SD1522. William Bell Scott to William Michael Rossetti

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 17, 275–276 (in part).

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1 November 1851

… I … have tried to read Sordello, and am confirmed in the opinion that some radical defect exists in Browning’s mind. Narrative, unless it be for the purpose of concealment, as has been said long ago of speech generally, ought to require no tension of mind; facts and circumstances ought to require no profound cogitation to understand as occurring, one character ought to be distinct from another as flesh and bones can make them, to say nothing of some slight mental, social, etc. distinction. One becomes savage, even to cursing and swearing, on meeting with a work of power and penetration nullified in its effect,—at the same time that its demands on the attention are exorbitant—by external artistic peculiarity. Browning’s peculiarities are however not merely external. Tortuous writing has become the natural motion of his soul. I wonder what he does or says when he wants more sugar to his tea. …

Publication: R.W. Peattie, “W.M. Rossetti and Browning’s Sordello,” Browning Society Notes, 22 (December 1994), 53 (in part).

Manuscript: University of Durham.

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