SD2776. Sarianna Browning to Joseph Milsand
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 322 (in part).
151, rue de Grenelle St Gn.
July 22nd [1865] [1]
My dear Mr Milsand,
Who is behindhand now? You have been as long without replying to my letter, as I was to yours, but I won’t scold you.
Robert’s letter came on Tuesday—he urged us, as we complained of the heat making us ill, to go at once to any seaside place we might choose, and he would follow us—which I would not do, however, unless I was compelled, as I greatly prefer travelling with Robert who takes all the trouble and anxiety off my shoulders. His letter, however, contained a cowardly hint that it was a great relief to be sure of finding accommodations, and that the bathing was beautiful at Pornic—the next day came the most touching epistle from Mr Pen, professing the most unbounded desire to do whatever I liked best, but full of the most vehement pleadings and persuasive arguments in favour of Pornic. Wouldn’t it be an awful pity to lose our time in poking about in unknown parts—didn’t I remember the stunning swimming and the jolly vendanges &c. So of course there was no resisting, and I wrote at once to the Maire of St Marie to enquire if his house could be had—he replies in the affirmative, and I wait for Robert’s answer to-morrow, fixing the day for our departure. It is agreed that he will not make any stay in Paris—merely pass through. So for the third time we go to Pornic—it is rather ignomin[i]ous to have so unadventurous a spirit, but then they have been travelling all their lives, and have naturally got tired of it, and I confess there is a good deal of truth in what Pen says. The sea is the most beautiful I have ever seen—the turf grows to the very edge of the rocks, and you may walk for miles on it with the ocean around you. Then, too, the climate is delightful; bright, warm and invigorating. I have never had a thunderstorm there. I wish you could see it—could you not contrive to come? Willy & Mrs Bracken are to join us, and Pen confesses he is unable to think or speak of anything else—he seems crazy with joy. Robert tells me there is a very good review of his poems in the Quarterly. I have sent you the Athn and a great many Pall Malls—but one has never reached me which contained an incidental notice of R’s Caliban– I saw an extract from it in Galignani. [2] Miss Ritchie (who called on me the other day) told me that Annie Thackeray often writes for the P. Mall. Our clergyman Mr Gardiner and his family are going down to Trouville for six weeks—he is to take the duty of an English chapel that is to be opened there—which of course will help to pay his expenses—he said he would have preferred any other sea-place if he could have got it. A sandy shore is not considered so healthy as a rocky one. Remember that, you bather! and try to get a glimpse of our well-beloved Brittany. You would feel how bracing it is.
On Wednesday was the Annual Summer fête of our Sunday school children. I did not intend to go, but a very polite note and visit from Mrs Gardiner decided me to accept. This Sunday school, of which we Marbœufites are very proud, is entirely the work of the young Gardiner girls—in the days of Bishop Spencer there were seven scholars—there are now a hundred and twenty—of course other ladies assist in teaching, but these two young girls have the entire management and are the soul of it. The elder scholars absolutely worship them, and the good influence they exert over the young people entering life is remarkable. I have seen it myself in the case of several girls whom I have recommended to situations. It is all done by force of love. Our fête would have been magnificent—had not the rain arrived at the same time that we did. It was held at La Muette—(St Ger.) 250 persons in all—visitors, young folks, and the mothers of the smaller children. There were four large déménagement vans, some went by railway– I had a place of honour reserved for me in the carriage in which Mr Gardiner drove down: there was a cart full of provisions on the most liberal—almost extravagant scale—and spite of the rain, we had a very merry day. Mrs Gardiner was not of the party which she says is too fatiguing; there was a photographer, and several groups were taken.
I have been under the dentist’s hands, having a tooth stopped with gold, and another with mastic. The operation is over now, to my great relief. The air is much cooler,—the rain falls heavily. My father is himself again; it was only the heat which overcame him, though at his age the least indisposition frightens me. I have been busy getting all ready for our journey. I have bought a scotch linsey dress (of the species “Knickerbocker”) and shall come out as a thorough Britisher. Miss Haworth wrote very kindly putting her Marly house at our disposal: she is going into Devon & Cornwall.
Now if you don’t write at once, and tell me all about you and yours, won’t I be savage!
Ever your affectionate,
S.B.
My month’s subscription to the library is up, and I shall not renew it. I was reading too voraciously. I wound up by a dozen of the newest novels—what horrors! By the bye, Legouvé’s work was out when I first subscribed and had not yet been returned when I left off, so it must be rather heavy reading: the memoirs of Thérésa go off more rapidly. I read M. de Pressensé’s history of the Church. I confess he seems to me a little unfair or perhaps unable to see the other side of the question: his idea of the Church is that of a number of isolated units, exactly the reverse of Christ’s similitude of a net which gathered fishes both good and bad. No human tests can ever make of the outward church the exact corresponding representation of the true spiritual one, and the attempt ends in lowering the standard of spiritual holiness.
Here is a joke for Claire, her appreciation of which will depend on the way in which you have instructed her in her H s. A parish clerk gave out that a vestry was to be called for the purpose of considering the best means of eating the church, and to digest other matters!
Address: Monsieur Milsand / Maison François Meriel. / St Aubin sur Mer. / près Caen. / Calvados.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library, Joseph Milsand Archive.
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. A brief reference to RB’s Caliban appeared in the The Pall Mall Gazette on 12 July 1865, p. 10.
___________________
