SD1213. Joseph Arnould to Alfred Domett
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 9, 316.
[ ]
July 28th. 1844
Browning is ever active; from one height scaling another—like his own “gier-eagle strenuously beating the silent, boundless, regions of the sky”—he is, more often than he should be amongst the clouds that hide the majesty of his flight and the supreme dominion of his swoop from the gaze of the world at the mountain base who are however beginning to take more note of his movements. Horne (Orion Horne) has done him good service in a book of his (H’s) called “The Spirit of the Age”—a menagerie of modern lions & lionesses whereof Horne acts, not inefficiently, as showman. Friend Robert he stirs up to good effect & makes him roar out very nobly some of the grandest passages in “Paracelsus”—the exact passages I think which you or I should have chosen if we had the same task to accomplish– Do you remember F. A. Ward? He is now sub-Editor of Hood’s magazine & in his capacity has acted well in wrenching from our Robert several little morceaux, sketches by a master which have appeared in said magazine, & being more exoteric than even his sketches generally are, may do him some further service with the public.
* * * * * * * * *
I am sure I need not say how often we talk of you or how much we all miss you here. At Browning’s especially you are a constant topic; nothing can exceed the kindness—the affection with which he speaks of you, in fact he is a true friend; he has an energy of kindness about him which never slumbers; in me he seems to take a thoroughly friendly interest & it is solely by his means that I have obtained an entrance at last into Periodical Literature which I have long been endeavouring through less zealous friends to procure. He is a noble fellow. His life so pure—so energetic, so simple, so laborious, so loftily enthusiastic. It is impossible to know and not to love him. Sarianna, as my wife now always calls her, we are both very much attached to—she is marvellously clever—such fine clear animal spirits—talks much and well and yet withal is so simply and deeply goodhearted that it is a real pleasure to be with her.
Publication: RB-AD, pp. 101–104.
Source: Transcript at British Library.
___________________
