4505. RB to Sophia Landor
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 27, 1–2.
Florence, Casa Guidi, Via Maggio.
Oct. 12. ’59.
My dear Miss Landor,
We arrived here two days ago: [1] I procured witnesses yesterday, and have just caused the will to be duly executed in duplicate: [2] I send you the original, and retain a “holograph” copy, or document altogether in the handwriting of the Testator, which the law here requires should be specially attested and deposited, as I will eventually inform you. I have at present to beg that you will examine, and, if necessary, correct and return me the original or another copy, which I will cause to be similarly attested in duplicate, and so end the business to your satisfaction. I hope I have done right in the delicate matter of suggesting to your Uncle the proper legatees: [3] I took what must surely be the simplest and best way—indeed the only way; for on my beginning by asking whether he would choose any nearer relative, he refused at once. If there should need to be any further distribution of whatever is the property so bequeathed, who will understand like yourselves? I earnestly hope therefore that you will allow this easy and obvious arrangement to remain.
I only mentioned the matter to your Uncle yesterday: he declared he had never made any will in favor of the Yescombes [4] —tho’ he remembered burning a parcel of what he supposed to be papers of verses &c. He thought it not unlikely that a forgery might have been practised—and was anxious to remedy anything of the kind by taking the step desired. I found him, as usual, most kind, rational and well-disposed. The witnesses, you will observe, are Mr Kirkup, his old friend, and Mr Edward Jones, [5] —the first Englishman I could find: and I have inserted my own name as Executor according to your desire.
I have just received notice of the arrival of the second quarter’s payment: I thus find myself with a considerable sum in hand. [6] It is right just to say, that the balance revertible to you, after your Uncle’s expenses are deducted, will be seen in a moment, by my own Statement of Accounts between us, should my death precede his, though the probabilities are the other way.
Your kindness induces me to add that my wife’s health continues to improve—I much fear, however, that we shall be forced to go to Rome for the winter. You may rely upon every care being taken of your Uncle in that case, and that my superintendence of his concerns will be in the main as effectual as now: but I shall greatly regret being deprived of the pleasure of doing, myself, whatever a deputy must perform, though just as efficiently. I shall go under no circumstances before the final arrangements on his account have been made and I have assured myself of their working as I wish—and in case of need I will return in a day to Florence by sea. Mr Landor is in perfect health and spirits, he walked with me yesterday for an hour and a half at least. He has spent the three last evenings with us. He is quite comfortable at the lodgings I have taken for him close by this place, till his own are vacant, three weeks hence: [7] and his mind seems absolutely at ease.
Pray believe me, My dear Miss Landor,
Yours very faithfully ever
Robert Browning.
I propose to send you the first Account at the end of this month, and the next, two months after, at the end of December—after which, I will continue a regular quarterly account. [8] The expenses are so little, hitherto, that we should be unable to calculate them under ordinary circumstances from the present sample only.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. From Siena. Since 1 August, the Brownings had resided outside the city at Villa Alberti, Marciano.
2. Sophia Landor had written on 15 September, asking RB to induce her uncle “to make a short Will for the purpose of revoking any other Will that may exist” (see letter 4490).
3. Walter Savage Landor’s nieces: the recipient of this letter and Catherine (“Kitty”) Landor (see letter 4214, note 3). To Sophia, he left “all his books, pictures, plate, and papers”; to Catherine, “all the residue of his personal estate and effects” (R.H. Super, Walter Savage Landor: A Biography, New York, 1954, p. 475).
4. R.H. Super notes that “in March 1857 he [Landor] had made one that named his ‘highly esteemed friend the Revd. Morris Yescombe’ as sole executor.—Anonymous MS in my possession” (Super, p. 599). Yescombe was the second husband of Mary Jane Yescombe (née Crosbie), who had twice sued Landor for libel (see letter 4214, note 4).
5. i.e., the artist Edward Coley Burne-Jones (1833–98), who, with fellow artist Valentine Cameron Prinsep (1838–1904), visited the Brownings at Siena (see letter 4503, note 3).
6. With the encouragement and approval of Landor’s relatives in England, RB had assumed control of the old poet’s income, which was supplied by them (see vol. 26, Appendix IV). The “second quarter’s payment” was a “cheque for £50 on Drummond, less commission,” deposited in Florence with Fenzi and Hall (see vol. 26, p. 394).
7. Landor was temporarily staying in Casa Baranowsky at 1870 Via Maggio, a few doors down from Casa Guidi. His permanent lodging at 2671 Via Nunziatina was ready on 8 November.
8. At some point prior to the end of the first quarter of 1860, RB decided to send semi-annual statements of account to Miss Landor.
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