4909. EBB to Thomas Adolphus Trollope
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 29, 151–152.
Casa Guidi–
June 14— [1861] [1]
Dear Mr Trollope, I have this letter from Mr Dicey (who wrote on “Rome”) [2] a very liberal & earnest intelligence– Can you help me to help him as to the books he asks about? If you can, I am sure you will, for the sake both of England & Italy,—and indeed it is for the interest of the world that as much truth as possible of the last Statesman lost to us should be told, and as little reflexion from truth admitted– [3]
As for truth in any large sense, the time for speaking it or knowing it has not come—— For instance, who knows the secret of what passed after Villafranca,—& on some other occasions? Only the secret-keepers. And it is not the hour yet of ceasing to keep secrets–
I should strongly advise Mr Dicey to pause in his design, therefore, if I did not know that what Macmillan wants Macmillan will have, and that if he does not get it from the Diceys, he will from the Dumas’s–
If this news is true (certified by banners!) Napoleon has paid worthy tribute to that Grave– [4] But I feel it difficult to believe in joy in these days–
Give my love to your wife– I dont mean to trouble you much on the subject of the Memoir—but if you can help my friend by jotting down a few titles of books or pamphlets, you will greatly oblige me–
Most truly yours
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Address: T. Adolphus Trollope Esqre / Villino Trollope / Piazza dell’ Independenza, / Citta.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Year provided by EBB’s reference to the death of Cavour.
2. Rome in 1860 (Cambridge, 1861) was published on 30 March by Macmillan & Co.
3. Edward Dicey was working on Cavour: A Memoir, which was issued by Macmillan on 31 August 1861.
___________________
