5062. RB to William Wetmore Story & Emelyn Story
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 74–75.
New address. 19. Warwick Crescent,
Upper Westbourne Terrace.
Apr. 28. ’62.
Dearest Friends,
Only time for a word, but that a good one. I have just seen Pompiani [1] (who is here in some conservative capacity—you remember his going to the Studio with Made Du Quaire?)—& he assures me that Both Statues are well placed, in good light, “each opposite the other in a good arrangement”:—& this moment, see what I read in the “Times”—Apr. 28. [2]
[“]In the Roman Court, as might be expected, are some noble groups of statuary & mosaics. In 1851 the “Greek Slave” the work of an American Artist carried off all the honors of sculpture, and again on this occasion, we think the laurels will be awarded to another American student, Mr Storey, who has sent two noble groups [3] from his studio at Rome. One figure is that of Cleopatra, the other a Sybil. As yet nothing has come into the building which approaches them in originality of conception or power of execution. There is none of the conventional and voluptuous beauty about the Cleopatra. The form & features, though handsome, are of purely Egyptian type, and the expression of the face is one of thought and intellectual power. Both the face & figure of the Sybil are grandly suggestive of the moody abstraction of one really possessed of the powers of divination, looking gloomily forward in the long chapter of human woes.” Is not that well for a foretaste? The misdescription as a Student, & misspelling of the name show it is not the criticism of a personal acquaintance I think: I copy the paragraph instead of sending the paper, fearing the latter might miscarry[.]
Not a minute more to say how
Affectly I am ever yours
Robert Browning.
Docket, in the hand of Charles Eliot Norton: To W.W. Story. Sent to me by him. C.E.N.
Publication: Rosemary Sprague, Forever in Joy (Philadelphia, 1965), facsimile facing p. 79 (in part).
Manuscript: Longwood University Archives.
1. Adriano Bompiani (1824–1912), Roman lawyer, was in London with the Italian delegation attending the opening of the International Exhibition and helped arrange the Roman court, where Story’s statues were displayed (see B.P. Johnson, Report on International Exhibition of Industry and Art, London, 1862, Albany, New York, 1863, p. 26).
2. RB has copied a passage (word for word with a few minor discrepancies) from an article entitled “The International Exhibition” in The Times of this date, p. 5.
3. The three italicized words in this sentence are underscored with several suspension points.
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