SD2680. Lady William Russell to William Cornwallis Cartwright
Published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 299–300 (in part).
[2 Audley Square, London]
[early March 1864] [1]
You saw Leighton — — — Did you advert to Brownings Züstand? -- for he mention’d Leighton & said something as if he had mention’d the surmizes of Friends? —— When am I to expect you zü ebener Erde? —— what are the projects of Clementia? —— I [2] thought Browning was in Labour of a new Poem — — — & rose from his Desk full of the God — — — & thus Apollo-Struck came into Society — — newton [3] remark’d his Excitement to me — — — & M. Milnes explain’d it, as Cupid & not Apollo — — — I lean to the Apollo side —— But as he is always talking of the <…> [4] Celestial bird out of whose Wing Mahomet pluck’d a feather & cut a pen & wrote the Koran with — — & re-echoes an ignored name in a Triumphant tone, in a Society where it sounds Gibberish— — (Ly Westmorland & my “Salons”—) — — to people not initiated or belonging to Doctor Bence Jones’s select Circle — — — & that he rants like a provincial actor — — loud in voice & Wind-mill in arm-movements ünd hat dabei Kein Sitz-fleisch — — — — cela donne à penser? —— however I Saw him more Calm last night — — — & though enthusiatic not Wild in announcing apropos de bottes that he had dined at her House & met 2 miladys !!! — — (Si Figuri?) — — Ly Molesworth & Ly Eastlake — — Doctor Bence — — — & himself forming the nucleus of the chosen Fruit — — — he was außer sich vor freude aber doch nicht acrobatisch — — — — I am told the alte jünger (?) [2] has money, is musical & merry — — — an amazon as to independence of opinions — — — — — he may find domestic Bliss à sa façon? —— my authorities are Hughes & M. Milnes — — — who know the Syren — — — she is ward of Bence — — — who was her Father’s friend & probably thereby — — her Mother’s attachment? Pray give this my Letter to Clementia — — who is brimfull of good sense — — — I am Sure it will amuse her & she will quite [2] enter into the situation locale — — — tell her to write to me —— I think the lady you alude to at Naples clever — — — & amusing — — But I do not agree with you as to her Judgement — — — excepting as to “Shakespeare — — — Juste — — and the Musical-Glasses” — — — (Vicar of Wakefield) — — — — — — — — — — — Mrs Herbert [5] is here —— I am in Pain Bodily — — — but grateful to my friends — Arthur is just elected to the Travellers Club ——
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Northamptonshire Record Office.
1. Date suggested by the reference to Arthur’s election to the Travellers Club, 29 February 1864.
2. Underscored three times.
3. Underscored four times.
4. Several words are deleted that indicate Lady William attempted to refer to Virginia Gabriel.
5. Hon. Augusta Charlotte Elizabeth Herbert (née Hall).
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