Correspondence

5159.  RB to George Stampe

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 178–179.

[London]

Jan: 15. ’63.

Sir, [1]

By desire of Mr Forster, I answer the part of your Letter which has an interest for me.

Not only am I forced to refuse leave to publish the Letters to which you refer, [2] or any other Letters by the writer, but I should,—in the event of such refusal being disregarded,—at once seek the proper remedy which the Law puts in my power, and apply for an Injunction—all similar documents being Copy-right.

Merely critical disquisitions are, of course, permitted to every body: but in this case, nothing whatever of the personal history can be known to a stranger: yourself are unaware of what is familiar to mere acquaintances—the repugnance of the subject of your biography to any biography at all. Should such a performance seem important enough, I should stigmatize it in the Public Papers—but I will hope & trust that your own considerateness & good feeling will never make this necessary.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient & humble servant,

Robert Browning.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. George Stampe (1836–1918), a timber merchant of Great Grimsby, Lincolnshire, was a son of William Stampe (1800–59) and his wife, Rebecca (née Drewry, 1816–1904).

2. EBB’s letters to the classical scholar Hugh Stuart Boyd (1781–1846).

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