5155. RB to James Thomas Fields
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 175–176.
London. 19. Warwick Crescent,
Harrow Road.
Jan 13. ’63.
Dear Mr Fields,
I never formally thanked you for your letter & the invitation in it, but I felt all your kindness as you intended. I write now about a piece of business. Chapman is going to print a complete edition of my things—in three volumes which will be, each of them, complete in itself. 1st “Paracelsus,” “Sordello,” “Christmas Eve & Easter Day”—“Poems”: 2d Strafford and eight other pieces,—“Plays & Tragedies”– 3d “Romances, Lyrics, Men & Women”—a re-arrangement of what has appeared under those titles. [1] The whole, of course, will be completely corrected and done with.
I shall send you the early proofs,—and if you incline to use them in any way, I am sure you will give me whatever you think right: I want it for the Boy.
In the Spring, I bring out my new Poems [2] —which I shall also send you, I hope, as well as what will follow—for I am in the way to work. The corrections in this new edition are considerable and important, and I shall never revert to the process—indeed, I believe, Chapman stereotypes this time.
If you don’t care to use the matter, old or new,—or in any case,—will you have the kindness to tell me?
Yes how the Boy has grown, at the expense of the poor curls & feathers & velvet that you wrote so prettily about in old days! [3]
All kind remembrances to Mrs Fields & all cordial wishes to yourself!
Yours faithfully ever
Robert Browning–
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: R.H. Taylor Collection.
1. Some time after this letter was written and before printing the first volume in May, it was decided to change the order. The Poetical Works of Robert Browning (1863) was published as follows: Vol. I—Lyrics, Romances, Men, and Women; Vol. II—Tragedies and other Plays; Vol. III—Paracelsus, Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day, Sordello.
2. Dramatis Personæ (1864) was published the following spring.
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