Autograph letter signed : [Florence], to Mrs. Bruen, [1861 July].

Providing a detailed description of the last two days of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's life, the funeral and Robert Browning's immediate plans; saying "Mr. Browning is arranging his things at Casa Guidi preparatory to leaving Italy for some time at least. He is pretty well but is more changed in three weeks than I should have thought possible. I shall be so glad when he gets to Paris to his sister and father. He has borne his sorrow in the noblest, manliest way, as she would have wished it, and I think her blessing has been about him ever since it was uttered on that last night. She had only a week's illness & did not keep her bed - a spasmodic attack of cough proceeding from congestion of the lungs attacked her on the 22nd of June - She got over it but suffered from great weakness afterwards. I saw her on Thursday the 27th. Mr. Browning was afraid of her speaking before, & would not let anyone see her but she then told me with her own lips she was better - she said it most earnestly, and it convinced me though I saw that Mr. Browning was unusually alarmed. He had not left her from the first attack or been in bed & may have had causes for alarm which were not perceptible to others. On the 28th I saw her again & sat with her until 8 o'clock P.M. We talked of many things & many plans for the future and though her cough sounded very bad, I have been so accustomed to see her rally from such attacks that it did not strike me as worse than usual though Mr. Browning was, I saw, very nervous, but she said she was better and enjoyed her ass's milk more than I had ever seen her do. I left at 8 o'clock and though as I tell you there seemed to me no absolute reason for peculiar alarm, I had a nervous terror of something impending which I could not shake off in spite of reasoning with myself on the folly of it. At four the next morning, Saturday the 29th, I was sent for! She died at half past four in her husband's arms as peacefully as an infant closing its eyes in sleep. She had coughed & he had raised her that she might cough more easily - there was nothing more and all was over. Both Mr. Browning & Annunziata thought she had fainted. Mr. Browning had called up Annunziata about two & sent for Dr. Wilson, for he had fancied her feet were cold. Dr. Wilson did not arrive in time. Mr. B. got some hot water & put her feet in and she smiled & said, Now you are exaggerating this case, Robert. And when he asked her how she felt she said, It is beautiful. During the night she had often spoken to him and in words of the tenderest most [illegible] affection and her God bless you he says was uttered with a fervour which seemed to make it tangible. I sent Penini up to my villa on the Saturday, but I stayed at Casa Guidi till Monday when the funeral took place. All Florence mourned for her, many tradesmen closed their shops & all the English and Americans who could went to the cemetery. The Storys came up from Leghorn on Sunday. The Commandant of the National Guard wanted to send 800 of his men but there was some mistake about the time. Everyone wished to show their reverence for that perfect Being - whose genius itself seemed a less glorious gift than her goodness, her unsullied truth, her deep & pure lovingness, all which were given her to show us what a divine thing a woman can be. Since the funeral dear Mr. B. comes up here to sleep but goes to Casa Guidi early every morning. He goes next week to Paris, & I go to England. Dear Mrs. Bruen let me ask you one favour, do not let this letter be read or seen by anyone but your own family. Let not its contents get into print - keep it strictly & exclusively for yourselves. I trust to you for this."