5554. RB to Isa Blagden
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 222–224.
19. Warwick Crescent,
Upper Westbourne Terrace, W.
Feb. 19. ’65.
Dearest Isa,
First, I really thank you for apprizing me of the stupid blunder with the stamp: I can only suppose that writing always late & hurriedly I may have mistaken one stamp for another by London light—I always have store of both stamps. For the future, I will take good care, & spell the word before sticking on. Of course it is quite kind to tell me, as I should have told you: your letters never are wrongly stamped. Tho’ I have so many to write, and have so little time to do it in, that perhaps there is more excuse for me than for everybody. The Postman’s red collar, & ring and dump of the letters into letter box are a plague to me. Well, at last I caught a man going to Florence, Del Giudici, [1] to wit, and got him to carry your Book. [2] I also sent a photograph, thinking you might care a little to see what has become of my old face. [3] Now—I shall expect you at length to open your lips and tell me how you like or dislike the poems—I really want to know: (though to be sure that is no particular reason why you should do so—since I ask pagefuls of questions and never get a word of reply to them—I shall give it up now.) I have been rather anxious of late about Pen; he caught the measles somehow—had no premonitory headache, only a little indisposition to go out, which I thought was quite explainable by the vile weather—however, out they came, lasted three days, & then all was well again—the Doctor taking his leave within the week: I hear all the danger is in catching cold after,—even long after,—it flies to the lungs. But Pen is very rational when out of sorts, rarely as that happens; and though he might have gone out last Tuesday, yet, up to this present Sunday, the cold being abominable, he prefers staying at home. Willy has not had the measles, and his mother is afraid naturally—so Pen is left to himself: he kept his bed three days and, to surprise me, mastered five new problems in Euclid,—which did please me. I am glad this ugly thing is over—and wish Willy may be so lucky: he grows very tall, and is a charming fellow,—strangely like Annette in the face & voice, I could fancy I hear her sometimes. I am glad to hear Mrs Mackenzie is well, and painting at Rome: Kinny [4] is going to her, but will not long stand the Roman climate, I suppose. Yes, I know Chapman is going to reprint your book [5] and am glad of it: I told him what I thought of it. Why do you not get on with your new Novel though? [6] I am glad Lever remembers me kindly: I always warm to him now, since the last I saw or rather heard of him: and Pen has just been reading his “Luttrells” [7] with immense delight,—he asked me “Did I ever see Lever?” I said, “Certainly, whether you remember it or no—can you recollect nothing of his horses, Miss Lever, [8] &c?”—Nothing! So when your letter came I was able to show him the paragraph which proved that I had known him.
Yes, “the godlike man,” [9] connu! [10] I saw him last week, looking very well: he sent me his poems, [11] by the way.
What is this I hear, through Miss Smith & of the possibility, or indeed likelihood of your coming to London in the summer? You ought to tell me, if it be so: “settle here”—no,—but visit, I wish you may, with all my heart.
I go wholly with the king, and think the Turin people disgraced themselves: [12] I advise them to repeat that the cession of Nice & Savoy was unnecessary: they are not at all insensible to reasons of a pecuniary nature for being patriotic. As for the Mazzinian-Clerical party,—it is too contemptible!
God bless you, dearest Isa: I am very sorry for Ansano,—for his sake & yours: I don’t know whether you have Emilia yet, but seem to think so. Pen desires his best love—you always have mine.
Yours Affectionately ever
Robert Browning
Publication: DI, pp. 206–208.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Francesco del Giudice (1815–80); see letter 2050, note 1.
2. Dramatis Personæ.
4. Mary Mackenzie’s maid.
5. The Woman I Loved, and The Woman Who Loved Me (1865).
6. Nora and Archibald Lee (1867).
7. Luttrell of Arran (1865) by Charles James Lever (1806–72); see letter 1519, note 1.
8. Lever and his wife, Catherine (née Baker, 1809–70), had three daughters: Julia (afterwards Nevill, 1833–97); Catherine (afterwards Watson, 1839–1912); and Sydney (afterwards Smith, 1849–87).
9. Cf. Tennyson, Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington (1853), IX, 35: “On God and Godlike men we build our trust.” This line was not in the original version of the poem published on 18 November 1852, the day of Wellington’s funeral.
10. “Known.”
11. A Selection from the Works of Alfred Tennyson (1865) that RB inscribed: “Robert W. Barrett Browning from RB. Jan. 28 ’65” (see Reconstruction, A2287).
12. RB refers to the riots that occurred at Turin in late September 1864 following news of the “September Convention” (see letter 5457, note 5). According to Edgar Holt, “it was unpopular in Turin, especially among the aristocracy and upper classes, who promoted rioting which lasted for two days” (Risorgimento: The Making of Italy, 1815–1870, 1970, p. 281).
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