SD2101. Robert Bulwer-Lytton to Edward Bulwer Lytton
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 24, 265 (in part).
Bagni di Lucca.
August 6. 1857.
My dearest Father,
Your kind letter—(the second) was forwarded to me here from Florence—and I shd. earlier have thanked you for it, had I not been for more than a week exceedingly unwell. The rapidity of my journey to Italy, & the great heat of the weather had brought on a sort of feverish attack, & for one or two days, I was really in fear of a protracted illness.
I have now, however, completely got rid of all feverish symptoms, and am rapidly regaining health, tho’ still weak & pulled down. This is the first cool place I have been able to find; I am already benefited in health by the freshness of the mornings & evenings, & I hope in a day or two to be able to take some mountain rides. The Brownings are here, and dear Miss Blagden who has been a real Soeur de Charité to me, & could not have done more to make suffering supportable if she had been a professional nurse. I think that it is in a great measure to her care that I owe my rapid recovery—& I shall never forget how kind she has been—as indeed have been the Brownings also.
My constant indisposition has hitherto prevented me from making any way in Italian—but to morrow I propose to begin my lessons in good earnest & I have engaged a very able master to read with me.
With regard to all future plans I have been quite unable to think of them since your letter reached me—but I agree with you that the feelings of C are not likely to change materially, and I am at this moment much inclined to think that wiser & least painful course wd. be not to return to the Hague.
The more so as I fear it is too probable that my proposal & its rejection may become known there. …
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Lord Cobbold.
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