5549. RB to James Bertrand Payne
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 218–219.
19. Warwick Crescent
Upper Westbourne Terr.
Feb. 15. ’65.
Dear Mr Payne,
Certainly you may do whatever you think best with the Book, [1] and I shall [be] glad indeed if it suit you in the numbers as well as otherwise.
I purposely made the selection numerous, so as to bear thinning [2] (“thinning” this blot is meant to be) and thin it we will to any extent. The few words of preface shall be ready, of course.
As for the Shelleys,—which I receive likewise, thank you, [3] —it shall go hard but I give you a wonderful little book: [4] I should like however to hear anything you may incline to, concerning the way of work.
Very faithfully yours
Robert Browning
Publication: LRB, p. 84.
Manuscript: R.H. Taylor Collection.
2. Slightly blotted.
3. Possibly Shelley’s Poetical Works, ed. Mary Shelley (3 vols., 1857), which sold as lot 1082 in Browning Collections (see Reconstruction, A2112) and Relics of Shelley, ed. Richard Garnett (1862), which sold as part of lot 1170 in Browning Collections (see Reconstruction, A2118). Both of these works were published by Edward Moxon & Co.
4. Apparently, Payne was thinking of adding a selection from Shelley to Moxon’s Miniature Poets series (with RB as editor); this did not occur.
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