Introduction to Robert Browning [128]
seeks a little thing to do. Sees it and does it: This high man, with a great thing to pursue, Dies ere he knows it. That low man goes on adding one to one, His hundred's soon hit: This high man, aiming at a million, Misses an unit. [120] That, has the world here -- should he need the next, Let the world mind him! This, throws himself on God, and unperplexed Seeking shall find him. So, with the throttling hands of death at strife, Ground he at grammar; Still, through the rattle, parts of speech were rife: While he could stammer He settled HOTI's business -- let it be! -- Properly based OUN -- [130] Gave us the doctrine of the enclitic `De', Dead from the waist down. Well, here's the platform, here's the proper place: Hail to your purlieus, All ye highfliers of the feathered race, Swallows and curlews! Here's the top-peak; the multitude below Live, for they can, there: This man decided not to Live but Know -- Bury this man there? [140] Here -- here's his place, where meteors shoot, clouds form, Lightnings are loosened, Stars come and go! Let joy break with the storm, Peace let the dew send! Lofty designs must close in like effects: Loftily lying, Leave him -- still loftier than the world suspects, Living and dying.
-- 18. overcome: pass over, overhang, overshadow; used as in Macbeth III. IV. 3, "overcome us like a summer's cloud".
39, 40. New measures, . . .finished?: do you say? not at all.
42. All in parentheses, throughout the poem, is addressed by the speaker directly to his companions.
57. Actual life comes next: do you say? No. I have more to do first.
86. Calculus: the stone.
88. Tussis: a cough.
95. hydroptic: hydropic, dropsical.
129. Hoti: the Greek particle `/Oti, conj. that, etc.
130. Oun: Greek particle Ou^'n, then, now then, etc.
131. the enclitic De: Greek De {Delta epsilon}; in regard to this, the following letter by Browning appeared in the London `Daily News' of Nov. 21, 1874: "To the Editor of `The Daily News'. Sir, -- In a clever article this morning you speak of `the doctrine of the enclitic De' -- `which, with all deference to Mr. Browning, in point of fact does not exist.' No, not to Mr. Browning: but pray defer to Herr Buttmann, whose fifth list of `enclitics' ends `with the inseparable De' -- or to Curtius, whose fifth list ends also with `De (meaning `towards' and as a demonstrative appendage)'. That this is not to be confounded with the accentuated `De, meaning BUT', was the `doctrine' which the Grammarian bequeathed to those capable of receiving it. -- I am, sir, yours obediently, R. B." -- `Browning Soc. Papers', Part I., p. 56.
An Epistle containing the Strange Medical Experience of Karshish, the Arab Physician.
Karshish, the picker-up of learning's crumbs, The not-incurious in God's handiwork (This man's-flesh he hath admirably made, Blown like a bubble, kneaded like a paste, To coop up and keep down on earth a space That puff of vapor from his mouth, man's soul) -- To Abib, all-sagacious in our art, Breeder in me of what poor skill I boast, Like me inquisitive how pricks and cracks Befall the flesh through too much stress and strain, [10] Whereby the wily vapor fain would slip Back and rejoin its source before the term, -- And aptest in contrivance (under God) To baffle it by deftly stopping such: -- The vagrant Scholar to his Sage at home Sends greeting (health and knowledge, fame with peace) Three samples of true snake-stone -- rarer still, One of the other sort, the melon-shaped (But fitter, pounded fine, for charms than drugs), And writeth now the twenty-second time. [20]
My journeyings were brought to Jericho: Thus I resume. Who, studious in our art, Shall count a little labor unrepaid? I have shed sweat enough, left flesh and bone On many a flinty furlong of this land. Also, the country-side is all on fire With rumors
-- 18. overcome: pass over, overhang, overshadow; used as in Macbeth III. IV. 3, "overcome us like a summer's cloud".
39, 40. New measures, . . .finished?: do you say? not at all.
42. All in parentheses, throughout the poem, is addressed by the speaker directly to his companions.
57. Actual life comes next: do you say? No. I have more to do first.
86. Calculus: the stone.
88. Tussis: a cough.
95. hydroptic: hydropic, dropsical.
129. Hoti: the Greek particle `/Oti, conj. that, etc.
130. Oun: Greek particle Ou^'n, then, now then, etc.
131. the enclitic De: Greek De {Delta epsilon}; in regard to this, the following letter by Browning appeared in the London `Daily News' of Nov. 21, 1874: "To the Editor of `The Daily News'. Sir, -- In a clever article this morning you speak of `the doctrine of the enclitic De' -- `which, with all deference to Mr. Browning, in point of fact does not exist.' No, not to Mr. Browning: but pray defer to Herr Buttmann, whose fifth list of `enclitics' ends `with the inseparable De' -- or to Curtius, whose fifth list ends also with `De (meaning `towards' and as a demonstrative appendage)'. That this is not to be confounded with the accentuated `De, meaning BUT', was the `doctrine' which the Grammarian bequeathed to those capable of receiving it. -- I am, sir, yours obediently, R. B." -- `Browning Soc. Papers', Part I., p. 56.
An Epistle containing the Strange Medical Experience of Karshish, the Arab Physician.
Karshish, the picker-up of learning's crumbs, The not-incurious in God's handiwork (This man's-flesh he hath admirably made, Blown like a bubble, kneaded like a paste, To coop up and keep down on earth a space That puff of vapor from his mouth, man's soul) -- To Abib, all-sagacious in our art, Breeder in me of what poor skill I boast, Like me inquisitive how pricks and cracks Befall the flesh through too much stress and strain, [10] Whereby the wily vapor fain would slip Back and rejoin its source before the term, -- And aptest in contrivance (under God) To baffle it by deftly stopping such: -- The vagrant Scholar to his Sage at home Sends greeting (health and knowledge, fame with peace) Three samples of true snake-stone -- rarer still, One of the other sort, the melon-shaped (But fitter, pounded fine, for charms than drugs), And writeth now the twenty-second time. [20]
My journeyings were brought to Jericho: Thus I resume. Who, studious in our art, Shall count a little labor unrepaid? I have shed sweat enough, left flesh and bone On many a flinty furlong of this land. Also, the country-side is all on fire With rumors