Supporting Documents

SD2697.  William Dean Howells to Moncure Daniel Conway

As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 304 (in part).

Venice,

May 16, 1864.

My dear Conway—

I want to thank you very cordially and sincerely for all the trouble you have taken for me and my unlucky verses …

I liked your review of Browning very much—the only trouble was that you talked to your reader as if he knew as much of Browning as you do. This gave you room, and was in its way, charming and flattering enough, but as I had not read Browning, it provoked me. I should like to read “Sordello,” for I know all about Eccelino, Guelphs, and things.– …

Publication: W. D. Howells: Selected Letters, ed. George Arms et al. (Boston, 1979–83), 1, 186–188.

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