5148. Walter Savage Landor to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 171–172.
[Florence]
December 24 [1862] [1]
Dear Browning,
The few letters I have received in the present week have given me pleasure, all of them, but none greater than yours. Last month I had a visit from Count Cotterel [sic], who told me that you would return to Florence in the spring. I hope it may be so, and that I may live long enough to see you once more. Latterly my son Walter fancied that he found me in worse health than usual. This is not the case. However, he sent Doctor [2] to visit me and prescribe. He made me a second visit and found me well. In fact I did not take his medicine—this perhaps accounts for it. There is something funny in my making a will: nevertheless I have made one, all my disposable property not being worth twenty pounds—without the pictures. Five of the best are yours—namely the Salvator—the Holy Family by Simone Memmi—Saint Peter by Guido, and two Landscapes by Wright of Derby, [3] formerly Sir Horace Man’s. [4] I shall place a copy of my Will in the hands of Mrs Romagnoli. The books amount to fewer than a hundred—they will serve for Robert’s school books.
I forget whether you knew Mrs O’Callaghan. [5] She has been to visit me with her daughters. She was a friend of my friend Stopford, whose death causes this blackedged letter. [6]
I hope his nine gran[d]children will be taken care of by their uncle the Duke of St Albans. [7] Their uncle Landor can do nothing for them.—Among my few visitors is a nephew of my old friend General Birch, whom I first knew in Spain. His brother Walter [8] was my most intimate friend at Rugby school and afterwards at College. At school he was named Sancty from the sobriety of his manners—how different from mine!
I am afraid this letter is like a mincepie without spice or currants in it. With kindest regards to gallant Robert, I remain most affectionately and gratefully
Yours
W S Landor
Publication: BBIS-5, p. 58.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Year based on Landor’s reference to Edward Stopford’s death (see note 6 below).
2. Landor left a blank space here. The doctor was probably William Wilson (1815–96); see letter 5209.
3. Joseph Wright (1734–97), known as Wright of Derby, was an English landscape and portrait painter. His portrait in oil of RB’s paternal grandmother, Margaret Browning (née Tittle, 1754–89) is reproduced in vol. 3, facing p. 74.
4. Horace Mann (1706–86), 1st Baronet, served as the British representative in Florence from 1740 until his death.
5. Unidentified. The name is spelled O’Calligan in letter 5012.
6. Col. Edward William Stopford (1789–1862) died on 27 August at Tudor House, Surrey. He was married to Landor’s sister-in-law Laura (née Thuillier, 1792–1880).
7. The nine grandchildren were the offspring of the Stopfords’ daughter Theresa (1811–58) and her husband, Charles Beauclerk (1813–61), whose eldest brother, William Aubrey De Vere (1801–49), 9th Duke of St. Albans, was succeeded by his eldest son, William Amelius Aubrey De Vere (1840–98), 10th Duke of St. Albans. This last was first cousin, not uncle, to the grandchildren.
8. Walter Birch (1774–1830), one of Landor’s closest friends at Rugby School and Oxford. His brother, John Francis Birch (1776–1856), was promoted to general on 20 June 1854. The nephew has not been identified.
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