SD2607. Marianne Magee to Joseph Milsand
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 353 (in part).
Paris.
October 24th [1862] [1]
My Dear Mr Milsand,
How can I thank you sufficiently for your most kind and prompt attention to my request. We are indebted to you not only for some valuable introductions to Rome, but for the acquaintance of a most agreeable person, that even a short intercourse with makes one wish to place amongst the list of friends. Miss Browning most kindly called upon us on Thursday, we unfortunately missed the pleasure of seeing her, but she repeated her visit again yesterday coming here at a most inconveniently early hour to her in order to see us. I have no doubt that the introductions will prove as useful as agreeable, and I must beg of you Dear Friend to renew the expression of our sincere thanks to Miss Browning when you see her, a thousand remerciements also for your kind [illegible word] about me. I have found wonderful benefit from Gundrun’s prescriptions which I followed to the letter, and attribute a good deal of the amelioration in my health to my having given up tea and coffee entirely. I called upon him, and we found his manners so pleasing, and almost affectionate that we were very glad Dear Henrietta decided on consulting him, and still more that the tonic treatment he has suggested seems already to have indeed to revived her. The extreme sickness of the last few days has prevented our seeing as much of them as we would have desired. Gundrun did not entirely disapprove of Velssa’s treatment but thought it too [illegible word] for her, and Mary Jane told me she considered it quite [illegible word] at its having been changed, as she really thought dear Henrietta could not have supported another such blister and the consequences that it entailed.
We spent last evening with Mme Courtois. She continues enchanted with Dinard, and describes it as unequalled for its picturesque beauty, and found it as cheap for living as ever this year.
She has a great trial before her I fear in the health of her mother—which assumes the most distressing of all forms a gradual weakening of the mind. Edgar too is not strong. She herself is the same kind warm-hearted little lady as ever. And with a different entourage might have been a very superior woman.
We leave the poor Corkrans as we found them—in the most [illegible word] position. I have made some little endeavours to serve them by procuring lessons for her but I have not much faith in the success of our efforts– And yet this seems the only tangible way of her earning [a] thing towards the support of her family. The long continuance of hot weather has obliged us to put off so many little preparations for our journey that I write very hastily, [illegible word] to take advantage of this fine but cold day. We have determined on starting on Monday. We should have been greatly tempted to have remained until yr return, but Mrs Mahan had requested us to take charge of her daughter as far as Florence—where her mother Mrs Stackpool waits for her. I must then say addio with the hope of finding you here on our return. And with the most kind and cordial remembrances from both husband and figlia.
Believe in great haste, but most
Affectionately Yrs
M A Magee
Address: Monsieur J. Milsand / 38. Rue des Forges / Dijon.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Joseph Milsand Archive.
1. Year provided by postmark.
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