SD1190. John Herman Merivale to John Kenyon

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 391 (in part).

[London]

[late April 1843]

Dear Mr Kenyon

I fancied I had sent you a copy of the Article in the Foreign & Colonial Quarterly for January last, which (having one or two still to dispose of) I now enclose—and it was under this mistake that I further imagined your young Poetess had done me the honor of inscribing her very spirited Anti-Schillerism to myself—so willingly do we old rhyming fools deceive ourselves!– I have just heard, & I believe on good authority, that Bulwer is my Blackwood Rival. The intelligence rather spurs me onwards especially as I had accomplished already more than half the task of translating S’s Lyrical Poetry before I knew that another was in the field– If Gradus ad Parnassum admits of Caducëus, I have nothing to say against such authority.

Ever yours

J H Merivale

Do anything you please with the enclosed as I have other copies.

P.S. I crave ten thousand pardons– The Provost of Eton, who is now with me, confirms Caducëus as the true reading, and I submit with shame & confusion of face. I taught something however to the Provost in making him perceive that the point of pronunciation is at best doubtful & unlikely, he being at first dead against me.

Address, on integral page: John Kenyon Esq / Harley Place.

Docket, in EBB’s hand: Mr Merivale / April. 1843.

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Berg Collection.

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