Correspondence

1252.  RB to John Kenyon

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 137.

New Cross, Hatcham.

Friday Mg [19 May 1843] [1]

My dear Mr Kenyon,

Thank you very heartily for the leave to read (& re-read) the noble verses I return. Most noble! [2]

And what famous versification! The grand rhymes pair in virtue of their essential characteristics only, and the accidents (of a mute or a liquid) go for nothing: just as tree matches with tree in a great avenue, elm-bole with elm-bole, let the boughs lie how they may: in a spruce park ring-fence, knob-head-rail must needs go with knob-head, and spear-point with spear-point,—or retired-citizen Snodgrass [3] would never hear the last of his bad taste. Thank you, once again, says yours ever

faithfully

Robert Browning.

All here were much gratified by your kind enquiries. —My mother is much better—and in some good time we know we shall see you.

Docket, on accompanying envelope, in EBB’s hand: Mr Browning’s autograph. Under this RB has added: (written by his own press.).

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. Doubtless written on the same day as EBB’s following letter to John Kenyon. Year supplied by EBB on blank page of the manuscript.

2. The fact that Kenyon sent this note to EBB (see the following letter) suggests strongly that the “noble verses” were “The Dead Pan” in manuscript, sent to Kenyon with letter 1238. She had mentioned the possibility of its being shown to RB in letter 1203.

3. Augustus Snodgrass, an aspiring poet, was a founding member of the Pickwick Club in The Pickwick Papers.

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