554.5. John Kenyon to EBB

Addendum to The Brownings’ Correspondence, vol. 3.

4 Harley Place

Jany 12 1837

My dear Miss Barrett

Will you, quite at your leisure, when cough does not teize you, nor frost freezes you—look over these lines, and gratify your particular taste by cutting and slashing them to pieces. Half of them were written before my fever—the latter half since. I am afraid you will find no fine delirium about them—more of the weakness, I fear, which follows it.

In my presumption I wanted to see what sort of a dish I could cook out of raw potatoes. I said “It shall be a tour de force.” My mind misgives me that it is a tour de faiblesse.

If you think it may be made any thing of I shall print it in a small collection of things most of which you were kind enough—to cut & slash–

I will trouble you no more on these occasions—for after I have finished this piece I will take to reading other people’s nonsense instead of writing any of my own. I have made some enquiry as to printing and you get cheaper thro’ a printer’s hands than a booksellers—but then you can only go to a printer, I guess, when you want to make up a give-away book. Dare you not try the public?

Very truly yrs always

John Kenyon–

When your young brothers get into their own house I shall be very glad to give them my remaining fossils—few & such as they are.

Address, on integral page: Miss Barrett.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

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