SD2656. Frederic Leighton to Frederic George Stephens

Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 30, 361–362.

[London]

[late Summer 1863] [1]

Dear Stephens

Many thanks for your note & enclosure[.]

—As I cannot possibly put my hand to anything of which I am the subject—particularly anything in which I am not flatteringly treated I confined myself to sending you the materials for filling the gaps & one or two rectifications of fact.

—I take them in numeric rotation.

1. Protestant burial ground.

2. these are outlined in black—those of the frieze above the columns & of the basement are white on black ground[.] [ART]

3. no slope the sides are perpendicular[.] [ART]

4. these panels flank in each case a central medallion . . the medallions embellished as follows—chief front (i.e. the face turned towards the road) contains a head of Poetry—not of the Poetess—the other 3 show the three styles of poetry in which she shone—typified by three harps—the celestial harp something like this if I remember rightly [ART].

The classic lyre harp with trag. & com. masks and laurel [ART] and the more modern Italian lute with the Star of Italy the broken chains and the wreath of flowers— [ART] the joy at the liberation of Italy Mrs B.’s day dream. The idea of having 3 harps was Brownings the detailed working out of his thoughts is mine.

5. Simply initials & date of death.

6. Renaissance in general character shew between the volutes lilies and a basket-like band at the necking [ART].

7. on the main avenue of the protestant cemetery.

8. Sometime next [2] summer.

In the centre of the panels of the broad sides are introduced the florentine giglio and the English Emblem Rose Shamrock thistle [ART] in thick black lines.

—This in greatest haste[.]

Yours very truly

Fred Leighton

Publication: None traced.

Manuscript: Bodleian Library.

1. Dated by docket on page 5.

2. Written above deleted “this.”

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