Letter from Elizabeth Browning to Henrietta Cook, Dec 30, 1853

Letter from Elizabeth Browning to Henrietta Cook, Dec 30, 1853

Journalists/Writers

Artists--Sculptors--US American

Hays, Matilda Mary, 1820-1897

Hosmer, Harriet Goodhue, 1830-1908

Gossip--Private

Relationships

Blagden, Isabella "Isa", 1816?-1873

Gender Norms

The letter implies that Hays and Hosmer live together.

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 1806-1861

John Murray

1853-09-30

Reference

"Oh – there's a house of what I call emancipated women – a young sculptress – American, Miss Hosmer, a pupil of Gibson's, very clever and very strange – and Miss Hayes the translator of George Sand, who "dresses like a man down to the waist" (so the accusation runs). Certainly there's the waistcoat which I like – and the collar, neckcloth, and jacket made with a sort of wag-tail behind, which I don't like. She is a peculiar person altogether, decided, direct, truthful, it seems to me. They are both coming to us to night, with Miss Blagden who occupies the apartment under theirs, you do not know the last, but Arabel does, as a very affectionate friend of mine and very loveable on her own account."

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 1806-1861

Cook, Henrietta, 1809-1860

Rome, Via Bocca di Leone

41.9065184

12.4797833

Browning, Elizabeth Barrett. Letters to Her Sister: 1846-1859. 1929. Edited by Leonard Huxley, John Murray, 1931.