SD2583. Sarianna Browning to Joseph Milsand
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 347–348 (in part).
19, Warwick Crescent,
Harrow Road.
London.
May 30th [1862] [1]
Indeed, my dear Friend, it is not only a proof of great affection but of great ingenuity that I contrive to find time to write to you in the midst of all this whirl of occupation. I began a letter to Miss Church the day after I arrived here, but it still lies unfinished, and I fear must remain so. Half the day passes in cabs and omnibuses; a visit of an hour’s length takes up an hour and a half to return. Every evening, if not engaged elsewhere, I drink tea with Arabel. Robert has for himself, about a dozen invitations for every evening for the next fortnight; he goes a great deal into society, and I think it is wise to do so for Pen’s sake as well as his own. We have not yet seen the International Exhibition, but are going to-morrow. Mr & Mrs Story & family are just arrived from Rome, and Pen’s delight at seeing his beloved Edith is something amusing; his little head is full of her. By the bye, you must be fully bent on extracting a compliment to your own sex, if you could manage to find one in any thing I said about Pen. It is not my fault if he is not a girl. I should have preferred it; but being a boy, I must take him as he is, and I confess I am more pleased at his being a strong, active, lively boy, than a pale delicate one. He is brimful of health and spirits, but a dear, good boy with a very sweet temper. I continue to think the climate of London diabolical,—no other word will do. There are patches of greenery scattered all about most exquisitely, and individual houses that are beautiful, but the reigning characteristic is ugliness. The interior of the houses, on the other hand, is altogether delightful. Robert’s house, small for London, has fifteen rooms in it,—carpetted from head to foot,—he has spent several hundreds on it, but he will have the benefit. I went (did I tell you?) last Saturday to the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, with Mr & Mrs Gurney– Robert was attending his poor friend’s funeral in the country, at Broughton Castle (Lord Say[e]-and-Sele’s)[.] I had a very pleasant day,—the weather very fine; with a magnificent flower-show and concert. The Crystal Palace is one of the prettiest sights in London; there were fifteen thousand people there on Saturday, yet abundance of room everywhere. It is wonderful to reflect that such a gigantic building is merely a private speculation, not even patronized by the court. Yesterday I went with Robert to the Royal Academy exhibition, and to Westminster Abbey. But we will talk of all these things, dear Friend, when I am out of dissipated London and back in quiet Paris. You will probably be first home, but I shall not be long after you. Of course you will go and see dear Papa,—and perhaps, I shall be selfish enough to make you meet me at the railway. I have been twice called away since I began this letter. You know, I think, that Robert sprained his ancle the other day, but it is well now. Only fancy Robert the other night, returning home from a dinner party at a late hour, haranguing a mob of the lowest description on Paddington Green! Two men were lecturing in favour of Atheism, daring any one to answer their arguments. Robt stayed to listen, and then thought it was his duty to reply; he did so, and not only silenced his antagonists but came off with the honours of the field; for the crowd, who listened with the deepest attention, called out “very true! very good! you’re quite right.” We were all much amused at his account of it next morning. [2] A selection from his poems is now in the press.
I must leave off– I hope your nurse is recovering, and the rest of your family quite well. Robert talks of coming over to France about the middle of July—we shall all go to the sea-side. With his kind love, and Pen’s, believe me ever,
Most truly yours,
S. Browning.
Address: Monsieur / Milsand. / Dijon. / Côte d’Or. / France.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Joseph Milsand Archive.
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. RB gave an account of this event of 25 May to Edward James Reed (1830–1906), naval achitect, who recalled “that three or four years ago, when sitting next to the late illustrious poet at a private dinner party, our conversation chanced upon … public ‘speaking’ … he at length said: ‘It is very curious that you should think me capable of making speeches, but I must admit that you have some justification.’ He then proceeded to recount to me an anecdote to this effect. Years before, on a Sunday afternoon, he was walking across Hyde Park and came upon a crowd of peopole listening to an atheistic lecturer who was denying the existence of God and scoffing at the doctrine which he denied. When he had finished, Browning—relying upon the audience knowing as little of him personally as he knew of them—pushed through the crowd, stepped up into the former speaker’s place, and presented at some little length the theistic doctrine. He promptly won the close attention of the people, threw himself warmly into the work, and as he admitted to me, and even asserted with much heary good-humour, he carried the audience over to his side of the argument.” (“Robert Browning as an Orator,” Pall Mall Gazette, 2 June 1891).
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