5470. Sophia Landor to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 156–157.
Palace Gate House
27th Octr [1864] [1]
My dear Sir
I enclose an extract from a letter I have received this morng. from my Cousin, Mr Robert Landor, which Mr Forster & I think you shld see, tho’ it cannot, in fact, much affect the course you propose to take & have taken regarding my Uncle’s Will: I do not think there can be much apprehension regarding the Yescombes, they cannot interfere with property in Italy. I imagine at any rate nothing more can be done until you receive replies to your letters, written on Tuesday. I trust you & your Son have quite recovered from the indisposition of Wednesday. Mr Forster will show you the bill for the Piano. I have only time to add most grateful regards I remain
Yr Truely obliged
E. Sophia Landor
I am now starting for Tachbrooke.
Extract from a letter of Mr Robert Landor to E.S. Landor. “The only objection I have to proving “the Will” is that it is almost certain to lay the Executors open to a claim & attack from the Yescombes—& the result wld be, probably, that everything wld have to be sold, funeral expences & debts paid & the balance, if any, paid over to the Yescombes. If, as I understand, the effects are of trivial value, the Yescombes might not think it worth while to make any claim but they have a keen scent for the prey, I fancy. My own notion is that it wld be best to ascertain first from the Housekeeper or other trustworthy person what effects there really are & their probable value—in fact they shld be valued by a competent appraiser—& secondly what the Italian law requires to be done as to proving Wills—& whether any public functionary steps in, in any way (about this I confess entire ignorance) & what claims the State has for Legacy duties, if any. After obtaining this information, I think it cld be better decided what course the Executors shld take– I do not myself fear the relatives there; they are in fact impotent in the matter..... Mr Browning only intends, I suppose to prove the Will in Italy: there is no occasion to do so in this country as there are no effects here & therefore if proved only in Italy, it is not very likely the Yescombes wld hear of it; nor do I know how they cld attack any property in Italy.
I have thought it best to dot down my own notion, but I shall be quite willing to do what Mr Browning thinks best–”
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Yale University.
1. Year provided by Sophia Landor’s references to Walter Savage Landor’s will.
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