Life of Robert Browning

The public reception of "Pauline"; criticisms thereupon;
Mr. Fox's notice in the Monthly Repository, and its
results; Dante Gabriel Rossetti reads "Pauline" and
writes to the author; Browning's reference to Tennyson's
reading of "Maud" in 1855; Browning frequents literary
society; reads at the British Museum; makes the acquaint-
ance of Charles Dickens and "Ion" Talfourd; a volume
of poems by Tennyson published simultaneously with
"Pauline"; in 1833 he commences his travels; goes to
Russia; the sole record of his experiences there to be
found in the poem "Ivan Ivànovitch," published in
Dramatic Idyls, 1879; his acquaintance with Mazzini;
Browning goes to Italy; visits Asolo, whence he drew
hints for "Sordello" and "Pippa Passes"; in 1834 he
returns to Camberwell; in autumn of 1834 and winter of
1835 commences Sordello," writes "Paracelsus," and
one or two short poems; his love for Venice; a new voice
audible in "Johannes Agricola" and "Porphyria”;

“Paracelsus,” published in 1835; his own explanation of

it; his love of walking in the dark; some of "Paracelsus"

and of "Strafford" composed in a wood near Dulwich ;

concerning "Paracelsus" and Browning's sympathy with

the scientific spirit; description and scope of the poem;

quotations therefrom; estimate of the work, and its four

66
upon 'Paracelsus," important one written by John

Forster; Browning meets Macready at the house of Mr.

Fox; personal description of the poet; Macready's opinion

of the poem; Browning spends New Year's Day, 1836,

at the house of the tragedian and meets John Forster;

Macready urges him to write a play; his subsequent

interview with the tragedian; he plans a drama to be

entitled "Narses"; meets Wordsworth and Walter

Savage Landor at a supper party, when the young poet is

toasted, and Macready again proposes that Browning

should write a play, from which arose the idea of

"Strafford"; his acquaintance with Wordsworth and

Landor; MS. of "Strafford" accepted; its performance

at Covent Garden Theatre on the 26th May 1837; runs

for five nights; the author's comments; the drama issued

by Messrs. Longman & Co.; the performance in 1886;

estimate of "Strafford "; Browning's dramas; comparison

between the Elizabethan and Victorian dramatic eras;

Browning's soul-depictive faculty; his dramatic method;

estimate of his dramas; Landor's acknowledgment of the

dedication to him of "Luria "

CHAPTER V.

"Profundity" and "Simplicity”; the faculty of wonder; Brown-
ing's first conception of "Pippa Passes"; his residence in
London; his country walks; his ways and habits, and his

heart-episodes; debates whether to become a clergyman;

is "Pippa Passes" a drama? estimate of the poem;

Browning's rambles on Wimbledon Common and in

Dulwich Wood, where he composed his lines upon

Shelley; asserts there is romance in Camberwell as

well as in Italy; "Sordello"; the charge of obscurity

against "Sordello"; the nature and intention of the

poem; quotations therefrom; anecdote about Douglas

Jerrold; Tennyson's, Carlyle's, and M. Odysse Barot's

opinions on "Sordello"; " 'enigmatic" poetry; in 1863

Browning contemplated the re-writing of "Sordello";

dedication to the French critic, Milsand .

CHAPTER VI.

PAGE

. 93

Browning's three great dramatic poems; "The Ring and the

Book" his finest work; its uniqueness; Carlyle's criticism

of it; Poetry versus Tour-de-Force; "The Ring and the

Book" begun in 1866; analysis of the poem; kinship of

"The Ring and the Book" and "Aurora Leigh"; explana-

tion of title; the idea taken from a parchment volume

Browning picked up in Florence; the poem planned at

Casa Guidi; "O Lyric Love," etc.; description and

analysis of "The Ring and the Book," with quotations;

compared as a poem with "The Inn Album," "Pauline,"

66 Asolando," "Men and Women," etc.; imaginary

volumes, to be entitled "Transcripts from Life" and

"Flowers o' the Vine"; Browning's greatest period;

Browning's primary importance

113

CHAPTER VII.

Early life of Elizabeth Barrett Browning; born in 1820;
the chief sorrow of her life; the Barrett family settle
in London; "The Cry of the Children" and its
origin; Miss Barrett's friends; effect on her of Browning's
poetry; she makes Browning's acquaintance in 1846;

PAGE

her early belief in him as a poet; her physical

delicacy and her sensitiveness of feeling; personal appear-

ance of Robert Browning; his "electric" hand; Elizabeth

Barrett discerns his personal worth, and is susceptible

to the strong humanity of Browning's song; Mr. Barrett's

jealousy; their engagement; Miss Barrett's acquaintance

with Mrs. Jameson; quiet marriage in 1846; Mr. Barrett's

resentment; the Brownings go to Paris; thence to Italy

with Mrs. Jameson; Wordsworth's comments; resi-

dence in Pisa; "Sonnets from the Portuguese"; in the

spring they go to Florence, thence to Ancona, where