4906. EBB to Sarianna Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 29, 144–146.
[Florence]
[Postmark: 7 June 1861]
Dearest Sarianna, behold me writing to you again this morning–
I feel that though you are kind and I innocent, I must stand in your eyes covered with a weight of sin—convicted!
Observe! I believe I could have gone to you perfectly well, & returned alive– But Robert is nervous, & he is always most nervous before a journey—and Dr Grisonowski who attended me last summer & autumn year, when I was so ill that I have never been right since, advised Robert at Rome against permitting the effort—which of course was not likely to diminish his own fear– In fact, excitement, pleasant or unpleasant, is not very good for me—the more repose the better—and if only I were to be thought of, I might be put into a closet & the key turned on me—— But what is vexing is that Robert should be kept this second summer from the visit he owes to his father & to you, on my account– I have fought hard about it .. & “touched the brink of all,” poor Robert “hates” [1] .. as much as if it had been about table-rapping. He is ever & anon telling me in great commotion, that as soon as ever I have killed myself he shall go straight to England & never set foot out of it again .. (That’s to frighten me in some occult way, I suppose–) No, he never will look at a palm’s breadth of Italian sky again—and this morning, he moodily added, that he “meant in that case to take rooms in Gower Street for the rest of his life” … Gower Street standing I suppose he supposes, (and he is’nt very far wrong) for the deepest recess of the infernal regions .. in my peculiar way of envisaging the universe–
So you see, we must let him have his way this year– You cant doubt how he longed to pay this visit to you and to his dear father, & that the pain of the disappointment is great– It’s a choice of evils—as he sees them– But now listen. This morning he took a voluntary oath to me, which I shall hold him to, that if, in the, I hope, improbable case, of his being visited next year, by similar fears in respect to my [2] travelling, he will go to you himself & take Penini with him– It will be very good for him to steep himself in northern civilization, besides the northern love … of which dear Milsand makes a part– So you must encourage this scheme. Both for him & for the Nonno & you, it will be right & happy for him to go– And I hope to be allowed to go too——oh, I mean to be with him, I assure you .. only in every case I wont keep him here– I was ready to let him & Pen go alone even this year—and there are ways of disposing of me, which would not leave him a moment’s anxiety about me, as he feels himself–
Napoleon sent four telegrams in his anxiety about Cavour—who died recommending the French alliance– His last words were for Italy .. “Tutto è Salvo”– [3] May God grant it– My courage & faith, which have not failed hitherto, tremble & are broken a little– Only the end was prepared– If I doubted of Napoleon as some do, I should utterly despair now–
Our pilot is lost in the storm–
There was a wretched attempt at demonstration here as soon as ever the news was known– A show of Austrian & Grand-ducal orders on the part of certain reactionists, (among them an English clergyman, & an English richard!) [4] put down by the people, who did their best (most properly I think) to tear the sinners to shreds. Prince Corsini [5] is in bed & has been bled thrice. Several persons were struck in the face—others well-beaten– The national guard had to rescue them. I am tolerant of all opinions, assinine or other,—but not of asses who kick at dead lions–
The spirit of our dead Lion is with us still——up to this moment, at least–
Oh—that a hundred Garibaldis had been taken instead–
I cannot tell you what a profound sadness we seem to have returned to–
Then Tuscany, I fear, is at best, in disrepute with Robert since Rome– Florence has been going out of his regard for some years … I fear, I fear—though, at times, he denies this. But he has no society here—dislikes to have it—& at Rome was perfectly interested in various ways. And he finds Casa Guidi gloomy & noisy–
But we were too late in Rome. We waited for a vetturino [6] & the weather had grown to be intolerably hot. Another year we shall come away earlier.
Mrs Bracken’s house sounds dear—but there’s situation & situation. Every now & then I see advertisements of cheapness in the Galignani– Mrs Mackenzie & Annette B have taken an apartment on a fourth Roman floor, [7] I think (but that’s higher than a Parisian fourth) for which they pay (on a lease) forty pounds English a year—not in a good situation .. instead of “gold twiddlings”, black beetles in shoals,—considered quite exceptional for cheapness in Rome– But then you have to consider that the year in Rome means little more than six months– If you live longer there, you die. So that the difference is small– Things otherwise in Rome are dear– Meat is said to be a third above London price—, Mr Newton settled in London with his wife, [8] considers it much cheaper than Italy– What Rome will be when V E. arrives, one strains to calculate. The north of Italy is said to be “dearer than Paris” now, and this by persons who knew what Paris is– And we must be heavily taxed, if Italy is to live, .. which will increase expenses in proportion–
I write of these small things “to ladle out the water”– So heavy hearted I am, that scarcely can I get courage to read this newspaper of the day which lies by me– Dear love to Pen’s Nonno. And do mind what Robert says about the carriage, & keep us happy with good accounts of him. What will my poor Arabel say!?
Your affectionate Ba
Address, in RB’s hand: France. / Mademoiselle Browning / 151. Rue de Grenelle, / Faubourg St Germain, / Paris.
Docket, in Sarianna Browning’s hand: The last.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Fitzwilliam Museum; and Lilly Library (envelope).
1. Cf. Pope, Moral Essays (1735), II, 52.
2. Underscored three times.
3. “Everything is safe.”
4. Unidentified.
5. Tommaso Corsini (1835–1919); see letter 4438, note 19.
6. Pietro Gai.
7. Mrs. Mackenzie is listed in the Brownings’ address book of this period (AB-4) at “Via Pedacchia 103. 3o po”
8. Ann Mary Newton (née Severn, 1832–66), daughter of Joseph Severn (1793–1879) and his wife, Elizabeth (née Montgomerie, 1804–62). She and Charles Thomas Newton (see letter 4616, note 7) married on 27 April 1861 at St. Michael’s Church, Chester Square, London.
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