SD2847. Moncure Daniel Conway to The Commonwealth (Boston)
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 350–351.
[London]
[ca. 15] November 1866
Death of Browning’s Father.
M.D. Conway writes to the Commonwealth the following interesting account of the death of Robert Browning’s father:
The father of Robert Browning recently died in Paris where he has resided with a daughter for many years. This old gentleman would have been 85 had he lived a few days longer. In the course of this long life he was never in bed from illness for a single day until within three days of his death. He was not only a ruddy, active man, with fine hair that retained its strength and brownness to the last, but he had a courageous spirit and a remarkably intelligent mind. He was a man of the finest culture, and was often and never vainly consulted by his son Robert concerning the more recondite facts relating to the old characters whose bones that poet likes so well to disturb. His knowledge of old French, Spanish and Italian literature was wonderful. The old man went smiling and peaceful to his long rest, preserving his faculties to the last, insomuch that the physician, astonished at his continued calmness and good humor, turned to his daughter and said in a low voice, “Does this gentleman know that he is dying?” The daughter said, in a voice which the father could hear, “He knows it;” and the old man said, with a quiet smile, “Death is no enemy in my eyes.” His last words were spoken to his son Robert, who was fanning him—”I fear I am wearying you, dear.”
Text: Boston Evening Transcript, 26 November 1866, p. 4.
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