ssouvenir de vous?"
"Avec plaisir."_ Accordingly I went next day to a shop where they keep
them ready bound, and chose a brightly covered "selection."...

All the outing I have accomplished was a week at Oxford, which was a
quiet one,--Jowett's health, I fear, not allowing the usual invitation
of guests to Balliol. I had all the more of him, to my great
satisfaction.

Sarianna is quite in her ordinary health, but tired as we cannot but
be. She is away from the house, but I know how much she would have me
put in of love in what I would say for her.... Did you get a little
book by Michael Field? "Long Ago," a number of poems written to
_innestare_ what fragmentary lines and words we have left of Sappho's
poetry. I want to know particularly how they strike you.

To Tennyson for his eightieth birthday Mr. Browning writes:

To-morrow is your birthday, indeed a memorable one. Let me say I
associate myself with the universal pride of our country in your
glory, and in its hope that for many and many a year we may have your
very self among us; secure that your poetry will be a wonder and
delight to all those appointed to come after; and for my own part let
me further say, I have loved you dearly. May God bless you and yours!
I have had disastrous experience.... Admiringly and Affectionately
yours,

ROBERT BROWNING.[17]

To this letter Lord Tennyson replied:

ALDWORTH, August, 1889.

MY DEAR BROWNING,--I thank you with my whole heart and being for your
noble and affectionate letter, and with my whole heart and being I
return your friendship. To be loved and appreciated by so great and
powerful a nature as yours will be a solace to me, and lighten my dark
hours during the short time of life that is left to us.

Ever Yours,

A. TENNYSON.

The poet found himself again longing for his Italy. To Mrs. Bronson, under
date of August 8, he wrote, referring to a letter of hers received two
days before, crowned with "the magical stamp of Asolo":

"... So a fancy springs up which shall have utterance as just a fancy.
The time has come for determining on some change of place, if change
is ever to be, and, I repeat, just a fancy, if I were inclined to join
you at Asolo, say a fortnight hence, could good rooms be procurable
for Sarianna and myself? Now as you value--I won't say my love, but