5617. RB to George James Howard
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 267–268.
19 Warwick Crescent,
Upper Westbourne Terrace, W.
June 30. ’65.
My dear Howard [1] —(you must let us dispense with the formalities, if you please)—you will have been sure that there was some good reason for all this delay in answering your very kind letter and complying cheerfully with its requests. You wanted a photographed face which, by some decree of fate, never is but always will be blessedly photographed: this was only done a few days ago—blessedly, I don’t say, but less the other thing than heretofore, and here it is, [2] with the autograph poem, [3] and all my heart.
I have not yet seen the Orlando: [4] very likely it may fail to impress you, or indeed myself, from a purely artistic point of view: the strange effect on me was altogether from the identity of that picture—figure and background, with something I could not have seen before, and yet must have somehow seen,—so it struck me,—and then the identity of name and subject came as a crowning surprise.
As for the poem you enquire about [5] —I can report that I am ending the seventh Book or Division—some eight thousand lines—and that I see the remaining five parts as though they were ended also: but I shall do things deliberately, and may hardly be ready before next year’s end: if you cry out at 15,000 lines—remember that I have never been charged with “taking my ease in my Inn,” [6] or spinning out my work before: this admits of such treatment, and accordingly shall get it and welcome.
I am glad to hear you are enjoying yourself—my own holiday will begin at the month’s end—and last from August till October. I shall then hope to see you in the darker days.
Will you tell Mrs Howard that since we talked about Professor Jowett I have visited him at Balliol and found her appretiation of him fully justified: he is coming to dine with me and the boy to-day,—a great delight to us both.
Ever yours truly,
Robert Browning.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Castle Howard.
1. George James Howard (1843–1911); see letter 5257, note 1.
2. One of four photographs taken by William Jeffrey (1826–77) in late June 1865. A copy of the one he gave to Howard is reproduced facing p. 273 (upper left).
3. A fair copy of RB’s The Lost Leader, signed “Robert Browning”; at Castle Howard.
4. “El Orlando Muerto,” attributed to Diego Velazquez (1599–1660) by the art historian and collector William Stirling Maxwell (1818–78). The Athenæum of 6 May 1865 reported that the painting had been recently acquired by the National Gallery (no. 1958, p. 628).
5. The Ring and the Book.
6. Cf. I Henry IV, III, 3, 80–81.
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