SD1379. Mary Russell Mitford to William Cox Bennett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 16, 286 (in part).
[Three Mile Cross]
Sept 11th 1849.
I abandon the ægis question dear friend– I always meant it as a question only– …
I heard from Charles Boner on Friday after a long silence– He is quite well—and from Elizabeth Browning yesterday—she is so well as to be climbing the mountains at the Baths of Lucca and losing herself in the Chestnut Forests– Her boy has cut a tooth—and she is preparing her new Edition– Mr. Lever is the great celebrity of the Baths—a very charming person—brimful of all that is cordial and genial—making £100 for every monthly number of his tales– Mrs. Browning admires Louis Napoleon as I do—and calls the Pope an idiot which he is most assuredly. A year ago a friend of mine heard George Sand say of him when every one else was praising him “Il est trop Prêtre” which was one of those insights of character that sound like predictions.
The Italian summer at the Baths of Lucca has been cooler (I mean according to the Thermometre) than we have had it here—and the Brownings doubt being able to stay over the vintage on account of the cold– That sounds oddly doesn’t it? But it is the coolest place in Italy. …
Publication: None traced.
Source: Typescript at Berkshire Record Office.
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