Correspondence

5836.  RB to Sara Marie Streatfeild

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 146–147.

19. Warwick Crescent,

Upper Westbourne Terrace, W.

Dec. 31. ’66.

Dear Barley [1] —won’t you let me call you so?– Thank you so much for your letter. All I wanted, by mentioning my fruitless visit, was to let you know, in case you had never been informed of it, that I was neither forgetful nor inattentive, by any means. Don’t fancy that there was the least rudeness on the poor servant’s part—nor did I leave my card, as I ought to have done. Well, I shall manage better the next time I have such a chance.

Will you give what I enclose to your mother,—and take no end of good wishes for new year’s sake from,

Yours affectionately ever

Robert Browning.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

1. Sara Marie Streatfeild (afterwards Donaldson-Hudson, later Collier, 1850–1909), daughter of Sidney Robert Streatfeild (1808–51) and his wife, Sarah Jane (née Cookson, afterwards Cust, later Cockayne-Cust, 1821–67), was known in childhood as “Baba” and “Barley.” The family is listed in RB’s address book of this period (AB-5) at 16 Eccleston Square.

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