A cycle of Adams letters, 1861-1865 . muse you, I will try to give you an idea ofthe conversation after dinner; the first time I have everheard anything of the sort in England. Sir Edward isa great smoker, and although no crime can be greaterin this country, our host produced cigars after the ladieshad left, and we filled our claret-glasses and drew uptogether. Sir Edward seemed to be continuing a conversa-tion with Mr. Ward, his neighbor. He went on, in histhoughtful, deliberative way, addressing Browning. Do you think your success would be very muchmore valuable to you for knowing that centu
A cycle of Adams letters, 1861-1865 . muse you, I will try to give you an idea ofthe conversation after dinner; the first time I have everheard anything of the sort in England. Sir Edward isa great smoker, and although no crime can be greaterin this country, our host produced cigars after the ladieshad left, and we filled our claret-glasses and drew uptogether. Sir Edward seemed to be continuing a conversa-tion with Mr. Ward, his neighbor. He went on, in histhoughtful, deliberative way, addressing Browning. Do you think your success would be very muchmore valuable to you for knowing that centuries hence,you would still be remembered? Do you look to thefuture connection by a portion of mankind, of certainideas with your name, as the great reward of all yourlabor? Not in the least! I am perfectly indifferent whethermy name is remembered or not. The reward would bethat the ideas which were mine, should live and benefitthe race! I am glad to hear you say so, continued Sir Ed-ward, thoughtfully, because it has always seemed so. ROBERT BROWNING 1863] A CYCLE OF ADAMS LETTERS 11 to me, and your opinion supports mine. Life, I take tobe a period of preparation. I should compare it to apreparatory school. Though it is true that in one re-spect the comparison is not just, since the time we passat a preparatory school bears an infinitely greater pro-portion to a life, than a life does to eternity. Yet Ithink it may be compared to a boys school; such a oneas I used to go to, as a child, at old Mrs. Ss at Ful-ham. Now if one of my old school-mates there were tomeet me some day and seem delighted to see me, andasked me whether I recollected going to old motherSs at Fulham, I should say, Well, yes. I did havesome faint remembrance of it! Yes. I could recollectabout it. And then supposing he were to tell me howI was still remembered there! How much they talkedof what a fine fellow Id been at that school. How Jones Minimus, broke in Browning, saidyou were the most awfully good fellow
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