2995. RB to Edward Chapman

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 238.

Paris, Avenue des Champs Elysées 138,

Jan 16. ’52.

My dear Sir,

Will you allow me to remind you of your promise to furnish us at Christmas with the regular account of the sale of our books? My wife & I are anxious to know what has been the exact success, so far, of each & all—both hers & mine. I shall be much obliged by a prompt attention to this request of, My dear Sir,

Yours very faithfully,

Robert Browning.

I dont know whether you see, by any chance, the “Revue des deux Mondes”: the number of yesterday (Jan. 15) has an article on my wife, as that of Aug. 15, last year, contained one on my own things. [1] I noticed the other day that you prefix to an advertisement of “Christmas Eve,” an opinion from a journal—if that is the best course (of which I have doubts)—why not take your extract from some real authority in the matter—such as the admirable critic in question? [2]

—Chapman Esq.

Address, on integral page: Messrs Chapman & Hall / 193 Piccadilly.

Docket: A/cs sent Feb. 20/52.

Publication: NL, pp. 53–54.

Manuscript: Pierpont Morgan Library.

1. Joseph Milsand’s notice of RB’s Poems (1850) and Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day was published in Revue des Deux Mondes, 15 August 1851, pp. 661–689; for the full text of this review, see pp. 381–394. For the full text of his review of EBB’s Poems (1850) and Casa Guidi Windows, see pp. 358–363.

2. i.e., Milsand. The Examiner of 27 December 1851 carried an advertisement for Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day that included the following quotation from The Athenæum’s notice of 6 April 1850, pp. 370–371: “The book before us is the work of a poet. … From its perusal intelligent minds may rise enriched with new images of beauty, and new stimulants to thought.” The elipsis represents nearly the entire review. The clause immediately after “poet” reads: “though if this fact should gain but a limited recognition, the writer will have only himself to blame” (for the full text of this review, see vol. 16, pp. 357–360)

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