998. Bryan Waller Procter to RB

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 6, 59.

4 Grays Inn Square

Tuesday [23 August 1842] [1]

My dear Browning

I hope that we shall see you tomorrow, either in London or at The Ship Greenwich. My wife must be ½ an hour later than I thought, because I must attend a Lunacy meeting beforehand. [2]

She will however be at the Lowther Arcade (opposite St Martin’s Church) at 20 minutes past two, in order to start by the half past two Steamer—& we shall rejoice to see you either there or at The Ship Greenwich when we arrive.

If anything should occur to you on the subject of the ‘Ship’ professionally I beg to suggest the words, dip, hip, rip, sip, tip, & finally flip for your consideration

I am ever

B W Procter

Address: Robert Browning Esq / New Cross / Hatcham / Surrey.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: National Library of Scotland.

1. Dated by the postmark, 24 August 1842.

2. Procter had been appointed Metropolitan Commissioner in Lunacy in 1832, an office he fulfilled until 1861.

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