SD1965. Thomas Woolner to William Allingham

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 23, 251.

Wallington

Sep. 12. [1856]

My dear Allingham,

You see I am not in London now, but staying at the house of Sir Walter Trevelyan …

I know of very little news to tell, the chief event to me is having done a med: of Robert Browning, which, all who have seen it say, is a perfect likeness—this is public opinion, mind, not mine; I think I cannot get it any more like than it is.

Robert desired me to give you his very kind regards when I wrote: I generally forget these kind of messages but in this instance thought it too interesting to you to let me forget it. …

Carlyle also wrote to Browning to confess how wrong he had been all his life to try and dissuade him from poetry—says he sees it is his right vocation &c, which to some extent pleases Browning—tho of course he knows all about it without Thomas’ verdict. …

Publication: Letters to William Allingham, ed. H. Allingham and E. Baumer Williams (London, 1911), pp. 288–289.

Manuscript: University of Illinois.

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