The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-09
TRIBUTE TO A PORTLAND POET
what Robert Browning Wrote to MRS.
cavazza.

Yesterdays Portland Transcript speaks
editorially as follows:
We publish on another page. now for the
fist time with the name of its author. the
exquisite parody, "Algernon, the Footstool
Bearer" 1t originally appeared in the Port
land FREss, OF Sept. Is. 1880, being contri-
D D Dy Miss Elizabeth S. Jones, of this
Guy c,;i,,aSd nov MRS. Cavazza.) We are also per
m h, 20 give an account of the manner in
Wnlch this satire was received by Robert
browning, whose literary style as we'll as
that OF Swinburne, is so exactly copied. An
american poetess of the highest rank was
visiting Browning soon after the appearance
OF the parody, and when she learned the ad-
aress OF Miss Jones, she wrote to her as fol-
lows:
II wish you could have seen Browning throw
nlmself Dack In his chair and laugh from his
pG9ts 70 his crown when he told me about the
Bearer" 1t is truly nimilable, and I didn't
wonder"
d The same writer had letter from Brown
Ing, upon her return to America. in which
he said
with regard to Miss Jones, whose parody is so
admirable, do give her. If that is possible, my
best compliments, and-shall venture to ask p
mention that II she would send me whatever else
10 the same or in any other way she has achieved,
] should be sure of a bright hour or two IN the
coming or delaying spring. Swinburne has taken
to parodying number OF us, including himself;
III.
Jones has DONE"
The lady, whose letters to Miss Jones are
quoted above. on another occasion wrote as
follows:
"He (Browning) was most enthusiastic in his
praise OF your work, and gave himself up to mex
tnguishable laughter over it-said he never read
anything cleverer OF the kind, and was immense
ly pleased. he never dreamed that a woman
wrote 1t until wrote TO him to that effect. He
wished you would send him anything else you
might nave done, and that nothing which had
been accomplished in that line on his side the
water approached your work, various friends OF
his having tried their hands at it. And don t
wonder ne was pleased, for certainly nothing
could be better. You have exactly caught the
swing OF the verse, the color and sentiment.
Against the Day and Martin Of thy shoes
Il screamed over that line"
Complying with the request of Mr.. Brown
ing, Portland friend Of Miss Jones sent to
the poet other specimens of her literary
work, and received from Mr. Browning a
letter we are permitted to print from the
wick Crescent, W., March 2, 1882" In it he
says:
There was indeed some delay in my receiving
the packet-caused by my absence from England
but l greatly enjoyed its contents-aS who
would not? The new pOetry-So startingly differ.
ent from the gayer performance, Interested me
deeply. Pray offer Ler my warmest thanks and
congratulations: and tell her. moreover, that 1
now have 10 good truth "friend round the cor.
ner'' lof the world, for a word with whom /
would willingly break away frem less trouble
some callers on me than her 'Footstool Bearer:''
nv ot0n is fine generous creature of strange
kind, over and above the genius which we al
recognize. With repeated thanks, pray believe
| me, yours very sincerely.
ROBERT BROWNING,