SD2765. Samuel Lucas to Editor of The Athenæum
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 31, 319–320.
6 Cork Street
April 24, 1865.
I ask you to publish a reply to Mr. Browning’s note which appeared in your number of the Athenæum for the 15th of April. I certainly inferred, from my interview with Mr. Browning, that at some time or other I should have the honour of an occasional contribution from him, though I did not as yet contemplate putting his name in my Prospectus, and it only appeared there through the mistake of my publisher. When Mr. Browning complained to me of this, I promised him that it should be removed on the following day, and it was so removed, as I said it should be. Under these circumstances, I must express my opinion that the note of Mr. Browning to your journal was uncourteous, superfluous and injurious; for many metropolitan and provincial journals have raised a clamour against me in consequence, and many of them, as is their wont, have improved the occasion by inventions of their own. The Manchester Examiner, which I have only just seen, says that I published the name of Mr. Richard Doyle as one of my contributors in the sphere of Art. This is a simple lie, for Mr. Doyle’s name never appeared in any prospectus of mine. I will thank you, therefore, in my own vindication, to allow me to publish this letter in the forthcoming number of the Athenæum.
Yours, &c.,
Samuel Lucas.
Text: The Athenæum, 29 April 1865, p. 589.
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