2940. RB to Thomas Carlyle
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 100–101.
26 Devonshire St
Aug. 22. ’51.
My dear Mr Carlyle,
What will you say to my stupidity when I tell you that it had entirely passed out of my head, until this moment that my wife reminds me,—that she has already, some three or four months ago, contributed the whole sum of both our recollections of the two Ossoli to Mr Emerson’s work. We were applied to, in the first instance, last year,—as I told you—by a lady [1] —and after a rather vague fashion—at least we could not see how we could materially help such a scheme: and it was to this application that I referred. But just before we left Florence, our friend Mrs Story wrote more precisely, in the interest of the memoir now in question; and of course my wife & I gathered our memories together, or rather put them into words, subject to each other’s correction, and the whole was comprised in a letter to Mrs Story which she was made at liberty to use as might seem best. I had wholly forgotten this!
I fear I have given you too great a notion of the amount of our intimacy with the Ossoli, and perhaps the nature of it, even. We saw but a few hours & half hours of her,—and much less of him—but they were compensating times when they came—and her own feeling to us,—if words gave it aright, justified our quick love & respect for her. While I write this, I get to remember my wife’s letter, and am sure that it contains all we know,—and, indeed, most of what we guessed. I was vexed, (when I thought over what you enquired about at Chelsea) that I had not remembered that a tolerably accurate likeness of the Husband was made by Mr Latilla—(either in London now, or on his way to New York; I will enquire which)—would not that be of interest & value to friends?
The first application was not refused nor disregarded by us: the maker of it was at Rome, “expected to see us on her return to Florence” &c; and said simply that a scheme for a book was on foot– We meant, I believe, to tell her, whenever she saw us, exactly what there was to say, and then ascertain if so much would be acceptable: but Mrs Story’s request was definite, and we were bound to attend to it directly—as we did. (Surely it must have reached Mr Emerson by this time? It was sent from Florence before the end of April last.) [2]
I am happy to hear of your amended health, from whatever cause—as I was most happy to see you—and am most happy, most proud to see your handwriting again when I do. My wife desires me to offer her best regards to Mrs Carlyle & yourself with those of
Yours ever faithfully,
R.B.
Address: Thomas Carlyle Esq. / Dr Gulley’s, Gt Malvern, / Worcestershire.
Publication: LRB, pp. 33–34.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Unidentified.
2. Carlyle, evidently misreading RB’s handwriting or misremembering, wrote to Emerson on 25 August 1851, explaining that the Brownings had already sent their recollections to “Mr. Story”; see SD1499. Upon receipt of Carlyle’s letter, Emerson asked Story to forward what the Brownings had sent (see SD1505). The following April, however, Emerson told Carlyle that the Brownings’ contribution had “never arrived” (The Correspondence of Emerson and Carlyle, ed. Joseph Slater, New York, 1964, p. 476.
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