2117. RB to Henry Fothergill Chorley
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 11, 206.
[London]
Friday Mg [28 November 1845] [1]
Now, dear Chorley, take the very hearty thanks of one gratified much, very much, by your “Pomfret”—it is full of beauty and truth and the power that is in both—and, I do think that when I bend the “quiet of a loving eye” on the whole of it, now clearly in my mind, I do not lose in my general admiration one point of good artistry and happy contrivance—for it is all well, from the charming framing-round of those quaint kind “Grays,” to the quiet indefinite but no less assured comfort of the end—and I would write about it all, l’ami Rose and cousin Harriet, had I not the memory of last week’s letter from you—and that stops me .. I would not “set off” my encouragement against yours, if I could. Beside it is now an old story .. my reading your letters and criticisms, verses and prose stories, and enjoying everything, and saying nothing– But I let none of your kindness fall to the ground, nor much of your cleverness even—and this “Pomfret” is more than clever every way. Thank you once more, and always too,
Ever yours faithfully
R Browning.
Did I understand you to say the other night that you would rather not have missed the performance of Miss Flower’s music last week?– Because you may like to know that the effect has been such as to call for a repetition—for Wednesday Week—and poor Miss Flower is very far from well, [2] and only waits the ending of this her evening to go farther into the country than she now is, as I am told. So that one would be glad to gratify this once a really earnest, and I think, strangely obscured but unmistakeable genius– I shall go—but I quite understand your engagements.
Publication: LRB, p. 11 (in part).
Manuscript: Huntington Library.
1. Dated by RB’s reference to the performance of Miss Flower’s music, which took place on 22 November. The following Friday was the 28th.
2. Eliza Flower’s successful concert of sacred music on 22 November was repeated on 10 December. However, as a result of failing health due to tuberculosis, she left for Hastings soon after to recuperate during the winter. She died a year later on 12 December 1846.
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