A second edition was required in a fortnight, a third in a few months--a success which must have greatly pleased the authoress, who had put her inmost self into her work, and had laboured hard to leave behind her an adequate representation of her poetic art.
This natural satisfaction was darkened, however, by the death, on December 3, of Mr.Kenyon, in whose house the poem had been completed, and to whom it had been dedicated.

Readers of these letters do not require to be told how near and dear a friend he had been to both Mrs.
Browning and her husband.

During his life his friendship had taken the practical form of allowing them 100_l._ a year, in order that they might be more free to follow their art for its own sake only, and in his will he left 6,500_l._ to Robert Browning and 4,500_l._ to Mrs.Browning.
These were the largest legacies in a very generous will--the fitting end to a life passed in acts of generosity and kindness to those in need.
* * * * * _To Miss Browning_ [Florence.

November 1856.] Robert says he will wait for me till to-morrow, but I leave my other letters rather and write to you, so sure I am that we oughtn't to put that off any longer.

Dearest Sarianna, I am very much pleased that you like the poem, having feared a little that you might not.