The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-09
soxr VIEW o
nrev.,.s,. Letters.

L.EE -
S~N BFswpips's LstteFs-
m q NOTES Of the first volume Of The Letters Of
E1fsubeth Barrett Brotprfnp Macmillans) We
gave some account Of the subjects youth, and
fsiiowed what IL virtually an autobiography as
ctr a. Miss Barrett's marriage 70 Robert Brown
tng, and their deprrture for Italy. where her
asalth quickly and slenaily improved. For some
tiino after thoy settled In Florence the Brown
inRs made no long or distant expeditions from
their now home. In the spring Of 1851, how.
over, they planned q series Of travels which,
after taking them to Venice and Milan. should
bear them across the Alps, and compro-
bend Paris and London. OF the letters
written at this period, the first ono
that strikes US as worth quoting Is
dated from Paris, October. 1851. Mrs. Brown
iDg had gone to n reception Mt Lady Elgin's In
che Faubourg 81, Gormain, whore she "saw
some French. but nobody of distinction Sho
goss on TO tell us: 81 expected to 500 Balssc's
duohesses and horrnes de iettres on all sides of
me, but there was nothing very noticeable. I
think, though we found It agreeable enough"
The person In Paris whom Mrs. most
wished 70 see was tho author OF Consuolo," to
whom MaSzini was to give hor n letter. But
she was not to see her just yet. "Ihear." sho
writes, that George Sand is seldom at Paris
now. She has devoted herself to play writing.
and employs . house full Of mon In acting pri-
vntoly with her what rhe writes, trying 1t on q
home stage before she tries IL in Paris" Thon
foliows . characteristic passage: "Nover eH-
poet me 10 agree with you in that, cause otlebre
of ladies and gentlemen against people Of lot
tsfs. I don't like the sort OF veneer which passos
On eocioty-yes. ! like II, but I don't love 1t. l
know what tho thing Is worth as . matter Of
furniture-accomplishment. and there Is an end.
I should rather look at the scratched silent VIC
Lin In the corner, with tho sense that music has
come out Of IL or will como. lam grateful to
the man who has written . good book. and I
recognize reverently that the roots Of It are In
him.. And. do you know. I was not dis
appointed at all in what I saw of writer's
Of books in London; no. not at all. Carlyle, for
instance, I liked infinitely moro In his personals.
ity than I expected to like him.. and I saw q
great deal Of him.. for he travelled with US to
Paris and spent several evenings with us. We
three together. He Is one OF the most interest
ting mon I could imagine. even deeply interest
ing 10 me; and you como to understand perfect.
~ when you know him that his bitterness is
only melancholy and his scorn sonsibility.
Highly picturesque. too. he is in conversation.
Tho talk OF writing mon II very seldom ~ good.
Il was not. however. until February. 1852,
shat Mrs. Browning had q meeting with George
Mazgini's letter was sent to Mime. Dude
want accompanied with q little note signed by
both Mrs. Browning and her husband. though
written by the former. 1t was difficult to get at
Nine. Dudevant. she having taken vows against
seeing strangers, In consequence of various ALL
in and out of print. People told the
Brownings "she will never see you; you have no
chance, I am afraid. But they determined to try.
last" as Mrs. Browning tells US. II pricked
Robert up to the leap, for he was really inclined
TO sit in his chair and be proud o little. No.
said I, you shan't DO proud and I pont DO
proud, and We tofH see her. I won't die, II 1
can help 1t, without seeing George Sand So
we gave our letter to a friend, who was to
give 1t to n friend, who was to place it in her
hands. her abode being q mystery and the name
she used unknown" The next day CAME by tho
post this answer: Northumberland l'honneur
dc vous recevoir dimanche proclaim rue Racine
3. C'est 10 soul jour que 10 puisse passer chez
moi. ct encore 10 men suis pas absolument Ger.
taine. Mails ~ ferai tellement mon possible,
quo ma bonnie etoilo my aidera peut-etre un
pen. Agreez mile remerciments de cRur, alnsi
Monsieur Browning. que ~j'espere voir aveo
vous. pour Ia sympathie quo vous m'accordez."
On the day appointed the visit took place. though
Mrs. Browning had to put on a respirator,
mufhe herself in furs, and drive in q close car
riage. In a letter to John Kenyon she
gives IN account Of tho Interview: "She
received us very kindly. with hand stretched
out, which I. with a natural emotion II assure
you my heart beat. stopped and kissed. when
she said quickly: Mails non, 10 ne yeux pas
and kissed my lips. She is somewhat largo for
her height, not tall. and was dressed with great
nicely In a sort Of gray serge gown and jacket,
made after tho ruling fashion Just now. and
fastened up to the throat, plain linen collaretto
and sleeves. Her hair WAS uncovered, divided
on tho forehead in black, glossy. bandeaux, and
twisted up behind. The eyes and brow arc noble,
and the nose is of q somewhat jewish char
actor; the chin q little recedes, and tho mouth
40 not good though mobile. flashing out a
sudden smile with It's white. projecting
teeth. There Is no sweetness in the face,
but great moral as well as intellectual capaci-
ties-only 1t never could have been q beautiful
face. which o good deal surprised me. The chief
difference In 1t since 1t was younger is probably
shat the cheeks arc considerably fuller than
they used to be, but this, Of course, does not
alter tho type. Her complexion 10 of q deep
,6lvo. / observed that her hands were NAL
and well shaped. We sat with her perhaps
three-quarters Of an hour or more. In which
time she gave advice and various direc-
tions to two or three young men who
were there. showing her confidence In us
by tho FREQ use of names and illusions to
AnSt1. ouo bocmou 70 DO, IN InCt, Inc man
In that company. and tho profound re-
Bpect with which she was listened to a good deal
Impressed mo-" There was In truth a strong
strain Of virility in Nine. Dudevant; her bust.
mess in Paris ut that time was to fulfil a manliko
misaion OF protection. Most Of her political
friends were Rod Republicans and Socialists
who had been implicated In tho uprising In tho
days OF juno. and who Of course were VIC.
l0ntly opposed to the author of tho coup
6'Stat Of Doc. 2. 1851. Her purpose was to get
. communication Of the sentence Of Danish.
nent to Cayenne which had been passed upon
her friend Dufraisse. To that end she obtained
an interview with the President. It seems that
Louis Napoleon shook hands with her and
granted her request. and in the course of con-
versation pointed to a heap of DEGREES " on the
table which, he said. wsro being Matched "for
the good OF France" At the last he said: "vous
verrez, vous serex c~ontente do moi" To which
she answered: "Et vous. vous serez content do
mol" The story Was ropoated to Mrs. Brownin1