5319. RB to Bessie Rayner Parkes
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 10–11.
19. Warwick Crescent,
Upper Westbourne Terr:
Jan. 19. ’64.
Dear Miss Parkes, [1]
Miss Blagden’s address is simply “Poste Restante, Florence”: she sends every day to the office, and gets the letter which would otherwise go to her Villa [2] at night.
I don’t know whether the maps I enclose may at all interest your Father, [3] but can do no harm by sending them. Would you kindly tell him further that it was to Mr Taylor [4] that my Father lent my copy of the little book on the “Art of War” (a translation) with Sir P.F.’s autograph on the title-page or fly leaf [5] —and that I shall indeed be obliged if that gentleman will return it to me by Mr Parkes’ kind intervention.
I was prevented answering your note at once, so shall leave it myself to be sure that you get it by post-time.
Faithfully yours
Robert Browning.
Address: Miss Parkes, / 17. Wimpole St.
Publication: NL, pp. 159–160.
Manuscript: Berg Collection.
1. Elizabeth (“Bessie”) Rayner Parkes (1829–1925); see letter 3096, note 2.
2. Villa Giglioni at Bellosguardo.
3. Joseph Parkes (see letter 5317, note 3).
4. John Taylor (see letter 5317, note 2).
5. The Art of War—In Four Parts. Containing I. The Duties of Officers of Horse [by the Sieur de Birac] II. Of Officers of Foot [by M. de Lamont] III. Of a Soldier in General [by M. de Lamont] … IV. The Rules and Practise of War [by the Chevalier de la Valière] (1707). Written in French and translated into English by an English officer. The autograph RB mentions is of Sir Philip Francis (see letter 5303, note 2). The present whereabouts of RB’s copy is unknown.
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