MS. OF "PROMETHEUS BOUND," ETC. 993 BROWNING (Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett). 994 995 Poet. Married Robert Browning. Original Autograph Manuscript of two preliminary drafts of the first portion of her most celebrated poem "Prometheus Bound." The one consisting of about 380 lines, the other 126 lines, and together comprised on 27 pages, 12mo. Also the autograph drafts of: Psyche and the Eagle," being paraphrases on Apuleus. 33 lines, comprised on 2 pages. Verses of "The Human Passions." 28 lines on 2 pages. Translations of Dante's "Divine Commedia," Hell (canto 1); about 250 lines on II pages. Translation from Theocritus. "Cyclops and Galatea." 4 pages. A Translation from the Greek with a Prelude upon the Poet. I page. Notes in French from Swedenborg's "The Apocalypse Revealed." 2 pages. Together forming 55 pp. 12mo of Manuscript. The whole in the autograph of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and forming part of one of the Note books (remainder blank) which she was so fond of using. Preserved in a red levant morocco drop case, gilt back, gold lines on sides, watered silk wrapper, by Sangorski & Sutcliffe. £150 A most interesting book of Manuscript Poetry by Mrs. Browning. The "Prometheus Bound" MS. differs very considerably from the poem as printed. A BIRTHDAY ODE. Autograph MS. signed of Birthday Ode to her brother George, headed "To my sweet George on his birthday." Comprising 80 lines on 31 pp., folio. Dated "Hope End, July 15th, 1820." £21 Written when a child of about 14 years of age, and signed with her pet name "Ba." It ends: Autograph unpublished Poem signed “E. B. B.," entitled "The Song of the Rose." Comprising 13 lines on 1 page, sm. Svo. £4 10s This poem is believed to be unpublished. It has been lightly cancelled. Browning (Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett)-continued. 995 ON COMTE AND HIS PHILOSOPHY, AND ATTACKING DICKENS. A.L.S."Yours in true love, Ba," to Mrs. Anna Jameson, author of "Sacred and Legendary Art." 4 pp, small 8vo (concluding inside the envelope). Paris, 5th October, 1858. With autograph addressed envelope. £7 10s A charming characteristic letter signed with her pet name," Ba," mentioning her husband and a number of people, also criticising Comte the French philosopher, and referring to her novel in verse, Aurora Leigh," her greatest work; also severely attacking Dickens on his published letters regarding his separation from his wife. "I don't pretend to write letters, dearest Mona Nina, as long as I am in Paris. I neither read nor write nor think, and find it hard to say my prayers. If ever in this world I get an opportunity of rest, repose, silence, see if I shall not thank God for it. But perhaps not. We are not-I am not-so thankful for benefits. "I am much stronger and looking so-so I hear, and have been to the Louvre and the Luxembourg, and shopping with a strong arm. One comes home half dead, but gets to life again somehow. Father Prout has found us out, and Mdme, Mohl has come, and invites us to-morrow to meet Villemain (Robert goes). Mdme, du Quais brought a Mr. Cosgrove to us the other evening, late a pupil of Dr. Arnold, and clergyman oj the Church of England, now disciple and executor of Comte, to remonstrate with me on Aurora Leigh's disrespect to his philosopher. I was not moved, otherwise than to moralise much on the want of logic, and reason in thinking men. The religion of Atheism and the communion' on one side only, remain to me enormous contradictions-the Athanasian creed perfectly easy and self evident in comparison. As long as men (and such men as Comte was) enunciate such mad inconsistencies, I shall not be inclined to accept the dogma and fall down and worship Humanity per se. And the Dickens question and such things don't assist the Comte doctrine, do they? What a dreadful letter thai last was? And what a crime, for a man to use his genius as a cudgel against his near kin, even against the woman he promised to protect tenderly with life and heart—taking advantage of his hold with the public to turn public opinion against her. I call it dreadful." Etc. A.L.S. I page, 4to. Bexhill-on-Sea, 17th September, 1913. 12s 6d Vor dem urisenden sich stellen "HOW WE BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX.” GGS BROWNING (Robert). Poet. An important A.L.S. to the Rev. C. T. Hales. I full page, 8vo. Warwick Crescent, 7th March, 1884. With envelope. £11 10s 66 How we brought the Giving the history of the writing of his famous pcem good news from Ghent to Air," one of the most graphic descriptive poems in existence. The incident of the Ride is altogether imaginary. I wrote the poem at sea, off the African coast, after many weeks parting with a certain good horse ‘York,’' on suggestion of a gallop in relief of an invested town whereto access, by a certain road hitherto impracticable, was discovered to be open for once. As I had no map, and wrote swiftly on the inside cover of a book I was reading, the places mentioned were remembered or guessed at loosely enough.” Browning (Robert)-continued. 999 1000 "SORDELLO." A.L.S. to Miss Haworth. 3 pp., 8vo. N.D. Circa 1840. £8 10s Concerning his "Sordello" which did not meet with an encouraging recep‐ tion on publication. An extraordinary letter. . . As to Sordello--enfoncé! You say roses and lilies, and lilac bunches, and lemon flowers about it, while everybody else pelts cabbage stumys after potato-paring, nay, not everybody, for Carlyle, but I won't tell you what Milnes told me Carlyle told him the other day (thus I make you believe it was something singular in the way of praise, connu!) all I need remark on in your note is the passage you want cleared up, What are you to be glad of!' Why that as I stopped my task awhile, left off verse writing one sunny June day with a notion of not taking to it again in a hurry, the sad dishevelled form I had just been talking of, that plucked and pointed, wherein I put, comprize, typify and figure to myself Man kind, the whole poor-devildom one sees cuffed and huffed from morn to midnight, that, so typified, she may come at times and keep my past in mind, prick up my republicanism and remind me of certain engagements I have entered into with myself about that same, renewed me, gave me fresh spirit, made me after finishing Book 3d commence Book 4th. You don't know it seems, that I have announced Three Dramas. WITH MUSIC. A.L.S."R. B." to the same. 4 pp., Svo. April (1839). £7 7s A humorous letter concerning himself and his poetry; he concludes with five lines of music. "You once said letters were vile things,' they will be admirable things with me ere long, for the virtue and knack have gone out of me; I talk better, rather, than I used-certainly better; and as one swings over briar and puddle best with one pole only, so do Come over into Macedonia and help us' besloughed in a comparison. "It might be this warm-chilly April weather, sweet-sour like Violet punch, that undoes me. Soberly, eh? Oh! Those rhymes are rare, everybody knows I beat. the world that way, can tie and untie English as a Roman Girl a tame serpent's tail. You read Balzac's Scenes' etc. He is publishing one Beatrix in the feuilleton of the Siecle' day by day. I post it off to a friend of mine as soon as skimmed. But the four or five first chapters were so delightful that I hate myself for not having sent then to Barham. وو In conclusion Browning sets out five lines of the music of a song, which he says was "What the children were singing last year in Venice." Unpublished letter to Colvin of great interest, concerning the orthography of Walter Savage Landor. "I entirely agree with you as to the propriety of spelling Landor's words in the usual way. I don't think the subsequent modifications of his system, in books latterly published, came from himself. They were mainly coaxed out of him by Browning (Robert)-continued. 1002 1003 1004 1004a Forster's desire to help the poems by removing so obvious a stumbling block--and so especial a God-send to the critics of his day, who would thankfully devote half an article on Gebir' to merriment-over messager or some other word. "I would leave on record his practice-rational, in the main, and desirable as it really was-only, this generation does not desire it, and yet need not lose all the delight and instruction they may nevertheless get from his poetry." Etc. ... A.L.S. to the same. 1 pp., 8vo. Warwick Crescent, 16th January, 1882. £5 5s An important unpublished letter to Colvin concerning the domestic affairs of Walter Savage Landor in his old age; also dealing with the character of his work. with respect to the admirably dramatic endings of many of the dialogues, neither the Bacon & Hooker' notice the closing lines of Peter and his son, Elizabeth and Mary,' Johnson & Horne Tooke,' but you will have noticed and appreciated these & other examples, as that of Tasso & his sister'" A.L.S. to C. Kegan Paul, Publisher. 3 pp., 8vo. Warwick Crescent, July 15th, 1881. Also a letter to Mr. A. J. Munby, author of "Dorothy," from C. Kegan Paul & Co., enclosing Mr. Browning's letter to them. I received some finding the leaves cut, to line the first, £4 10s A charming letter, written in high praise of Mr. A. J. Munby's poem Dorothy," before the authorship was known to Browning. "I want your good intervention in a little matter months ago a little book, Dorothy, a Country Story' dipped into the middle-a minute's reading sent me back whence I proceeded to the last, with a surprise of delight as rare as it was thorough my son had described the poem, a perfect picture gallery.' The book was consigned to me with the compliments of the author.' and I cannot help begging you to say for me, to that author that it is literally years since I have admired and enjoyed a poem so much. I make no sort of guess at who the author may be, but from some signal exquisiteness of observation, I almost fancy the fine hand must be feminine. A.L.S. 2 pp., 8vo. Warwick Crescent, 9th July, 1886. £2 10s Advising as to finding a publisher for some Poems. I do not speak without experience. Your friend must be stouthearted and expect little help but from his poetry's own persuasive force. It sounds strange and almost sad to me that I should be imagined of authority in this kind. I who for years and years could not get a line printed except at my own expenseand I began half a century ago and more." envelope. A.L.S. to Mrs. Hunt. 2 pp., 8vo. March 22nd, 1873. With £2 8s Concerning his correspondent's desire to dedicate a book to him. "How can I be other than surprised and gratified by such an honor as you propose doing me? I doubt whether it will conduce to the advantage of your book, but the generosity will be the more conspicuous. And I want no preliminary taste of proofsheets to be quite assured that your indulgence for me will be the one thing sympathetic of weakness in your book." Etc. Browning (Robert)-continued. 1005 1006 1007 A.L.S. to W. C. Macready. I page, 8vo. Camberwell (1837). £2 5s Criticising the acting in a piece produced by Macready in which Helena Faucit appeared. "The getting up of the new piece is most admirable:-do you not think the last scene would be improved by the withdrawal of Clotilde and Herman during the matrimonial arrangement of the Baron and the Aunt-the fun of which would come out better were not the real lovers in the way I should like Miss Faucit to incline her head merely, instead of praying' downright, in the scene with Mr Warde; and are not Mr. Anderson's hessian's' un-artist like, a little, and unfavourable to the expression of amorousness as Godwin would say." Etc. A.L.S. to Walter Hamilton. I page, 8vo. De Vere Gardens, 28th December, 1888. £2 2s Refusing to allow "Parodies" to be made of two of his poems. I disapprove of every kind of Parody' so much that I must beg to be excused from giving any such permission. My Publisher will be desired to enforce compliance with my wish, if necessity should arise." Autograph Signature and date, "London, Feb. 19th, 1869. On 1 page, 8vo. 15s An album specimen. HIS TRAVELS." 1008 BRUCE (James). African Traveller. Discovered the source of the Blue Nile. 1009 A lengthy A.L.S. (in French) to M. Panckoucke. An amazing and very long letter 4 pp., folio. £3 15s concerning the publication in England, Travels to discover the sources of the preparation of it which was being done (Trans.):-" I decided to print it at my own house with the aid of my own people. I have added embellishments, designs, and sold 2,000 copies for £6663 sterling." Etc., etc. The endless trouble over bringing out the work, preparation of the plates. etc., apparently worried Bruce very much, and he endulges in very strong language over various matters referred to in the letter. A.L.S. to Mr. Geo. Robinson. 3 pp., 4to. Edinburgh, May 17th, 1789. £1 10s interesting letter relating to the Publishing of his Travels, asking for Ink and Paper to be sent, also: "I have just now before me the last proofs of two maps by Walker, which, when I have corrected, will be perfect, and he has then my orders to deliver them also to you, he has a fine draft of minc of a third Chart of a Voyage to Ophir and Tharshish." Etc. |