2935. Bryan Waller Procter to RB

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 90.

13 Upper Harley St

Thursday Morning [ca. August 1851] [1]

My dear Browning–

I am going to do an apparently inhospitable thing—i.e. to put you off from dining with us today. The fact is my wife feels very unwell, & is unable to dine with us– I myself am not well (having had yesterday a return of a complaint that gives me some anxiety)—although I am able to go out—& we have been disappointed in getting some people to meet you– So, on the whole—rather than have a melancholy feast—we propose not to feast at all.

I shall take my chance of finding you at home tomorrow morning– Today I am obliged to go to our Board. [2] With kind Regards to Mrs Browning I am always

Your very sincere

B. W. Procter

Address: Robt Browning Esqr / 26 Devonshire Street.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: University of Chicago.

1. Approximately dated by reference to the Brownings’ address at 26 Devonshire Street, where they resided from 23 July to 25 September 1851.

2. i.e., a meeting of the commissioners in Lunacy; Procter served as a commissioner from 1832 to 1861.

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