4944. Walter Savage Landor to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 29, 197–198.
[Florence]
July 31 [1861] [1]
My dear Browning,
As you leave Florence tomorrow or the next day, it is improbable that we shall ever meet again. You correspond occasionally with my brother Henry and Mr Forster. You will add greatly to your many acts of kindness if you will desire Mr Forster, to whom I gave at his request all the letters of many years addrest to me, that he will take the trouble to look among them for one from my son Arnold. There are few from him: but this one contains a promise to pay, after his mother’s death, to his brothers and sister an annuity of 150£ each, being but about twothirds of her jointure. He now refuses to do it, altho I gave him everything, and could have disposed at my pleasure of nearly 40,000£. 150£ a year is quite as much they can ever want, in addition to what they have. My daughter has already more than she deserves. If I could venture to ask my brother to take any more trouble about my affairs, it would be that he would write a line of remonstrance to Arnold on his ingratitude and dishonesty. Mr Forster, I trust, will consign to you his letter, by which his brothers may legally claim the 150 annuity.
I remain ever
Sincerely Yours
W. S. Landor
Address: Robert Browning Esq.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Year provided by Landor’s reference to RB’s impending departure from Florence.
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