Tell me....
Write and tell me everything _with exceptions_ such as I have set down.
And forgive my poor brittle body, which shakes and breaks.

May God love you, dear.
Yours in true affection, BA.
* * * * * At the end of July, Florence had become unbearable, and the Brownings removed, for the third time, to the Bagni di Lucca, whither they were followed by some of their friends, notably Miss Blagden and Mr.Robert Lytton.

Unfortunately, their holiday was marred by the dangerous illness of Lytton, which not only kept them in great anxiety for a considerable time, but also entailed much labour in nursing on Mr.Browning and Miss Blagden.

Besides Mrs.Browning's letters, a letter from her husband to his sister is given below, containing an account of the earlier stages of the illness.
* * * * * _Robert Browning to Miss Browning_ Bagni di Lucca: August 18, [1857].
Dearest,--We arrived here on the 30th last, and two or three days after were followed by Miss Blagden, Miss Bracken, and Lytton--all for our sake: they not otherwise wanting to come this way.

Lytton arrived unwell, got worse soon, and last Friday week was laid up with a sort of nervous fever, caused by exposure to the sun, or something, acting on his nervous frame: since then he has been very ill in bed--doctor, anxiety &c.