4677. RB to Emelyn Story

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 28, 20.

[Rome]

[3 June 1860] [1]

Dear Mrs Story,

We discover that the autograph for Mr Clarke [2] was not given to you—here it is.

May I give you a troublesome commission I fear to entrust to less kind people? Will you forward the accompanying address [3] to the Post Office, so that letters may be sent to Florence for us? I would almost dare to ask you, if at any time you look over the Dead Letters, to bid them (i.e the authorities at the Post) send any that may possibly be lurking at the bottom of the pile, to Florence also. I ought to have attended to this before—but your goodness tempts me to write as I do.

Ever, with kindest regard to Story & dear Edith,

Yours faithfully

Robert Browning

Pray say good bye for me to Mr Wild whom I caught a glimpse of to-day but was unable to speak to.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. The evident haste and urgency of this letter suggests that it was written on the eve of the Brownings’ departure for Florence, which occurred on 4 June 1860.

2. Gardiner Hubbard Clarke (b. 1832?), a Boston lawyer, who was a friend of the Storys and Christopher Pearse Cranch. He is listed in the Brownings’ address book of this period (AB-4) at 50 Via Borgognona, Rome.

3. On an integral page RB has written: “Robert Browning / Madame Browning / Firenze.”

___________________