Life of Robert Browning [2]
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 in the Italian struggle of 1859;
winter in Rome; "Poems before Congress"; her last poem, "North and South";
death of Mrs. Browning at Casa Guidi, 28th June 1861.
Chapter 9.
Browning's allusions to death of his wife; Miss Browning
resides with her brother from 1866; 1868, collected works published;
first part of "The Ring and the Book" published in November 1866;
"Herve Riel" written; Browning's growing popularity;
Tauchnitz editions of his poems in 1872; 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" published 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 Meredith; new star in Orion;
R. Browning's place in literature; Summary, etc.
Note.
In all important respects I leave this volume to speak for itself.
For obvious reasons it does not pretend to be more
than a `Memoire pour servir': in the nature of things,
the definitive biography cannot appear for many years to come.
None the less gratefully may I take the present opportunity
to express my indebtedness to Mr. R. Barrett Browning,
and to other relatives and intimate friends of Robert Browning,
who have given me serviceable information, and otherwise rendered kindly aid.
For some of the hitherto unpublished details my thanks are,
in particular, due to Mrs. Fraser Corkran and Miss Alice Corkran,
and to other old friends of the poet and his family,
here, in Italy, and in America; though in one or two instances, I may add,
I had them from Robert Browning himself. It is with pleasure
that I further acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. Furnivall,
for the loan of the advance-proofs of his privately-printed pamphlet
on "Browning's Ancestors"; and to the Browning Society's Publications --
particularly to Mrs. Sutherland Orr's and Dr. Furnivall's biographical
and bibliographical contributions thereto; to Mr. Gosse's biographical article
in the `Century Magazine' for 1881; to Mr. Ingram's `Life of E. B. Browning';
and to the `Memoirs of Anna Jameson', the `Italian Note-Books'
of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mr. G. S. Hillard's `Six Months in Italy' (1853),
and the Lives and Correspondence of Macready, Miss Mitford, Leigh Hunt,
and Walter Savage Landor. I regret that the imperative need of concision
has prevented the insertion of many of the letters, anecdotes,
and reminiscences, so generously placed at my disposal;
but possibly I may have succeeded in educing from them
some essential part of that light which they undoubtedly cast
upon the personality and genius of the poet.
------------------------
Life of Robert Browning.
------------------------
Chapter 1.
It must, to admirers of Browning's writings, appear singularly appropriate
that so cosmopolitan a poet was born in London. It would seem
as though something of that mighty complex life, so confusedly petty
to the narrow vision, so grandiose and even majestic to the larger ken,
had blent with his being from the first. What fitter birthplace for the poet
whom a comrade has called the "Subtlest Assertor of the Soul in Song",
the poet whose writings are indeed a mirror of the age?
A man may be in all things a Londoner and yet be a provincial.
The accident of birthplace does not necessarily involve
parochialism of the soul. It is not the village which produces the Hampden,
but the Hampden who immortalises the village. It is a favourite jest
of Rusticus
(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 in the Italian struggle of 1859;
winter in Rome; "Poems before Congress"; her last poem, "North and South";
death of Mrs. Browning at Casa Guidi, 28th June 1861.
Chapter 9.
Browning's allusions to death of his wife; Miss Browning
resides with her brother from 1866; 1868, collected works published;
first part of "The Ring and the Book" published in November 1866;
"Herve Riel" written; Browning's growing popularity;
Tauchnitz editions of his poems in 1872; 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" published 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 Meredith; new star in Orion;
R. Browning's place in literature; Summary, etc.
Note.
In all important respects I leave this volume to speak for itself.
For obvious reasons it does not pretend to be more
than a `Memoire pour servir': in the nature of things,
the definitive biography cannot appear for many years to come.
None the less gratefully may I take the present opportunity
to express my indebtedness to Mr. R. Barrett Browning,
and to other relatives and intimate friends of Robert Browning,
who have given me serviceable information, and otherwise rendered kindly aid.
For some of the hitherto unpublished details my thanks are,
in particular, due to Mrs. Fraser Corkran and Miss Alice Corkran,
and to other old friends of the poet and his family,
here, in Italy, and in America; though in one or two instances, I may add,
I had them from Robert Browning himself. It is with pleasure
that I further acknowledge my indebtedness to Dr. Furnivall,
for the loan of the advance-proofs of his privately-printed pamphlet
on "Browning's Ancestors"; and to the Browning Society's Publications --
particularly to Mrs. Sutherland Orr's and Dr. Furnivall's biographical
and bibliographical contributions thereto; to Mr. Gosse's biographical article
in the `Century Magazine' for 1881; to Mr. Ingram's `Life of E. B. Browning';
and to the `Memoirs of Anna Jameson', the `Italian Note-Books'
of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mr. G. S. Hillard's `Six Months in Italy' (1853),
and the Lives and Correspondence of Macready, Miss Mitford, Leigh Hunt,
and Walter Savage Landor. I regret that the imperative need of concision
has prevented the insertion of many of the letters, anecdotes,
and reminiscences, so generously placed at my disposal;
but possibly I may have succeeded in educing from them
some essential part of that light which they undoubtedly cast
upon the personality and genius of the poet.
------------------------
Life of Robert Browning.
------------------------
Chapter 1.
It must, to admirers of Browning's writings, appear singularly appropriate
that so cosmopolitan a poet was born in London. It would seem
as though something of that mighty complex life, so confusedly petty
to the narrow vision, so grandiose and even majestic to the larger ken,
had blent with his being from the first. What fitter birthplace for the poet
whom a comrade has called the "Subtlest Assertor of the Soul in Song",
the poet whose writings are indeed a mirror of the age?
A man may be in all things a Londoner and yet be a provincial.
The accident of birthplace does not necessarily involve
parochialism of the soul. It is not the village which produces the Hampden,
but the Hampden who immortalises the village. It is a favourite jest
of Rusticus