Beschreibung:

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett (1806-1861) Autograph Letter Signed and Envelope Addressed and Signed by Robert Browning (1812-1889). Single page, inscribed on one side. To Hiram Powers (1805-1873) arranging evening plans with friends. The small sheet tacked down at the corners to a piece of mat board, in a larger velvet mat with a portrait of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, old folds, 3 1/2 x 5 1/4 in. [and] a black-bordered mourning envelope addressed to Sir John Simeon (1815-1870) on the Isle of Wight, by Robert Browning signed, 29 December 1868, with stamp and postmark, tacked to mat board, in a larger velvet mat with a portrait of Browning, 4 3/4 x 3 3/4 in. The Brownings were friendly with accomplished American sculptor Hiram Powers and his family in Florence. "Mr. Powers the sculptor is our chief friend and favorite, a most charming, simple, straightforward, genial American, as simple as the man of genius he has proved himself needs be. He sometimes comes to talk and take coffee with us, and we like him much." (The Letters of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, New York: Macmillan, 1899, page 347) "My dear Mr. Powers, Mr. and Mrs. Clarke & Mr. Spring [?] will spend this evening with us. They were at first unwilling to come on the ground of having a past promise from you that you would go to them, but we over-ruled the difficulty by proposing thereby to persuade you to come to us instead and meet them here. Do come at eight, if you can. I am afraid of asking Mrs. Powers but if the bait of a piece of America could catch her, so much the better for us and everybody. Most hasty [?] ever, Elizabeth Barrett Browning Casa Guidi Monday morning"