5001. RB to William Wetmore Story
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 11–12.
1. Chichester Road,
Upper Westbourne Terrace.
Dec. 31. ’61.
My dear Story,
There is just a chance that I may get a few words off by post-time, late as the hour is: I will try hard. You must have received the three numbers of the Daily News (Dec. 25. 26. 27) containing your paper. Dicey sent them—all your thanks are due to him– [1] I put the m.s. in his hands at once, & he succeeded in his endeavours as you see: but unluckily there was no time to refer to Mr Adams [2] —the Editor [3] said this “slack week’s” occasion must be siezed [sic]—and so good an occasion was not let slip: for indeed every day puts the past question deeper in the background beside the terrible interest of the new question altogether distinct from it. [4] The inaccuracies therefore must be corrected in the pamphlet, should you please to reprint it so– Mr Adams has been communicated with, & no doubt will explain, if needful. Your position, so far from London, makes very excusable the slip to which you refer: those cases have been turned & tried till they are dry dust now, and it is said that Americans & English here are of one mind about them. Oh the pity of it all! Captain Wilkes with his instincts, & law studies extempore, & notion of “embodied dispatches”! To quarrel about such a man’s “notions”! And no words, nor love indeed, on this side, can help at all! Indeed you are wrong as to men’s “fury” here– I have not heard one man, woman or child express anything but dismay at the prospect of being obliged to go to war on any grounds with America—but every one felt there might be an obligation as stringent as a slap on the face in public from one’s bosom friend. But I’ve done. [5]
I wrote (I ought to say) the moment your packet arrived: you had my letter, I hope. [6] This new, dear letter comes warmly into the Grey cold corner where I am keeping alive this last day of my last good year. Next year, next hundred years will change nothing in my gratitude, and love: nor in your goodness to me, I know. Bear with this hurry this once—I will try now & tell you many a little thing next time: I mean to go out & see friends as I used. I shall be able to gossip with you. Meantime, I run in & shake hands, & sit by the fire as of old—see you always & love you always—do believe.
So God bless you all, dear three friends! I am groping for the paper in the dark & cannot see it as I do your faces. Pen sends his truest love to you, & to the brave “Boys” [7] —with mine.
Yours affy ever
R Browning.
Certainly, the Exposition—& unchanged in every respect—were it but as a realization of P. Albert’s desire. [8]
Publication: BAF, pp. 91–93.
Manuscript: University of Texas.
2. Charles Francis Adams (1807–86), U.S. minister to Great Britain from 1861 to 1868. He is listed in the Brownings’ address book of this period (AB-4) at “5 Upper Portland Place.”
3. Thomas Walker (1822–98), editor of The Daily News from 1858 to 1869.
4. The “past question” refers to the title of Story’s recently published essay, “The American Question.” The “new question” concerned the Trent affair.
5. For RB and his countrymen, the Trent affair was ongoing. The letter from the U.S. government of 26 December, announcing the release of the Confederate emissaries (see letter 4997, note 3), did not reach England till January 1862.
7. Thomas Waldo Story (1854–1915) and Julian Russell Story (1857–1919).
8. Prince Albert (1819–61) died of typhoid fever on 14 December at Windsor Castle. The International Exhibition of 1862, originally scheduled for the summer of 1861 (the tenth anniversary of the Great Exhibition, of which Albert was a prime mover), had been delayed a year because of events in Italy. Notwithstanding discussion of postponing or cancelling the exhibition in view of Queen Victoria’s bereavement, it was held from 1 May to 1 November 1862.
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