5213. Sophia Landor to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 236–237.
Tachbrooke
4th May [1863] [1]
Dear Mr Browning
My Uncle Henry feels so far from well this morning that he is scarcely able even to dictate a letter or give a message, & as he is unwilling any longer to detain the note you were so good as to forward to me on Friday, he requests me to write to you & acknowledge with his most cordial thanks both that & the very kind note he has received from you this morning. I assure you he is deeply sensible of all your kindness, tho’ unable to acknowledge it as he wishes to do, but I am sure you will generously make every allowance for him. These two letters from my Uncle Walter are really wonderful & evince a much greater restoration of mental power than cld have been expected after such an attack: no doubt Madame Romagnoli will perceive changes not betrayed in these letters, but it is a great mercy that the mind is so far restored as it evidently is. Not the least among your many kindnesses, is that of sending to him agreeable friends, [2] who will cheer & amuse him & supply a want his family cld never supply even if they were willing to do their best. It is indeed sad to think of. Now let me express my heartfelt thanks for your more than kind consideration for this Uncle also: I did not intend to impose upon you the additional trouble of writing to both of us, only just to obtain a brief repetition of what I had suppressed: but your kindness is not useless, I trust your letter has almost, if not quite, relieved my Uncle, who had been so much disturbed by his Brother’s letter as to make me greatly regret I had not been able to adhere to my intention of saying nothing about the illness. Some times he forgot that Uncle Walter appears to be recovered & expected every post to bring news of his death; then he was troubled with fears of business that wld be entailed thereby & tho’ my explanations allayed his apprehensions for the moment, they soon returned: even the note from you on Saturday seemed to make very little impression, but after hearing your letter this morning he seems much more satisfied. I shall say nothing about it to my Uncle Robert until we meet, he is very unwell & I know it wld depress him. I wld have written myself to my Uncle Walter, notwithstanding prohibitions, but placed as I am here, I dare not recommence a correspondence[.]
Believe me ever
Yr sincerely grateful
Sophia Landor
Address: Robert Browning Esqre / 19. Warwick Crescent / Upper Westbourne Terrace / London (W.).
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. Year provided by postmark.
2. Such as Edward Twisleton (see letter 5208).
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