Autograph letter signed : Florence, to Henrietta Barrett Cook, [1859 November 5].

Sending condolences on behalf of herself and Robert Browning on the death of an unidentified individual; commenting on Henrietta's son Altham going off to school: "[I]t did seem to me that you were rather in haste to begin the classical part of Altham's education--Pen has not learnt a word of Latin yet, observe. But he will run where others walk, on account of his knowledge of Italian, so that we don't lament it much"; writing about their plans to hire a tutor for Pen, because of how time-consuming and demanding teaching him on their own has proved to be: "It wont do to give up our art for teaching--it is not good even for Peni--and I, for one, have not strength, for the systematic instruction which is necessary for boys as they get older, even if I had nothing else to do"; discussing the music lessons Robert Browning has been giving Pen, and Pen's progress with the piano; mentioning that Pen's spelling is improving ("he begins to spell rather less outrageously badly"); describing Pen's pony and asking questions about Altham's pony; describing Pen's new winter clothes; discussing the merino shirts that she and Pen are wearing, and how warm they are: "[Y]ou see my idée fixe just now is rather to be warm than beautiful. Peni who likes bright colours 'really wonders' at Mama's bad taste"; describing a zouave jacket she is going to have made for herself; including a small sketch of it; writing that she is also having a new black silk dress made, "because one can scarcely see a ceremony at Rome, without being dressed in sables for it. But I hope that the ceremony I shall be called to see, after all, may be the pope's expulsion... for which no particular costume is necessary!"; mentioning that her maid Elizabeth Wilson has moved to her new lodgings, where she will be taking care of Walter Savage Landor; asking for news of Henrietta's new house and of her children: "How is my pet Mary, whom I envy you for so much? What would I give to have a little girl, to stand by me when Pen sits at the other end of the room, absorbed in ponies, & the things which succeed ponies"; telling Henrietta that a "W. Chorley" has written a novel and dedicated it to her; sending news of the weather in Florence, and asking after friends and family members.