Correspondence

5507.  Matthew Arnold to RB

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 190–191.

The Athenæum

Decber 19th, 1864

My dear Browning

Every day I have been hoping to see you here, but not having that pleasure I write to say that I have spoken to Henry Bowyer [1] about your wish to ask some questions of his brother: [2] and any morning you like to call on Sir George Bowyer at his Chambers in the Temple, he will be happy to see you.

Ever sincerely yours

Matthew Arnold.

Address: Robert Browning Esq:re, / 19. Warwick Crescent / Harrow Road / W.

Publication: Arnold, 2, 356–357.

Manuscript: The Brotherton Collection, University of Leeds.

1. Henry George Bowyer (1813–83), like Arnold, was an inspector of schools.

2. Sir George Bowyer (1811–83), 7th Baronet, jurist and politician, “converted to Roman Catholicism in August 1850 and immediately became an active spokesman for the Catholic church on legal and constitutional questions” (ODNB). This advocacy brought him to the attention of Rome, and he “was made a knight commander of the order of Pius IX, as well as a chamberlain to that pontiff” (ODNB). RB later told William Allingham, that he called on Bowyer “to ask some questions about Romana Homicidiorum Lex for my book, but as to intelligible answers—you might as well ask a butterfly to fly straight across this room” (William Allingham, A Diary, ed. H. Allingham and D. Radford, 1908, p. 194).

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