The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-29
OUR LIBRARY.
Robert Browning.


itv OF human effort. and sees not in
prophetic vision bis own thoughts per-
petuated ito the last syllable Of record
ed time" sad eyes Frightening over bis
written words. glad hearts singing and
countless millions rising up to call him
blessed.
Spirits OF great rsformers, souls OF
earnest thinkers. hearts OF true posts,
We have not passed away; your thoughts
have not persisted. Familiar as the
friend who sets beside us. more potent
in influence than the preacher who
spesks from the pulpit. your voicele.s
lips are still teaching and guiding W
Such an immortality we claim for
Robert Browning.
One week ago the cable announced
that his breath had gone forth and be
had returned to the earth IL is not
probable that this event will cause any
interruption to the studies OF many
kinds which he has inaugurstsd. or
quench tbs light Of any inspiration
which n 50 many WAYS he has kindled
in 30 many hearts. IL really makes
very little difference to. any student
that Shakespeare is dead.
If this survival of the mere accident
OF death may be asserted of any living
writer. surely it is donbly true OF
Browning, for he belongs already more
to the future than to the past or present.
Every age has its own form Of expires
non. which must be translated by each
succeeding generation INTO It's own IAN
guage. When this century WAS NEW
ing its mighty youth" Byron glorious
voice was the fittest vent for its stormy
and ill-regulated passions: Wordsworth
wa, then as far ahead OF his dsy as
Browning is now. For the maturer
thought of our century. Tennyson-
eldritin r venerable nOmeD was the
| flttest exponent this generation was
brought up on Tennyson and his more
or less clever imitat0rs. For the gene
ration Just coming of age may not
Robert Browning be the herald. pre-
ludIng whatever "melOdlous bursts
may fall TO their share
And so, perhaps, is he prophecy,
linking us to the future rather than to
| the past. As the history Of our race
has hitherto been ono Of progress, i 1t
not possible that while we say he has
passed away. it would be better to say
that we have not Ovsrtaken him
That this is not question merely OF
/ individual taste, there Is much eyl'
dsnce. First. it is very evident that
Browning docs not write III tue Ian
guago OF the day in which he lives.
Societies for the study Of Browning,
introductions to the study of Browning
ordinations Of difficulties IN his
works. all these are to be met with IN
the history OF recent literature. And
vet flat he does speak language
worthy to be learned il proved by thu
fact that pages OK close type will not
hold the list of the societies or circles
engaged in the study of those poems,
and Of the criticisms and reviews dedi-
Gated 10 them.
lie has himself lived to see part OF
this evidence From the time when
Pauline aod "Paracelsus' were pub
lished l1SS3.S5) down to the present
day. what accessions to his fame has he
not witnessed
Beginning as little read and much
criticised young poet, with an lndlAer
ence to popular opinion which. as far
as the world knows. was worthy Cf
Milton. he has been able for many years
10 sit attentive TO his own applause.
Diving at the age Of seventy with
his faculties upimpaired, he leaves
ready for the press a new book n
poems. for which thsre will be host OF
readers doubling ard trebliDg the audi
ence given 10 the best works OF his best
wears. What poet in his own life ever
witnessed societies formed in his honor
all over the world True literary So
cieties are feature Of our times, bat II
must be admitted that by far the great
er part of their attention is at present
divided between two poets, Shakespeare
and Browning.
With regard to these same OBSCURE
ties ard difficulties. of which so much
has been said. the admirers Of the poet
have no farther apology than he him
self has made. In the preface TO his
shorter poems lin 1922 this much be
vouchsafes to the reading public-thst
public whom he elsewhere apostr0-
phizes: Oh British public. we who
love me not God love you J, whom
vet have labored for Thus much in
concession to the general reader and as
afinal answer to criticism
a few years ago had such an op'
pOrtuniUy presented itself, might have
been tempted TO say a word in reply ia
the objections my poetry was used to
encounter. Time has kindly co operated
with my dissemination TO write the
poetry and the criticism besides. The
readers am at last privileged to expect
meet me fully half way. and if. from
tho fitting s.snd-point,the sill 'censure
me in their wisdom. they have previous
ly awakened their senses that they NAV
the better Judge. Nor do / apprehend
any more charges of being wilfully OBJ
scure. unconscientiously careless. OF
perversely harsh. Having hitherto
done nv utmost in the art to which my
life is devotion, cannot engage to in'
crease the effort; but | conceive that
there may bs helpful light as well n,
reassuring warmth, IN the attention and
sympathy gratefully acknow ledge.
Tire criticisms could not be mors
succinctly stated or more decidedly de-
clined. Canning used TO say: III any
man tells me he prefers dry champagne
to sweet, we'll that man lies" There
can be no doubt that this Is still the
spirit of many in regard 10 Browning
Its too much the habit of the day t.
regard mis- admirers as people carried
q way with affectatlon, pedsntry OF
enthusiasm. Most readers still ap
proaeh him with timi1ity or dislike,
repelled by his roughpsss or afraid OF
anticipated difficulties.
Many essays have been written on
the uses OF poetry, in which the on
spring OF the muses. is complimented
as the elegant diversion Of the cultured
mind. the iDspirer of various emotions
or, more frequently, it is put on leve
with sleep. the balm OF hurt minds
sore labor's bath, great Natures second
course. Too little is said of the de
mand it lawfully makes upon the In
tellect.
High thoughts. noble Visions great
aud glorious speculations are no
to 10 expressed in the simplest forms
Of speech. Dor to be taken in BY thS
IDLE mind or the rowing fancy. Com
nlsx ideas require larger vocabularita