SD1316.1. Mary Russell Mitford to Anna Brownell Jameson

Addendum to The Brownings’ Correspondence, vol. 14.

Three Mile Cross

May 5th 1847

My dear Mrs Jameson

My friend Mr Snare of Reading, proprietor of the Portrait of Charles the First when Prince of Wales supposed to be painted by Velasquez, is now exhibiting it in Town, & has asked me for a letter of introduction to you—& although I am really ignorant whether you be yet returned from Italy, I take the chance of finding you at home in the assurance that your kindness & your love of Art would both contrive to lend him the advantage of your excellent judgment & your great & extensive influence with regard to his picture. It is now at 21 Old Bond Street—but as he will doubtless either write to you or call upon you, he will himself be the best expositor of his views. You will find him a throughly reliable & singleminded person, of considerable taste, great enthusiasm & a kindliness & rectitude of character which have obtained for him universal respect & esteem in his native Town.

I have not heard from my beloved friend Mrs Browning for nearly three months & am beginning to be really alarmed for her health—of course I could not expect that in Italy the same constant intercourse that we had maintained during the last ten years could be continued—but this interval is so long, that I can only hope that she may have entrusted some letter to a private hand & that in that way it may have been delayed or lost. My last account of her was through dear Henry Chorley, & that must be something like six weeks ago.

I hope that you have escaped all the evils of this winter which has done me the ill turn of taking away my activity– I am at present miserably lame with rheumatism & have no hope but in the return of warm weather–

Adieu dear Mrs Jameson–

Believe me ever with every good wish

very faithfully your’s

M R Mitford

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.

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