Rome: [about April 1859].

Dearest Sarianna,--People are distracting the 'Athenaeums,' Robert
complains, as they distract other things, but in time you will recover
them, I hope. Mr. Leighton has made a beautiful pencil-drawing, highly
finished to the last degree, of him;[64] very like, though not on the
poetical side, which is beyond Leighton. Of this you shall have a
photograph soon; and in behalf of it, I pardon a drawing of me which I
should otherwise rather complain of, I confess.

We are all much saddened just now (in spite of war) by the state of Una
Hawthorne, a lovely girl of fifteen, Mr. Hawthorne's daughter, who,
after a succession of attacks of Roman fever, has had another,
complicated with gastric, which has fallen on the lungs, and she only
lives from hour to hour. Homoeopathic treatment persisted in, which
never answers in these fevers. Ah--there has been much illness in Rome.
Miss Cushman has had an attack, but you would not recognise other names.
We are well, however, Pen like a rose, and Robert still expanding.
Dissipations decidedly agree with Robert, there's no denying that,
though he's horribly hypocritical, and 'prefers an evening with me at
home,' which has grown to be a kind of dissipation also.

We are in great heart about the war, as if it were a peace, without need
of war. Arabel writes alarmed about our funded money, which we are not
likely to lose perhaps, precisely because we are _not_ alarmed. The
subject never occurred to me, in fact. I was too absorbed in the general
question--yes, and am.

So it dawns upon you, Sarianna, that things at Rome and at Naples are
not quite what they should be. A certain English reactionary party would
gladly make the Pope a _paratonnerre_ to save Austria, but this won't
do. The poor old innocent Pope would be paralytically harmless but for
the Austrian, who for years has supported the corruptions here against
France; and even the King of Naples would drop flat as a pricked bubble
if Austria had not maintained that iniquity also. We who have lived in
Italy all these years, know the full pestilent meaning of Austria
everywhere. What is suffered in Lombardy _exceeds what is suffered
elsewhere_. Now, God be thanked, here is light and hope of deliverance.
Still you doubt whether the French are free enough themselves to give
freedom! Well, I won't argue the question about what 'freedom' is. We
shall be perfectly satisfied here with French universal suffrage and the
ballot, the very same democratical government which advanced Liberals
are straining for in England. But, however that may be, the Italians are
perfectly contented at being liberated by the French, and entirely
disinclined to wait the chance of being more honorably assisted by their
'free' and virtuous friend on the other side of the hedge (or Channel),
who is employed at present in buttoning up his own pockets lest
peradventure he should lose a shilling: giving dinners though, and the
smaller change, to 'Neapolitan exiles,' whom only this very cry of 'war'
has freed.

Robert and I have been of one mind lately in these things, which
comforts me much. But the chief comfort is--the state of facts.

Massimo d' Azeglio came to see us, and talked nobly, with that noble
head of his. I was far prouder of his coming than of another personal
distinction you will guess at, though I don't pretend to have been
insensible even to that. 'It is '48 over again,' said he, 'with matured
actors.' In fact, the unity throughout Italy is wonderful. What has been
properly called 'the crimes of the Holy Alliance' will be abolished this
time, if God defends the right, which He will, I think. I have faith and
hope.

But people are preparing to run, and perhaps we shall be forced to use
the gendarmes against the brigands (with whom the country is beset, as
in all cases of general disturbance) when we travel, but this is all the
difference it will make with us. Tuscany is only restraining itself out
of deference to France, and not to complicate her difficulties. War must
be, if it is not already.

Yes, I was 'not insensible,' democratical as I am, and un-English as I
am said to be. Col. Bruce told me that 'he knew it would be gratifying
to the Queen that the Prince should make Robert's acquaintance.' 'She
wished him to know the most eminent men in Rome.' It might be a
weakness, but I was pleased.

Pen's and my love to the dearest Nonno and you.

Your affectionate
BA.

      * * * * *


In May, shortly after the outbreak of war, the Brownings returned to
Florence, whither a division of French troops had been sent, under the
command of Prince Napoleon. The Grand Duke had already retired before
the storm, and a provisional government had been formed. It was here
that they heard the news of Magenta (June 4) and Solferino (June 24),
with their wholly unexpected sequel, the armistice and the meeting of
the two Emperors at Villafranca. The latter blow staggered even Mrs.
Browning for the moment, but though her frail health suffered from the
shock, her faith in Louis Napoleon was proof against all attack. She
could not have known the good military reasons he had for not risking a
reversal of the successes which he had won more through his enemy's
defects than through the excellence of his own army or dispositions; but
she found an explanation in the supposed intrigues of England and
Germany, which frustrated his good intentions.