SD2934. Thomas Woolner to Charlotte Louisa Hawkins Dempster
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 32, 376 (in part).
[?London]
Oct 27 ’67
My dear Miss Dempster
I do not hear any account of R. Browning and the lady you mention, so that I fancy it must be mere gossip. I remember the same kind of story regarding him and another lady some time ago, and I know he had not seen her for years, and the lady died soon after, having been long ill.
I was much delighted with the vol of poems which you kindly lent me, and wish I had not been so much occupied that I might have written down my impressions when they were vivid after reading. I was struck throughout with the musical flow of the verse, which, Tennyson maintains, is of more importance than anything else in poetry, and also of the keen and high spiritual insight indicated thru nearly every one of the poems, but chiefly in the long one, and in the Artists vision. The woman Stella, tho not detailed minutely in character is what all men must love, for her entire devotedness, and richness, and the young wonder of her love. I think the two men are thoroughly well indicated as representatives of principles, but monster that I am, I do not confess to much excitement on the subject of Italian liberty, and own that to hear of a little, oh so very little, Italian truthfulness and honesty would please me even more. This of course is only individual eccentricity and has nothing to do with the merit of the beautiful poetry, which I agree with you in thinking very far removed from the common. What a delightful thing it is to be able to write poetry!—it is the only thing in the world that makes me wish to be rich, that I might have leisure to write of lovely things.
I enclose you a pho: of my little figure of Elaine if you will please to allow the young lady to leave her card upon you in the hope you may some day return the call.
With my wife’s kind remembrances–
Ever truly yours
Thos: Woolner
Publication: None traced.
Manuscript: Armstrong Browning Library.
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