5550. Lady William Russell to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 219–220.
[London]
[Postmark: 16 February 1865]
The prospect of the Classical Corderius––enchants me! [1] --directed to me seal’d & parcell’d with “Care of Falconer Attlee Esqr Embassy” [2] –––might relieve you of the Burthen?-- But I am in no Haste--& wait an “opportunity”–––just as you think best--
I am Very aching–––––
I am Sure the Cardinal was much older [3] -- Dr Grant is expected to Succeed him-- a very good & judicious Man––– Manning would be too Meteoric?––––
My news from Rome may interest you-- Cartwright has 10–fey–un’altro figlio maschio [4] to be named Arthur [5] --Acteon [6] is to marry his long loved Cousin–––she despises him as a Pedant–––looks Cross & bored whilst he looks Joyous & Victorious -- Me Bandini [7] says “elle est désagréable & a des manières [8] Cavalières” ––– to be “Cavalièr” is not high bred—she will not answer here––– Paris will be her Element–– Cartwright & Odo say she has a bad Countenance–––& provincial manners–––the province does not matter––but the Expression of face does?––– If she takes to sitting & Knitting in Shropshire whilst He reads & writes–––all will do well––– But if she wants to be fashionable –––– Here She will not go down–––––having told you of a marriage & a Birth–––I wish you much Amusement & your child a speedy & complete recovery --
What the Anti-Contagionists say is true–––besides––Doctors would be Very Sorry if Disorders did not Spread?--
But I bend to the popular prejudice.... & respect parental Fears–––which Self Denial on my part––is Heroic!!!?--
I am quite Sure Miss Coutt’s [9] “Omnium Gatherum” as her Dinners & Parties are call’d---is quite Safe & the 400 in yourcase will not infect the 200 others–––––– I am sorry to renounce you–––as I was Ly Ely & Mr Hughes [10] & Lady Meath [11] whose Son Ld Brabazon has Scarlet fever--but I bow to the Superstition tho! I revere Science--
Address: Robert Browning Esqr / 19 Warwick Crescent / Upper Westbourne Terrace / W.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Apparently a work by Mathurin Cordier (1479–1564), French school teacher and philologist.
2. Falconer Atlee (1826–94), who, according to The Foreign Office List … January 1873, was at this time Registrar and Librarian at the British Embassy in Paris and private secretary to the ambassador, Lord Cowley. Atlee was made Consul at Paris on 24 June 1865.
3. Cardinal Nicholas Wiseman (1802–65), died 15 February in London, aged 62. Thomas Grant (1816–70), Bishop of Southwark, did not follow Wiseman as Archbishop of Westminster. Henry Edward Manning (1808–92) was appointed Wiseman’s successor on 16 May 1865 and consecrated on 8 June.
4. “Another male child.”
5. Arthur Frederick Cartwright was born at Rome on 10 February 1865 and died on the 24th of the following month.
6. John Emerich Edward Dalberg-Acton (1834–1902), 1st Baron Acton of Aldenham (1869), married on 1 August 1865 at St. Martin, Austria, Countess Maria Anna Ludmilla Euphrosina von und zu Arco auf Valley.
7. Donna Maria Sofia Angelica Giustineani-Bandini (née Massani, 1830–98), of Rome, wife of Sigismondo Nicolo Venanzio Gaetano Francisco Giustineani-Bandini, 5th Marquis Bandini (1818–1908), later 8th Earl of Newburgh.
8. “She is disagreeable & has cavalier manners.”
9. Angela Georgina Burdett-Coutts (1814–1906); see letter 2257, note 8. RB declines her invitation in the following letter.
10. Probably Thomas Hughes (1822–96).
11. Harriot Brabazon (née Brooke, 1811–98), wife of William Brabazon (1803–87), 11th Earl of Meath. Their only surviving son, Reginald Brabazon (1841–1929), succeeded his father as the 12th Earl.
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