4114. William Michael Rossetti to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 25, 5.
45 Upper Albany St. London.
8 Jany 1858.
Dear Browning,
Will you allow me the privilege of introducing to you Mr Charles Augustus Howell, [1] son of an English resident in Portugal, to which country he is now returning, with the expectation of being in Italy in the course of the year. I have known him for a little while here, & have a very good opinion both of his abilities & agreeable character. One of my parting monitions to him was to buy all your books, which he has done, & I doubt not that by the time he delivers this, his enthusiasm will be such as to do credit to my suggestion.
Will you kindly remember me to Mrs Browning. I hear with great gratification that you are both likely to be here in the summer.
Very truly your’s
Wm M. Rossetti.
Robert Browning Esq.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: University of Texas.
1. Charles Augustus Howell (1840?–90) was born in Oporto, Portugal, to an English father, Alfred William Howell, and a Portuguese mother. He went to England in his youth but left in January 1858 for Italy, a few days before his friend Felice Orsini attempted to assassinate Napoleon III, causing rumors that Howell was involved. We have been unable to verify that he called on the Brownings at Florence. Howell returned to England in 1865 and became intimate with John Ruskin, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and others. These associations would eventually be broken off, however, owing to Howell’s dishonesty.
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