[Zurich—Sunday, 4 September 1859]

Sunday 4th Heard the grand Cathedral bell ringing from the earliest dawn. Never bell talked so humanly or superhumanly as this. On its cold front is the grand old motto so that all may read what it means to say Vivos voco mortuos plango, fulgura frango. The day was fine in the morning and we walked about the town and over the old bridge where Holbein’s Dance of Death is painted, afterward back to our room to look and look till the short minutes of the short day were gone gazing over the lake. Letters from home today made us very happy.

Night shut down very dark. A fierce storm raged all night. Once heard the old bell tolling.


National Endowment for the Humanities - Logo

Editorial work on The Brownings’ Correspondence is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This website was last updated on 3-28-2024.

Copyright © 2024 Wedgestone Press. All rights reserved.

Back To Top