5044. RB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 61–62.
1. Chichester Road,
Upper Westbourne Terrace.
March 25. ’62
Dearest Isa.
I send you the Book: [1] I don’t give it away as one of my books,—I really can’t—only give a few to friends. [2]
Remember that I confided that offer in all confidence to you [3] —just to amuse you: I never thought for a moment of accepting it, but thought it due to the kindness of the thing to bid them write to me, explicitly in all points, upon the subject—apprising them that I had no sort of liking for any such business: also, because of the friends who would blame the blindfold refusal of “lots of money”, as you say—but I have no want of that sort, and you may consider I have as good as absolutely refused: only, it must not be known (to their disadvantage) that such an office goes a-begging, so mind!
Villari wrote again a letter I got yesterday [4] to tell me that the Municipality had “yesterday” or better quote the dear Tuscan words “è stato radunato il consiglio municipale, per decidere sulla deliberazione presa dal Magistrato dello stesso municipio: ieri la proferta [sic] fù approvata coll’unanimità dei suffragj. La iscrizione è già scolpita sul marmo; non resta ora che metterla sulla Casa Guidi, che per tutti noi è divenuta storica.” I thank him & them from my heart.
I send a bundle of papers,—all since the last you had.
Did I not tell you I began by asking Miss Smith [5] for your address? It was she who directed me to write as I did to Stone House—all’s right & never mind. I shall go & see you whenever I can: How long do you stay?,—tell me exactly: I want to bring you letters that may amuse you.
T. Trollope comes in May & stays for a month, I heard from Kirkup last night: Landor is well, no other news. Kind regards to Mr and Mrs Brice– [6]
Ever yours affy
R Browning
Dont fear, dearest Isa—I shall never become a “monomaniac” about Pen’s education: I made an effort because it was wanted; & it is already so successful as to admit of my going out every evening, with time enough at other parts of the day: had I done less he would have gained less– I shall always have plenty of anxiety, but none unduly, I think—nor do I ever put my hand to the machine a minute after it is really working by itself: & when more of my time is my own I shall have plenty to do with it as of old; and last of all will come the pythons incubating their addled eggs in Italy,—eh?– [7]
Publication: DI, pp. 103–105.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. This presentation copy of Last Poems is inscribed: “Dearest Isa Blagden from RB. London, March 25. 1862” (see Reconstruction, C46).
2. However, see letter 5039, in which RB asks Frederic Chapman for “20 copies.”
3. Referring to the offer of the editorship of The Cornhill Magazine (see letter 5040).
5. Jane Browning Smith.
7. As the previous editor, Edward C. McAleer, points out, this is the first of several references to RB and Isa as snakes living in Italy (see DI, p. 105n). In later letters RB quotes directly from Matthew Arnold’s Empedocles on Etna (1852), I, 2, 425: “Two bright and aged snakes” (see, for example, RB to Isa Blagden, 19 September 1867, ms at BL). In this note and some others relating to RB’s correspondence with Isa we have drawn on material researched by Edward C. McAleer for his book Dearest Isa: Robert Browning’s Letters to Isabella Blagden (Austin, Texas, 1951). We here record our debt to his scholarship.
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