Letter from Robert Browning to Isa Blagden, March 19, 1864
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Robert Browning to Isa Blagden, March 19, 1864
Subject
Blagden, Isabella "Isa", 1816?-1873
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Hosmer, Harriet Goodhue, 1830-1908
Stebbins, Emma, 1815-1882
Friendship
Description
Isa Blagden is in Rome and Robert Browning asks her to give his "love to all old friends you see, Miss Cushman, Miss Stebbins,—Hatty & all indeed."
Credit
Armstrong Browning Library - The Browning LettersCreator
Browning, Robert, 1812-1889
Source
Armstrong Browning Library, The Browning Letters, Digital Collection
Date
1864-03-19
Type
Reference
Letter Item Type Metadata
Text
[page 1] Isa,
This is to be a short letter, by way of change—or indeed because I am tired, bilious, and inclined to go and walk it away presently. I am glad, but a little surprised that you are in Rome again: a sudden fancy, it seems– I wish you all the enjoyment in the world. Pen & Willie are gone (two ways, by ill luck) to see the famous boat-race– Pen in the boat which is expected to hold the Prince of Wales: I did not care to go. The "squabble" to which you allude is serious enough—I rejoice at the proper punishment of that foolish friend, and exposure of the execrable folly of his friend—who, to rid himself of blame must declare the culprit G. a monster, and yet has certainly up to the last been at least calling him an enthusiastic &c[.] The whole set are detestable. I don’t choose to go into details here. Well, Willy is, and has been enjoying a holiday this fortnight, the school being prematurely broken up on account of an universal
[page 2] outbreak of "mumps", so they say—and now begin the Easter Holidays, of another fortnight at least,—what gain may be in all this, I don’t see, but the loss would not be hard to find. Pen really don’t want holidays—he is not overworked, nor underworked. Give my love to all old friends you see, Miss Cushman, Miss Stebbins,—Hatty & all indeed. Tell the Storys that they dont write, as they ought. I shall be much interested in your next letter, which must tell me all that there is to tell. I saw Miss Elliot and Mrs Blackett last night at Lord Russell’s—they begged to be remembered particularly to you, when they heard I meant to write today. I wish if you have occasion to see Dr Burridge you would tell him how warmly I remember his kindness to me. To answer the questions in your note—the Tragedy was just the usual failure—when a thing has been handed about or read in private as a pr-
[page 3] -odigious favour: it answers people’s purpose (the initiated) to talk fine of their privelege: not that there is not much talent, & more promise in it, but the ways & phrase are conventionally the old Elizabethan, and one knows there is no truth nor life in it all: I like F. K much, but she don’t grow, depend on it. I am happy to hear Kate Field was so well—somebody, I think Trollope, gave me to understand last year that she was married, he fancied—and it kept me from writing. I shall write now. I shall try over Boott’s music, and tell him what I think of it: I had no time to do it, nor at first knew who was the Author: if you knew how little time I have! Good bye, dearest Isa: I suppose from your way of writing that I shall not see you at all, this year—when then? All the same, ever and always, You are very dear to Yours affy RB.
This is to be a short letter, by way of change—or indeed because I am tired, bilious, and inclined to go and walk it away presently. I am glad, but a little surprised that you are in Rome again: a sudden fancy, it seems– I wish you all the enjoyment in the world. Pen & Willie are gone (two ways, by ill luck) to see the famous boat-race– Pen in the boat which is expected to hold the Prince of Wales: I did not care to go. The "squabble" to which you allude is serious enough—I rejoice at the proper punishment of that foolish friend, and exposure of the execrable folly of his friend—who, to rid himself of blame must declare the culprit G. a monster, and yet has certainly up to the last been at least calling him an enthusiastic &c[.] The whole set are detestable. I don’t choose to go into details here. Well, Willy is, and has been enjoying a holiday this fortnight, the school being prematurely broken up on account of an universal
[page 2] outbreak of "mumps", so they say—and now begin the Easter Holidays, of another fortnight at least,—what gain may be in all this, I don’t see, but the loss would not be hard to find. Pen really don’t want holidays—he is not overworked, nor underworked. Give my love to all old friends you see, Miss Cushman, Miss Stebbins,—Hatty & all indeed. Tell the Storys that they dont write, as they ought. I shall be much interested in your next letter, which must tell me all that there is to tell. I saw Miss Elliot and Mrs Blackett last night at Lord Russell’s—they begged to be remembered particularly to you, when they heard I meant to write today. I wish if you have occasion to see Dr Burridge you would tell him how warmly I remember his kindness to me. To answer the questions in your note—the Tragedy was just the usual failure—when a thing has been handed about or read in private as a pr-
[page 3] -odigious favour: it answers people’s purpose (the initiated) to talk fine of their privelege: not that there is not much talent, & more promise in it, but the ways & phrase are conventionally the old Elizabethan, and one knows there is no truth nor life in it all: I like F. K much, but she don’t grow, depend on it. I am happy to hear Kate Field was so well—somebody, I think Trollope, gave me to understand last year that she was married, he fancied—and it kept me from writing. I shall write now. I shall try over Boott’s music, and tell him what I think of it: I had no time to do it, nor at first knew who was the Author: if you knew how little time I have! Good bye, dearest Isa: I suppose from your way of writing that I shall not see you at all, this year—when then? All the same, ever and always, You are very dear to Yours affy RB.
Location (Recipient)
Rome, Italy
Geocode Recipient (Latitude)
41.8989553
Geocode Recipient (Longitude)
12.4730842
Annotations
[Digitization Note] Blagden album; From Album titled "Robert Browning. Poet. Story of his Platonic Friendship with Miss Isa Blagden. Contained in a long series of Autograph letters from the poet to his friend."
Social Bookmarking
Collection
Citation
Browning, Robert, 1812-1889, “Letter from Robert Browning to Isa Blagden, March 19, 1864,” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed April 20, 2024, https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/611.