5005. RB to Theodore Tilton
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 16–18.
1. Chichester Road,
Upper Westbourne Terrace,
Jan: 9. ’62.
My dear Friend, [1]
If I could tell you the circumstances under which I snatch a minute to answer your three letters, received ten days ago—do you know, or will you believe, that you would forgive me, as you shall when, if God please, I write again in a quieter mood? Meanwhile, as I say, believe me! It will not be hard to believe that I thank you heartily for the most liberal terms you have procured me. [2] I suppose people catch munificence of you. I will observe your directions to the letter: Mr Miller [3] shall receive, either by this mail or the next, the first sheets which went to Press last week only,—and when the last have been dispatched, depend on my suspending publication for a month, [4] as he desires. He shall also receive a proper recognition of his right to the book. [5]
I wish I could comply with your request in the other matter as easily! Here again, I must draw upon your faith in my good will when I say that I am bound—as the only means of defending myself from the bookmakers & memoir-writers here—to keep an unbroken silence even in the trifling particulars about which you desire (so considerately) information. No one, that has ever spoken on the subject, knew anything about it: even I could not verify the dates given in your notice: [6] Miss Mitford’s article was full of misconceptions & misstatements. [7] I have avoided reading what has lately been printed of the same kind. I return your article therefore, [8] crossing out (as you direct) simply what I know to be untrue, & just observing that, as to the dates, I am as ignorant as yourself. There was nothing to correct, however, in the paper of the “Atlantic Monthly”—written, as I believe it to have been, by a dear & truthful friend [9] —you can quote from it safely, so far as I remember. I have it, but will not refer to it.
Forgive this hurried scrawl—which I would not send were my confidence less in the feeling between you and
yours gratefully and sincerely ever
Robert Browning–
The Photographs [10] will be conveyed to you by the first friend’s kindness I can make available. [11]
Have the goodness to acknowledge the receipt of Mr Richards’ draft. [12]
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Theodore Tilton (1835–1907); see letter 4657, note 8.
2. £500 from James Miller (see letter 5187) for his right to publish EBB’s Last Poems in America.
3. James Miller (see letter 4990, note 4).
4. Last Poems was published by Chapman and Hall on 20 March 1862. The American edition was published by James Miller in early April 1862.
6. Tilton’s obituary of EBB that appeared in The Independent of 25 July 1861 (p. 1). It is reprinted in vol. 29, pp. 384–388.
7. i.e., Mary Russell Mitford’s chapter on the Brownings in her Recollections of a Literary Life (1852); see letter 2993, note 4.
8. RB refers to Tilton’s “Memorial” in the American edition of EBB’s Last Poems, (pp. 13–75). It incorporated much of his earlier obituary of EBB.
9. Kate Field, whose obituary of EBB was published in The Atlantic Monthly, September 1861, pp. 368–376. It is reprinted in vol. 29, pp. 392–398.
10. Photographs of EBB by Fratelli D’Alessandri, Rome, 27 May 1861. They are reproduced in vol. 29, facing p. 176.
11. Edward Dicey “conveyed” the photographs, as revealed in letter 5009. He was scheduled to sail for New York from Liverpool aboard the steamship Africa on 18 January (see The Daily News, 16 January 1862, p. 2). Dicey is listed among the Africa’s passengers in a notice of the ship’s arrival on 1 February 1862 (see The New York Herald of that date, p. 1).
12. Joseph Handley Richards (1836–1900), publisher of The Independent, was Tilton’s brother-in-law.
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