“BEAUTIFUL ITALY, CALM UNHURRIED, RISE HEROIC AND RENOVATED”: FIRST EDITION OF ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING’S POEMS BEFORE CONGRESS, WITH RELATED FOUR-PAGE AUTOGRAPH LETTER BY ROBERT BROWNING LAID IN DISCUSSING ANTICIPATED REVIEWS OF THE BOOK

(BROWNING, Robert) BROWNING, Elizabeth Barrett. Poems Before Congress. London: Chapman and Hall, 1860. Octavo, original red blind-stamped cloth. Housed in a custom clamshell box.

First edition in original cloth of Browning’s last book of poetry—seven poems on the cause of Italian independence and one attacking slavery in the United States—with a four-page manuscript letter from Robert Browning laid in from the time of this book’s publication that discusses a reviewer’s attack on one of the poems that would appear in this volume, “A Curse for a Nation,” as well as discussing several other English authors.

While living in Italy, Barrett Browning had become passionately devoted to the cause of Italian unification and independence. She knew that she would likely be called unpatriotic for condemning England’s failure to intervene in the Italian cause—as she was, in generally hostile reviews, such as the one discussed by her husband in this letter. But Barrett Browning dreamed “of the day when an English statesman shall arise with a heart too large for England,” and also wrote, “My book has had a very angry reception in my native country, but I shall be forgiven one day.”

The letter, penned entirely by Robert Browning in a tiny but legible hand, reads in full: “Rome, via del tritone 28. March 27 [1860—the Brownings moved there December 1859] A small postscript along the top reads: “Ba [E.B.B.] says the envelopes you have sent were not adhesive—the one quality she loves in them, having dozens of packages of the same hateful Breckerian Ware [?]; she will send them back by Mrs. Apperly.” This note is followed by the letter proper: “Dearest Ira, you will hardly think it proper that I should have received your note, or rather Ba’s parcel, no earlier than last night. Hatty [E.B.B.’s sister Henrietta] received, on?, the bad news which then drove all else out of her head: I was only able to see her for a minute last Saturday: She left early on Sunday— and we sent more than once yesterday before your kindness finally came to hand. I had not heard of poor good Rhilipron’s [?] death— which grieves me deeply: I lose a friend in him, and we all lose an honest man. I am here then with no necessity of thinking twice about my own little interests as affected by his removal— he will have cared about such an eventuality, by will or other arrangement: I do not suppose the least need therefore of going to Florence but I thank you my own dear of all your offers which I would freely accept were there any occasion to do so.

“Now I wish to tell you another, and sadder piece of news— if it has not already reached you, as indeed it must: we were shocked yesterday by the death of dearest old Mrs. Jameson [writer and art historian, Anna Jameson] which happened on the 17th from bronchitis ending in paralysis of the brain: We had a letter from her, full of affection, written from Brighton on the 3rd with no mention of any weakness or indisposition about it: she was vexed greatly at being prevented from coming to Italy— had duties to others (the old story of her life ever since I knew it)— which overbore her own inclinations: meant to do many things and it all ends so! Ba received the intelligence on a bit of paper accompanying some photographs from Mrs. MacPherson [E.B.B.’s niece], was taken altogether by surprise— such a note ought to have been addressed to me. (I was out unfortunately.) She was greatly moved by it— but is less agitated today; she was so perfect in her understanding the goodness and love for her of Mrs. Jameson that all the pain can be only of the less bitter sort— and here, apart from one’s own loss; there are many circumstances that make death something of a rest and a release. In other respects Ba’s health is improved. Thank you for your attention to Mr. Landor [Walter Savage Landor]: He writes to me regularly— but one point I want information about. Kirkup [?] wrote to Ba that he had washed Mr. Landor of some suspicious persons that had got about him. He seemed to doubt them. Have you any notion of who these persons can be? I have not heard a word about them, and feel uneasy a little.

“Do you see the infamous pretense at a misunderstanding of Ba’s purposes in the poem (printed years ago by the anti-slavery society in America) “A Curse for a Nation” in the Athenaeum: the writer leaves out the introduction every stanza of which contains evidence plain as noon that the nation referred to is America— and calls it a “malediction against England”— just out of spite of Ba’s having disapproved of “Rociabella” for all its fine dedication to her— and left a bitter, foolish letter, received a few weeks ago, without answer. Look at the first part of the poem (omitted in the critique as if it never had existed) and tell me if such a blunder is possible to anybody, honestly reading it, and not an idiot. He said in his letter he meant to abjure pen and ink and live in increasing solitariness—‘so misunderstood was he ever!’ I understand him. God bless you, dearest Ira— Love Ba & [?] Yours affectionately ever, RB.” Publisher’s 32-page catalogue, dated February 1860, at rear. Wise, 18. Bookplates of collectors John A. Spoor and W. Emmert Swigart.

Cloth stained and rubbed, small split starting along front joint. Front free endpaper loosening. A very good copy, most desirable with lengthy autograph letter from Robert Browning.