SD1838. William Johnson Fox to Eliza Fox
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 21, 378 (in part).
[London]
July 26/55
Dearie, I am looking every day now for another letter to know how you are getting on. The Brownings are a great relief to me– They came in on Sunday Evening for an hour, & I took tea with them last night, Gibson the sculptor being there. I asked him whether Miss Raincock had ever come in his way. He knows her very well, & likes her earnestness; but I cd get no particular news of her out of him. He is quite, not for painting but for tinging statues, so as to take off the cold glittering white of the marble—& talked with much Enthusiasm of what he has not seen, but the Brownings had, of some Sculptor in Paris (none of them cd remember his name) who is reproducing, from the description in Pausanias, the Ivory & Gold statue of Minerva by Phidias. The chief talk, however, was of Rosa Bonheur– She has been in London for a few days (gone now) & turned all the world’s head. The Daily Papers write leading articles about her. An Artist Conversazione was got up for her reception. Landseer exchanges Paintings with her. She is the Lover of animals as he is thr Critic. She kissed a splendid Horse wh he had into his studio when she was there—& Browning says her atelier is like a Select Menagerie. I don’t know whether they are on such terms with her as that they can give you an Introduction; but I shall ask next time I see them. The Boy is grown a perfect little seraph. He is really & intensely lovely. I have never seen any 6 year-old in my whole life to come near him for beauty. …
Love to S.F. I want to hear more of yr doings
Goodbye affecy
W.J.F.
Publication: Richard Garnett and Edward Garnett, The Life of W.J. Fox (London, 1910), p. 313 (as 1852).
Address: Paris / Miss Fox / aux soins de Madame Florance / 5 Rue Lord Byron / Champs Elyseés / Paris.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
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