475. RB to William Johnson Fox

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 3, 75.

Camberll

2. oclock. [?28] [March 1833] [1]

Dear Sir,

In consequence of your kind permission I send, or will send, a dozen copies of Pauline—& (to mitigate the infliction) Shelley’s Poem.—on account of what you mentioned This morning, it will perhaps be as well that you let me know their safe arrival by a line to RB Junr Hanover Cottage, Southampton St., Camberwell. You must not think me too incroaching, if I make the getting back “Rosalind & Helen” [2] an excuse for calling on you some evening—the said R. & H has I observe been well thumbed & sedulously marked by an acquaintance of mine, but I have not time to rub out his labour of love.

I am, Dear Sir,

Your’s very really

R Browning

Impromptu on hearing a sermon by the Rev T. R___ [3] pronounced “Heavy”.

A Heavy Sermon!—Sure the error’s great—

For not a word Tom uttered had its weight.

Address, on integral page: Rev. W. J. Fox. / Stamford Grove / Upper Clapton.

Docket, above address, in unidentified hand: The parcel—a [‘]‘Pauline” parcel is come– I send one as a witness.–

Publication: Orr, pp. 52–53.

Manuscript: Huntington Library.

1. Dated by the reference to Pauline. It would appear that RB wrote this letter, giving his home address, after letter 474.

2. Rosalind and Helen, a modern eclogue (1819), by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Mrs. Orr tells of the book having been mislaid at a picnic (Orr, 59).

3. RB’s schoolmaster, Thomas Martin Ready (1792–1866).

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