SD2923. John Lothrop Motley to Mary Lothrop Motley

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 371 (in part).

Maurigy’s [Hotel, London]

30 [–31] July 1867

My dearest Mary,

I owe you a reply for your very nice, interesting letters …

Wednesday morning I had a very pleasant breakfast at Twistleton’s. The company were his brother, Lord Say, and Sele, a mild, clerical personage, in a benignant white cravat. Browning, who was in great force, and as full of original stories and ideas as he used to be, Grote, serenely wise and courteously classical, Lord Belper, Lecky, a fair-haired youth of twenty-six, very gentle and pleasing, who has written a wonderful book called the “History of Rationalism.” The conversation was promiscuous, learned. …

Source: John Lothrop Motley and His Family, ed. Susan and Herbert St. John Mildmay, 1910, pp. 269–272.

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