"Great 'Wlriters." EDITED BY ERIC ROBERTSON AND FRANK T. MARZIj\LS. LIFE OF BRO WNING. ·tI. FpR FULL LIST OF THB VOLUMES IN TutS SERIES, SEE CATALOGUE AT END OF BOOK , Dhananjayarao Gadgil libraI'}' : L I ~ 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111 ~. GIPE-PUNE-002575 ' ROBERT BROWNI,NG RV WILLIAM SHARP. LONDON W.ALTER SCOTT, LIMITED PATERNOSTER SQUARE (A II rigkts reserved) ..l"J-­ o Ill/ 1~11l­ w C7 1-->( S- CONTENTS. - CHAPTER L PAOli London, ltobert Browning's birthplace; his. immediate pre· decessors and contemporaries in literature, art, and mnsic; born May 7th. 1812; origin or the Browning family; assertions as to its Semitic CODDection apparently gronnd. less; the poet a putative descendant or the Captain Micaiah Browning mentioned by Macanlay; Robert Browning's mbther or Scottish and German origin; his rather "a man of esceptional powen, artist, poet. critic:, student; Mr. Browning's opinion or his son's writings; the home in CambenreU; Robert Browning's childhood; concerning his optimism; his fondness for Canavaggio's "Andromeda and Perseus"; his poetic precocity; origin oJ "The Flight of the Duchess"; writes Byronic ver.;e; is sent to school at Peckham; his holiday afternoons; sees London by night, from Heme Hill; the significance of the spectacle to him· II CHAPTER IL iIe wishes to be a poet; writes in the style or Byron and Pope; the •• Death of Harold"; his poems, written wben twelve years old, shown to Miss Flower; the Rev. W. J. Fox's criticisms on them; "he comes aaoss Shelley's "Dzmon of the World"; Mrs. Browning procnres Shelley's poems, 4 CONTENTS. .AGII also those of Keats, for her son; the perusal of these volumes proves an important event in his poetic develop­ ment; he leaves school when fourteen years old, and studies at home under a tutor; attends a few lectures at University Coliege, 1829-30 i chooses his career, at the age of twentYi earliest record of his utterances concerning his youthful life printed in Cmlury Ma"uazi"e, 1881; he plans a series of monodramatic epics; Browning's life­ work, collectively one monodramatic "epic"; Shak­ spere's and Browning's methods compared; Browning writes "Pauline" in 1832; his own criticism on it; his parents' opinions; his aunt's generous gift; the poem published in January 1833; description of the p~m; written under the inspiring stimulus of Shelley; its auto­ psychica:l significance; its importance to the student of the poet's works; quotations from co Pauline" 29 CHAPTER 111_ The public reception of "Paulin~"; criticisms thereupon; Mr_ Fox's notice in the MomMy ReptJSilory, 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 acqnaint­ 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 sale record of hi; experiences there to be found in the poem co Ivan IvAnovitch," published in Dramalir Idyls, 1879; his acquaintance with Muzini; • Browning goes to Italy; visits Asolo, whence he drew hints for .. Sordello" and ,IC Pippa Passes"; in 1834 he returns to Camberwell; in autumn of 1834 and winter of 1835 commences IC Sordella," writes .. Paracelsus," and one or two short poems; his love for Venice; a new voice audible in co Johannes Agricola" and IC Porphyria"; CONTENTS. 5 PAn •• PanceIsus, - published in 1835; his own explanation of it; his love of.....ncing in the dark; some of" ParaceIsus" and of .. StraflOrd" composed in a wood near Dulwich; c:ooceming .. ParaceIsus" and BroWDing's sympathy with the scientific spirit; description and scope of the poem; qootatioos therefrom; estimate of the work, and its foor ~ 49 CHAPTER IV• • Criticisms opoll •• ParaceIsos,. impodant ooe written by Jobo FOISter; Browning meets Macreadyat the hoDse of Mr. F",,; penooaI description of the poet; Macready's opinion of'the poem; Browning spends New Year's Day, 1836. at the hoDse of the tragedian and meets John "Forster; _ Macread, wges him to write a play; his subsequent interrie. with the bagedian; he plans a dJama to be entitled .. Narses "; meets Wordsworth and Walter Sange Landor at a supper party•• hen the JOIIDg poet is -eel. and Macready again proposes that Browning should write a play, &om .hich arose the idea of "Strafford "; his acquaintance with Wordsworth and Landor; MS. of "Strafford" aa:epted; its performance at Covent Garden Theatre 00 the 26th May 1837; runs for five nights; the author's comments; the dJama issued by Messrs. Longman a: Co.; the performance in 1886; estimate of .. Strafford D; Browning's dramas; comparison between the Elizabethan aud VICtorian dJamatic eras; Browning's soul.depictive facuIty; his dJamatic method; estimate of his dramas; Landor's acknoWledgment of the dedication to him of .. Luria .. 73 CHAPTER V • .. Profundity" and "Simplicity"; the facuIty of _der; Brown­ ing's first conception of .. Pippa Passes .. ; his residence in' London; his country walks; his war-' and habits, and his 6 CONTENTS. P~GB 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 93 CHAPTER VI. Browning's three great-dramatic poems; II The Ring and the Book" his finest work; its uniqueness; Carlyle's criticism of it; Poetry wrsus Tour.de-Force; "The Ring and the Book" begun in 1866; analysis of the poem; kinship of cc The Ring and the Book" and" Aurora Leigh~' ; explana­ tion of title; the idea taken from a parchment volume Browning picked np in Florence; the poem planned at Casa Guidi; cc 0 Lyric Love," etc.; description and analysis of cc The Ring and the Book," with quotations; compared as a poem with cc The Inn Album ...· "Pauline," cc Asolando." cc Men' and Women." etc.; imaginary volumes. to be entitled cc Transcripts from Life" and II 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; If 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; Co.NTENTS. 1 PAGE her early belief in him as a poet; her physl.cal 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 hnm~ty 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 "The Guardian Angel" was written; Casa Guidi; W. W. Story's account of the rooms at Casa Guidi; perfect uuion 135 CHAPTER VIIL 'March 1849. birth of Robert Wiedemann Barrett Browning; Browning mites his "Christmas Eve and Easter Day"; "Casa Guidi Windows" commenced; 1850, they go to Rome; "Two in the Campagna"; proposal· to 'confer poet-laureateship on Mrs. Browning; return to London; winter in Paris;' summer in London; Kenyon's friendship; return in autumn to Casa Guidi; Browning's Essay on Shelley for the twenty-five spurious Shelley letters; midsummer at Baths of Lucca. where "In a' Balcony" was in part written; winter of 1853-4 in Rome; record of work; "Pen's" illness; .. Ben 'Karsbook's Wisdom"; return to Florence; (1856) .. Men and Women" published; the Brownings go to London; in summer .. Aurora Leigh" issued; 1858, Mrs. Browning's waning health; 1855-64 comparatively unproductive period with R. Browning; record of work; July 1855; they travel to Normandy; "Legend of Pornic"; Mrs. Browning's ardent interest iu the Italian struggle of 1859; wiuter in Rome; "Poems before Congress"; her last poelb, II North aud South"; death of Mrs. Browning at Casa Guidi. 28th June 1861 157 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IX. PAGE Browning's allusions to death of his wife; Miss Browning resides with her brother from 11166; 1868, collected works published; first part .of "The Ring and the Book" pub­ lished in November 1866; "Herve Riel".written; Brown­ ing's growing popularity; Tauchnitz editions of his poems in 1872 j also first book of selections; dedication to Lord Tennyson; 1877, he goes to La Saisiaz, near Geneva; "La Saisiaz" and "The Two Poets of Croisic" pub­ lished 1878; Browning's later poems; Browning Society established 1881; Browning's letter thereupon to Mr. Yates; trips abroad; his London residences; his last letter to Tennyson; revisits Asolo; Palazzo Rezzonico; his belief in immortality; his' death, Thursday, Dec. 12th, 1889; funeral in Westminster Abbey; Sonnet by George Mere­ dith; new star in Orion: R. Browning's place in literature; Summary, ete_ 176 INDEX.- .r A Toccata of GaInpprs," 130. 168 ·J Abt Vogler," 13D. 172, 202 •• Aurora Leigh, .. u8, 152, 166, .. A Face," 130 169, 170 .. A Forgiveness," 130 .. After .. 130 B. .. ~emnon Of .Eschylus," 182 Bagni di Lucca, 157, i6s .0 A Grammarian's FuneraI.II Bailey's" Festus," 114 129, 168 " Balaustion's Adventure." 182, II A Likeness," 130 190 Alma -.