SD2180. Diary Entry of Sophia Hawthorne

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 357 (in part).

Florence

Saturday 26 [June 1858]

… In the afternoon we drove to Bellosguardo, my husband, Una & I, to take tea with Miss Blagden at her villa. Her balcony commands a magnificent view of Florence and the surrounding mountains. … Day faded away over the plain on the left of us, as we looked forth. After tea we went out again. A wonderful ceremony, a ‘function’ was then going on in the east, in which the state dress was cloth of silver, and the same costly material was soon flung over the whole valley, for the Queen of Night arose without the slightest, thinnest veil of illusion over the sharp splendor of her royal face. Just fancy me, standing there with my husband, and Mr Browning talking to us– It seemed like a wonderful dream. We came away before ten, because I was afraid Mr Hawthorne would get tired and cold, and I myself was tired exceedingly with so many successive dissipations. …

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Berg Collection.

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