5458. RB to Sophia Landor
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 143–145.
London, 19. Warwick Crescent, Westbourne Terrace.
Oct 12. ’64
Dear Miss Landor,
We arrived last night. I confess to some anxiety—spite of all your kind deprecation—to finish the business-part of our relation, and retire upon quiet memories of all that is now the Past. I had received a letter from Made Romagnuoli—from which I make the following extracts as a beginning. “I received your two letters which were a great comfort to me, for I did not know what to do, and no one seemed, or cared, to take any part in poor Mr L’s affairs here. What I have here is certainly not a great deal, but is enough to keep the rooms unoccupied.” (i.e. the property, would be in the way of any tenant, who might otherwise take the rooms)– “His two sons came on Monday just as I had received your letter, and they would have taken away some things which he had given them—but on reading your letter they let them remain.” (i.e, my letter mentioned the existence of a regular Will) “Mr Walter says the large closed Picture he gave to him. They have closed and sealed a drawer with his watch and his last writings—which cannot be much, as he was very unable to write at last. He sent his Desk to Mr Walker [1] at 22 Langham Place.” (This was last year) “Mr Walter L. said, to open the Will here would cost a great deal of trouble and expence, which he did not care to have: but he would like very much if he could see a copy of the one in England.” (This is simply refusing to go to the proper place and get it—at no expence whatever, I believe. What is to be done? You can act upon the English Will, having always the Tuscan duplicate to confirm it, if requisite. I really forget what was bequeathed, but have little doubt that everything but a few of the pictures is long since in other hands. I enclose the informal Will subsequently sent to me) “I have had the Tappeziere [2] to see and make a calculation of the damage done to the furniture and carpets—which I enclose”– [3] (This I desired should be done, and I send it—a moderate one, all the articles having been new at the time of occupation, and good of their kind.) She then gives the closing account, “including all expences I know of”—not however charging as usual for “service”—I suppose in consequence of the month being incomplete. It results from these accounts, which I also enclose, that I now hold of yours £94.2.5. quite apart from the £50 in Mr Forster’s hands, of course. And this is at your disposal immediately.
With respect to Made Romagnuoli—whatever your kindness pleases to do will be well done and gratefully accepted. The circumstances under which she entered on her charge, and which you enquire about, were these: she had married a servant of ours, Ferdinando, and with his savings & her own, had taken and furnished a lodging in the next house to Casa Guidi—Ferdinando remaining with us, while she lived in the apartment, with her younger child, managed the “letting” &c, and in most cases made herself useful to the lodgers. When it became necessary to find some governante, [4] I could not find any person, or even think of any person so fit, in the essential points of integrity and gentleness, for our purpose as this—and I induced her to leave the profits of the superintending-part of the business to her husband,—who should have leave to attend to it as much as he pleased,—and give her whole attention to Mr L: she therefore took the rooms she now occupies, furnished them, and managed very well till my own misfortune made me leave Florence: Ferdinando had to enter other service, and her lodging-letting was henceforth performed by deputy, and was given up at last. She proposes now to do the best she may with the rooms she cannot quit for the next six months—but I much fear that the out-of-the-way situation will be disadvantageous. All this is spoken in pure obedience to your expressed desire: I think she has done well, and know that it has been, at all events, her best—but your remuneration has been very adequate, and I never have heard a breathed murmur about “harder times” or “greater trials”—nothing but the proper sense of your goodness. She has now both children,—boys,—with her,—and I fear will have somewhat of a battle to fight.
I find here also a letter written two months ago by Mr Kirkup containing some particulars that I will communicate when we meet—which, I am most happy to find, will be very soon. These particulars relate to some supposed interests of Miss Landor’s—Miss Julia Landor’s—which the writer thinks are affected by her relatives hearing a wrong account of the cause of the quarrel between her father & herself: K. writes, in his generous way, for the truth’s sake, as he imagines it. But it is a matter that can well wait, and infinitely better be talked over than written about.
And now, in my turn, let me beg you, dear Miss Landor, not to be in the least hurry in coming to a decision about the matters treated of in my letter—for you must not catch a nervous, hasty way from this of mine. In fact, I wanted to put you in a position of being able to take things quietly cartes sur table, [5] and figures on paper. Besides, I have always—you must allow me to say,—& that, in spite of your generous assurances,—always considered myself the obliged person in our relation,—trusted wholly, when very imperfectly known, and extraordinarily privileged from first to last: for you see, even in that informal paper, he remembered me—and I opened yesterday a scrap of a few lines—sent since I left England—showing that the old feeling remained.
Ever yours very faithfully
Robert Browning
See how I have scribbled this foolish letter—on the wrong sides of the sheet—you must understand & forgive! A letter from Forster, full of his good, warm heart, was also waiting.
I had forgotten an item: somewhere in my accounts, for and against me, should figure the Picture, “The Michelangelo” &c. [6] I hold it, or let it alone, but will append the particulars, for form-sake.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. Arthur de Noé Walker (1820–1901); see letter 4742, note 2.
2. “Upholsterer.”
3. In RB’s copy of Landor’s accounts, he recorded the “Tapezzière’s Estimate of damage to the furniture” as 254 lire, about ten pounds (see vol. 26, p. 393).
4. “Housekeeper.”
5. “Cards on the table.”
6. RB refers to “The Last Judgement” and “Christ and St. Peter on the Coast of Galilee” (see letter 5108, note 2). Landor, who had asked RB to sell the two pictures, thought “The Last Judgement” was by Michelangelo (see letter 5107), though a visitor attributed it to Sebastian del Pimbo. After Landor’s death both paintings went to his brother Robert Eyres Landor who thought the “Judgement” by Allori (see letter 5493, note 2).
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