2765. RB to Richard Hengist Horne
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 15, 198–200.
Florence.
Jan. 6. ’49.
Dear Horne, Here is what I get by asking you to do me a favor, & not any body else—almost,—you have lost no time, indeed, and taken all the proper steps, and not one more. You advise me well, I can see. I did not explain myself quite clearly as to what there was to inquire after; not any Book of verse of mine [1] —it was returned duly at the time,—but those poems transcribed by S.F. (of which fact I hear for the first time now) [2] —and those contained in a sort of Album of E.F’s, [3] which I only saw by accident, ten years ago at least, then also for the first time. In both cases, the copying was with my ignorance,—and against my will—that is, the will I should have had save for the ignorance. These, and any other repetitions of these that may exist, are all I have to ask for, as things of which the originals were carefully burnt more than twenty years ago. So much for the verse: but the prose-part consists of letters, such as I described to you, and which E.F assured me, herself, were all in existence—added to a few written to S.F. which, if as uselessly preserved, I also require again. I can say no more,—you understand so perfectly,—and, acting in the light of your advice, I shall take no further step just yet. If Mr A. [4] advertises any work likely to include any letter of mine, will you apprise me, if there be time—if not, you can simply, with the authorization of this present letter, request that all prose or verse of mine be expunged,—assuring him, if he refuse, that I will instantly take the legal remedy & get an injunction. If he does nothing in a hurry I shall probably be in England next year and able to call on him myself—that is the only reason why I do not send my sister, as you suggest—tho’ not with the company you mention,—as I wish for no more confidants than need be.
Oh, Horne, these biography makers! Do you know, at this very moment there is a woman of the tribe bothering my wife in this wise [5] —her dear old friend Mr Boyd died a little while ago—this woman pounces upon all my wife’s letters to him, and writes to her to ask leave to print them in a memoir of him: she refuses, of course, and desires that they may be returned at once;—catch the memoir-writer at that! She will give up the letters if she must, but a “notice” from E.B.B’s pen she must have &c and so she keeps bothering—to get, in the end, assuredly, a notice from a chancery lawyer,—for I will look to the matter, be sure! Letters written by a girl to her friend and teacher, to be printed in illustration of his life, not hers! À propos, Powell is “likely to be transported for extensive swindling, passing false bills and all other sorts of rascalities” [6] —though “out on double bail” [7] —so says a letter received to-day. So, one retainer of people’s manuscripts, and money-maker by the same, is likely to find his deserts. Goodbye, dear Horne, soon to meet again, if your letter may be expected on the heel of this kind note. I will write then,—meanwhile my wife is very well, very thankful to you for me in this business, and joining in all regards to you and Mrs Horne from yours
ever faithfully RB.
PS. I heard your pleasant waits, in the Illustd Times [8] —could not bring them to my wife though.
Address, on integral page: R. H. Horne Esqre / Fallow Lodge, / Finchley, / Middlesex.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: R.H. Taylor Collection.
2. RB refers to two poems copied by Sarah Flower from his “Incondita”: “The First-Born of Egypt” and “The Dance of Death,” both of which she incorporated in a letter addressed to W.J. Fox in 1827 (see vol. 2, pp. 348–352). This must be the same letter that RB would later recover from Eliza Bridell-Fox in 1871. Writing on 27 July of that year, he thanks her for sending “the letter, which can be no other than the one I was informed about, and desired to obtain” (Maggs, Catalogue 266, Easter 1911, item 278). See Reconstruction, E75 and 134.
3. The “album-book” described in letter 2755 (see note 9).
4. William Bridges Adams (1797–1872) who married Sarah Flower in 1834.
6. A reference to recent criminal proceedings brought against Thomas Powell in Croydon, Surrey. The Surrey Standard of 23 December 1848 reported that Powell had appeared before the Surrey Bench of Magistrates on 9 December to answer a charge of obtaining “£3 from Mary Ann Henson,” a landlady, by means of a false check passed on 11 November (p. 2). Powell was released on bail and ordered to reappear the following week. When he failed to show, however, his solicitor introduced an affidavit, signed by Dr. Southwood Smith, certifying that Powell was insane and unable to attend. Powell also missed the next scheduled hearing held on 30 December. At that time, according to a summary of the case published in The Standard (London) of 9 January 1849 (p. 4), it was shown that he had been committed (by Southwood Smith and Dr. Montague Gossett) to the insane asylum at Hoxton. Consequently, the matter was postponed until his recovery. Meanwhile, a police investigation determined that his insanity had been self-induced for the purpose of avoiding prosecution. It was also found that he had forged checks on previous occasions. Apparently, the case against Powell in Croydon never made it to trial. Sometime in the spring of 1849, he left England for America.
7. The Daily News of 18 December 1848 reported that after Powell’s second hearing, his bail was raised from £50 to £100 (see p. 4).
8. “The Waits,” a poem, appeared in the Christmas Supplement of The Illustrated London News (December 1848, p. 411); this issue also contained two articles by Horne: “On Christmas Carols” (p. 402) and “A German Christmas Tree” (p. 410).
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