5789. Frederic Chapman to RB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 110–111.
193. Piccadilly. London. W.
July 23rd 1866.
My dear Mr. Browning,
When I received yours of the 4th Enclosing a note from Miss Blagden, I sent for Mr. Evans [1] and showed him the great difficulty he had got me into.
He apologised, and promised that he would explain to Miss Blagden—
What I did as an act of Kindness, is now brought against me– You shall judge– Early in May Mr. Evans called on me and asked me to lend him a cheque for £75–.–to pay to Miss Blagden– At this time no money was owing by us on this account– [2]
His reason for such a request, being that the arrangement was made with Miss Blagden by the old firm of Bradbury & Evans, [3] and that when the new partners came in no mention was made of this debt due to Miss Blagden—
Mr. Evans begged as a favour that I would let him have this Cheque and he would return it as soon as he could get the money from old Messrs Bradbury & Evans the retired partners— This I declined to do–
Some time after, early in June, he again asked me if I would lend him a cheque to pay Miss Blagden and he would return it to me the next day. In order that Miss Blagden should not be kept further out of her money I lent the cheque and Mr. Evans returned the money for it on June 18th–*
The result of this is, that my cheque has been paid to Barclay & Co [4] and entered as paid by us, and has therefore mislead Miss Blagden.
I need scarcely say again that we were not owing the money.
I have sent a clerk to Mr. Evans to insist upon his writing me a note stating the case—
I had hoped to have seen you before this when I would have shown you our books. I showed them to Mr. Forster and thought possibly he might have mentioned it to you.
I have been very badly treated by Mr. Evans, and I now clearly see his anxiety to have our cheque–
Many thanks for the cheque. [5] I hope I shall see you before you leave town.
Yrs most Truly
Fred Chapman
I would have Mr. Evans here any day you would appoint & you will then see who is wrong.
*Statement to myself and letter to Miss Blagden made June 21: RB.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
1. Frederick Moule Evans; see note 3.
2. Regarding Isa Blagden’s novel The Cost of a Secret (1863); see letter 5146, note 2, and letter 5728, note 12.
3. The printing and publishing house founded in 1830 by William Bradbury (1799–1869) and Frederick Mullett Evans (1804–70); see letter 3766, note 7. The partnership was dissolved in November 1865 and taken over by their sons, William Hardwick Bradbury (1832–92) and Frederick Moule Evans (1832–1902), who with William and Thomas Agnew formed Bradbury, Evans and Co.
4. The banking firm of Lombard Street in the City of London, known at this time as Barclay, Bevan, Tritton, Twells & Co. It was founded in the eighteenth century by David Barclay (1729–1809).
5. We have been unable to determine what this “cheque” is for.
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