5364. RB to Robert Barrett Browning
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 40–41.
[London]
Friday. [Postmark: 29 April 1864]
My dearest Pen,
I shall only be able to write a word or two to-day, as I have let the morning creep by, unobserved, and must go to Halle’s presently: [1] see by the paper, if you have it, what a nice concert it will be. We have fine weather, bright and clear, though coldish to-day—never any rain, except the few drops (literally drops) I told you of, last Tuesday. I saw Lady Ely [2] yesterday—who told me many interesting things about Garibaldi, all to his praise: there was evidently not a word of truth in his being ill—they wanted him away because of this Congress. [3]
Arabel is quite well—poor Minny no better. I have written to Miss Smith [4] to-day, telling her that you are well and may soon be expected. Mrs Bracken called this morning and said that Willy had heard from you.
Good bye, dearest Pen: give once more my truest love & thanks to your Uncle & Aunt: I shall write one more letter to you at Stoke—no post goes out on Sunday night, you know[.]
Yours ever affectionately
Robert Browning
Address: Robt W: Barrett Browning Esq. / Care of Harry Moulton Barrett Esq. / Combe Head / near Tiverton, / North Devon.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.
1. i.e., a piano recital given by Charles Hallé at 3 o’clock in St. James’s Hall, as advertised in The Times of 29 April 1864 (p. 1). The program included a Beethoven sonata (Op. 10, No. 3) and works by Bach, Weber, Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Heller.
2. Jane Loftus (née Hope-Vere, 1821–90), the Dowager Marchioness of Ely, was the daughter of James Hope–Vere (1785–1843), Scottish landowner and politician, and his wife, Lady Elizabeth (née Hay, 1792–1868). She married in 1844 John Henry Loftus (1814–57), 3rd Marquess of Ely (1845). She was Extreme Lady of the Bedchamber and close friend and confidant of Queen Victoria.
3. A conference of European powers to decide the disposition of the Schleswig-Holstein duchies opened in London on 25 April 1864. Austrian and Prussian forces had occupied the duchies in early February and crossed into Denmark later in the month. “On the 25th of June the London conference broke up without having arrived at any conclusion” (EB). Fighting resumed, and after a “short campaign … the preliminaries of a treaty of peace were signed on the 1st of August, the king of Denmark renouncing all his rights in the Duchies in favour of the emperor of Austria and the king of Prussia” (EB).
4. Jane Browning Smith (1805–95); see letter 4994, note 3.
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