Having given up going to Scotland for a summer change, RLS had started on the ‘outing’ which took the shape of a ten days’ visit to Sidney Colvin’s house at the British Museum, followed by another made in the company of Henley to Paris.
[As usual, for correct and critical edition of this letter, see Mehew 5, 1676.]
To his Mother [Colvin 1911, 2, pp. 346-347]
British Museum [August 10th, 1886]
My dear Mother,
We are having a capital holiday, and I am much better, and enjoying myself to the nines.
Colvin lived on the left side of the British Museum [https://upload.wikimedia.org]
Richmond is painting my portrait.
RLS by William Blake Richmond, 1887 [http://images.npg.org.uk]
William Blake Richmond (1842-1921), portrait painter [http://images.npg.org.uk]
William Blake Richmond, by John Singer Sargent, [https://dg19s6hp6ufoh.cloudfront.net]
Today I lunch with him, and meet Burne-Jones;
Sir Edward Coley Burn-Jones (1833-1898), in 1885 [http://images.npg.org.uk]
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones and William Morris with their families, 1874 [http://images.npg.org.uk]
tonight Browning dines with us.
Robert Browning (1812-1889), 1885 [http://images.npg.org.uk]
That sounds rather lofty work, does it not? His path was paved with celebrities. To-morrow we leave for Paris, and next week, I suppose, or the week after, come home. Address here, as we may not reach Paris. I am really very well. Ever your affectionate son,
R.L.S.
