Correspondence

1660.  RB to Frederick Oldfield Ward

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 9, 64.

[London]

Friday Mg [?26] [July 1844] [1]

Dear Ward,

“Music has charms” [2] &c &c. Take Theocrite o’ God’s name—letting me see a proof for a minute. [3] I promise you ample reason for this pre-occupation of mine in a day or two: indeed I shall want to consult with you. Yours meantime & ever,

RBg

Source: Transcript in editors’ file.

1. Dated by the reference to Theocrite.

2. Congreve, The Mourning Bride (1697), I, 1.

3. Theocrite was the principal character in RB’s poem “The Boy and the Angel,” which appeared in Hood’s Magazine in August. As the magazine would be released at the beginning of the month, RB’s request for a proof of his poem would have been made in July; his “pre-occupation” suggests that he was involved in preparations for his departure for Italy on 12 August, hence we place this letter late in the month, although it could have been written on one of the prior Fridays.

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