SD2292. Walter Savage Landor to Sophia Landor
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 27, 333–334 (in part).
Florence
Oct 11 [1859]
Dear Sophy, Yesterday the kindest of all kind friends, Browning, re[a]d to me a small part of a letter from you, together with a form of will which I shall sign in his presence and Mr Kirkup’s. I have nothing to leave, beside a few latin and greek books, and five pictures, for which there was no room in the Villa[.] I entreated Browning to accept these pictures, but he resolutely declined. However, I am determined he shall possess them at my death. They will be left to you for this purpose, which I am confident you will carry into execution; and that you will also send the books to Mr Duke, with all my best wishes to him and Ellen and their little family. —I ought to have been wiser from experience than to have trusted my worthless and dishonored wife, entreating me to return. She and Arnold are of one mind against me. Her last outrage was on the morning of my departure. I called the maid; to which call she was forbidden to attend; but her mistress came and banged open my door, crying what do you want?, loudly and violently. My only answer was “Only civility[”], in the gentlest way. But within the hour I left the house. She soon followed me, and used most violent and insolent language: which I heard abt 2 hrs, and made no reply. Two days before this, I requested Arnold to let me remove the whitewash from the half heads of two lions over the garden gate. His answer was “I wont, I wont[”]. On the next day he ordered the gardener to break up the only smooth gravel walk– I requested that a space of half a yard might be left—the gardener said he had no orders. The terrace walk had been made so rough before, that I was nearly lamed by it. I begged that I might buy a roller– He and his mother said the water then would not run off. Yet the mould was loose and deep on one side, and on the other there was a fall of thirty feet. He had persuaded his brother Walter to inform me that the place was his: I never had gathered a flower. When I was helpless in bed I wished to put up a bell by my bedside. This was refused, on pretence that some pictures must be removed. Now it was requisite to remove only one, which could be replaced in a minute. I was not allowed to put up a chord to enable me to descend and ascend the terrace-steps. —How different is the conduct of Browning. He helps me up and down stairs, and in and out of his carriage. Alas! alas! how different are relatives and friends.
I have now written until my eyes and wrist are quite tired out. I have only to express a wish that my brothers are in stronger health than your Uncle Walter.
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Huntington Library.
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