5274. RB to William Wetmore Story, Emelyn Story & Edith Story
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 290–292.
Ste Marie près Pornic, Loire Inférieure
Sept. 5. 63
Dear Friends,
Both your letters arrived here—William’s three weeks ago, and Edie’s the day before yesterday: the delight they give me you can hardly guess—yet by some fatality—not perversity—I delay answering and prevent myself from getting more of your goodness. As it is, Pen happens to bring me his letter, ready to explode, and it needs must leave this place in a quarter of an hour if it would catch the post at Pornic: I shall only scribble a word or two, & leave myself in your hands & hearts. Here are we in the old place, just as we left it last year—and I rather like it better on acquaintance—the barrenness of the country is not a bad thing—the silence, and surrounding sea, all one could wish. The weather however, is broken up & autumnal—they say here, that never was so hot and unvaried a summer: we came in for the end of it—not that I object to the blusterous wind & bursts of rain—but the bathing gets colder. I bathe duly, and fancy it is particularly good for me, body & spirit. Pen has been somewhat unlucky, he caught cold somehow, bathed prematurely, and suffered in consequence—he is now nearly well again, and keeps his red cheeks & broad shoulders. The Brackens, mother & son, are in a house close by, and the two boys, just of an age, enjoy each other[’]s company. I know nothing about friends in London—no letters follow me here (except from Paris) and I can only hope that everybody thrives more or less. Ly W. was to go to Walmer [1] if possible. Rossetti, I saw just before I quitted London—he lives after an easy fashion in a large old house at Chelsea, amid carvings and queernesses of every picturesque kind. I will certainly give him your message & remembrance on my return. Let me notice that one of your parcels of photographs directed to Miss (Howard?) [2] —(I forget the name) was returned to me as I came away—your address having been to an apartment she occupied last year—the people of which had no notion of her present habitat: if you can direct me how to find her out, I will do so. Ly A. [3] will, I hope, return to England soon—& shall receive her packet. Now I have done with England and all in it—let me breathe Siena to the end of my five minutes. It was indeed stupid to fancy you could have been unfaithful to the old Villa—but the “Orr”-name used to be enough for me. [4] There is something in this place, that brings Siena to my mind always—no two places were ever more unlike—but the autumn feeling, winter cares, comparative idleness and stoppage of one’s life, beside the stillness—these are here, as they used to be there. Dearest Edie, I wish you many and many another happy birthday [5] & that you may change as little as possible! I am really glad that the little friend Barberini [6] is going to do well,—as is very likely: she seemed, from the mere glimpses of her I had, to be very good and graceful. The other Florence family is admirable. Oh, Napoleon! Do we really differ so thoroughly about him, after all? No understanding comes out of talk on such questions, because one presses to the support of the weaker points,—not necessarily untenable, but weak—and the end is, these seem the argument. But I never answer for what any man may do, if I try and appreciate what he has done: my opinion of the solid good rendered years ago is unchanged—the subsequent deference to the clerical party in France, and support of brigandage, is poor work—but it surely is doing little harm to the general good. As for the party of action, [7] one sees the main chance tolerably clearly from this distance: Austria is enormously strong just now, and if Italy attacks her without France to help, she will rue it, that’s too likely. Good bye, since I needs must say it. Do well, & keep well, and remember me ever as
Yours affectionately
Robert Browning.
Any news of Mrs Eckley? Somebody saw her name in Galignani’s address book, the other day. I am very anxious to see the book of proportions.– [8] How shall you return to Rome? by sea, I suppose. Well, two of my English years have slipped away—if I live, (and I am particularly well) I shall have plenty of Italy yet. I bring out two volumes of new things (Men & Women—but under some other name, to please the publisher). [9]
Publication: BAF, pp. 128–130.
Manuscript: University of Texas.
1. Walmer Castle, in Walmer, Kent, is located on the coast, about seven miles northwest of Dover. It is the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, an honorary title held at this time by Lord Palmerston, the British prime minister. An item in The Hampshire Advertiser of 29 August 1863 announced: “Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston have a select party staying with them at Walmer Castle. Among the visitors are Viscountess Jocelyn and Hon. Misses Jocelyn, the Right Hon. W.F and Mrs. Cowper, Lord and Lady Harriet Ashley, &c.” (p. 11). “Ly. W.” refers to Lady William Russell.
2. Louisa Blanche Howard (afterwards Foljambe, 1842–71), eldest daughter of Frederick John Howard (1814–97) and his wife, Fanny (née Cavendish, 1809–85). She married, 1869, Cecil George Savile Foljambe, 1846–1907). In letter 5287 RB asks Frederic Chapman to forward the parcel to “Miss Howard—Lansdowne House, Berkeley Square,” the London home of the 4th Marquess of Lansdowne (Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice), (1816–66).
3. Lady Ashburton (see letter 5295).
5. Her 19th, on 23 August.
6. Unidentified.
7. Formerly known as the National Party, it was founded in London by Mazzini in 1850, its primary goal being a unified, independent, and democratic Italy.
8. The Proportions of the Human Figure, According to a New Canon (1864), published by Chapman and Hall. RB’s copy carries an 1866 imprint. It sold as part of lot 696 in Browning Collections (see Reconstruction, A2217).
9. Dramatis Personæ was published in one volume the following spring.
___________________
