SD2683. Lady William Russell to Clementine Cartwright
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 300–301.
[London]
[mid-March 1864] [1]
I am glad to hear from you eigenhändig dear Clementia … I must explain about Braün [Browning] — — — It was a Surmize of his old acquaintance — — — — not exactly as to marriage but he had so strange & excited a manner — — — Newton said he roared so unusually loud though his usual Voice was not as melodious as his words were witty & amusing & he gesticulated so violently it quite overcame Newton — — — — — — I too had remark’d this Geschrei & toben & that he would never sit tho’ he staid hours when he came — — — & he ran not walk’d into the room — — his entrée de Salon was an entrée de Ballet — — — on tiptoe — — with a look of Joy wie Verklärt — — — & when he got close to you so as to tread on your Feet he bellow’d either, I have just seen Fraülein Gaby — — — or I have met Fraülein Gaby [Virginia Gabriel] — — — or I have dined with Fra[lein] Gaby whom as nobody knew was not an interesting piece of news? — — then came an explanation of who the person was — — — Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton now) first said he thought his head was turn’d by the alten Fraülein — — — which was a relief to hear as we thought him a little Crazy? — — he was so gespannt, & geschwind — — & strange —— Ly Westmorland to whom I had introduced him, who likes him — — with [wh]om he Dines &c &c first remark’d it to me — — — she was equally a Stranger to Fraulein Gaby’s persönlichkeit — — — — — If he had said he had just seen Ristori! — — or heard Fanny Kemble! — — — nobody would have wondereded [sic] but this unask’d — — — loud — — fidgetty mention of an obscure name — — — to all the People to whom the name was unknown & his encreased “neglig of Dress crotte’s boots — — & turbulent manner struck everybody at my House Ly de Grey’s house & Ly Westmorlands — — 2 Ladies I had presented him to — — — I said I believed it to be a Poem he was with child of — — — which heated his Brain — — — but M. Milnes —erkläred that he has met him at Dinner at a Physicians call’d Dr Bence Jones’s — — — whose Ward Mündel the fraulein was where he was ridiculous in his Demonstration to her for she is more than of age — — — they say about 45 or more —— very ugly, very thin very décoltée, very clever very musical & very rich —— her father having been an officer in the East India Company Service & that she was ein Kompanist of Genius — — — hence her intimacy with Mrs Sartoris — — — (a demi-monde erscheinung) — — — thus did some Gentlemen describe this Muse — — — who met her at their Doctors — — Bence Jones who gives Dinners to his Patients as well as Pills & Potions —— Every body liked Browning to whom I introduced him —— as clever & agreeable & his manners used to be quite bonne Compagnie — — — When I knew him at Rome chez vous: but he took to running into the room — — — & ranting when he stood in the middle of it — — — & roaring like a Bad provincial comedian acting Hamlet — — — — I assure you I do not exaggerate when you come you will hear from Newton &c &c — — — He is now more Tame; tho’ he is not quite as pleasant as he was he seems préoccupé but gaily not anything unpleasant on his mind — — — in short it struck 6 or 7 People — — — — amongst them Newton & Monk Milnes who knew him intimately long before I did — — — or those whose acquaintance he made in my Salon —— I wish you to burn this Letter of mine —— I write it quite in Confidence —— The notion of the marriage may be quite untrue; But his sudden change of Demeanour was most marvellous!!!?—
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Northamptonshire Record Office.
1. Dating suggesed by Lady William asking Cartwright to have his wife write in [early March 1864] (SD2680).
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