latter is more discreet as to means– By giving up the south to Garibaldi’s “government,” we should arrive simply at ruin .. neither more nor less, of course– But it is pleasant to hear an acute Frenchman speak so of the mind of France. I believe it to be entirely true. Napoleon did well in writing as he did to Murat. People had already begun to make oath that he was at the bottom of the new dynastic pretention. [10]
Yes, the opinion of a man like Fauvety may well be gratifying to Dall’Ongaro– He is surely too good for a ‘professore’ and a fortissima too good for a translator of EBB– I feel shy– I am in a straight. I would rather not have those who cant—! and I blush to have those who can. ‘Ecco’. [11]
<…> [12]
M. le Colonel [13] is going to remonstrate with the police about the paper.
Publication: B-IB, pp. 446–449.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum.
1. Year provided by reference to the return address; 1861 was the only year the Brownings resided at 126 Via Felice in April.
2. Sic. See letter 4867, note 7.
3. Cf. Robert Burns, “For A’ That and A’ That” (1790), line 12.
4. As indicated in letter 4883, EBB refers to Robert Bulwer Lytton’s “Adolfus, Duke of Guelders,” which appeared in All the Year Round on 30 March 1861 (pp. 12–15). In collected editions of Lytton’s works, the title character is spelled “Adolphus.”
5. The Athenæum’s reviewer, Emily Eden, found “much truth” in the following passage from Agnes Tremorne: “It is far less the case now than at that time,—but there was then a great want of earnestness in women’s pursuits. They were always considered as amusements, rarely as means of mental growth. Art for Art’s sake was ignored; its serious apprenticeship, its self-denying discipline, its absorbing pursuits, were considered to be out of place in a woman’s education. The unhappy marriages, the miserable homes which are the consequence of unhappy marriages, the faults which children inherit and acquire in such homes, were, and are, the consequence of this. … It must be confessed that the so-called happy homes of England often belie their name miserably” (30 March 1861, no. 1744, p. 430).
6. Doubtless a reference to Lytton’s former fiancée, Carolina Groeninx van Zoelen (1836–1911); see letter 4316, note 16.
7. EBB added the parenthetical phrase as an afterthought. St. John the Apostle was, according to tradition, exiled to the Greek island of Patmos, where he is said to have written the book of Revelation.
8. “Our king.”
9. A novel by George Eliot, published on 1 February 1859.
11. “Behold.”
12. The conclusion of this letter is missing except for the following line which is written at the top of the first page.
13. Colonel Pissis; see letter 4866, note 2.
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