5046. RB to Sophia Eckley

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 63.

1. Chichester Road,

Upper Westbourne Terrace.

March 28. ’62

Dear Mrs Eckley,

I must have greatly misunderstood your note in which I thought that you bade me, if I found it impossible to do what you desired, think no more about the matter, or words to that effect—and I found it, most truly, impossible to even think upon such a subject—indeed, I should have done you great wrong by even attempting to do so. As for a publisher, none can ever be found for poetry by a new author, of whatever pretension it may be; that is certain. [1]

Depend on it, I forget nothing and nobody—whether to my greater happiness or misfortune I really don’t know: so give my kindest remembrances & love to your Husband & Doady– Pen’s going with mine, & forgive all mistakes that may be made by

Yours, as of old,

Robert Browning.

Address: Mrs Eckl<ey>, / 1. Sh<ef>field Place, / <(Lan>sdown) / Bath.

Publication: NL, p. 144.

Manuscript: Berg Collection.

1. Doubtless, Mrs. Eckley had asked RB for help in securing a publisher for her Poems (1863), which was issued in June of the following year by Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, and Green. We have identified three poems in the volume written to EBB, though she is not named: “To --” (pp. 109–110) and two poems entitled “Sonnet To --” (pp. 112–114).

___________________