The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-12-20
:.As0ET DEAD.
Robert Browning the Famous
Poet Dies at Venice
s3frE Italy.

A Sketch of a Life Devoted to
the Creation ofWorks Not
Generally Appreciated.
VENICE, Specsal.-Robert Browning, the
poet, died tonight. Ifis death was pain
less. During the day he expressed himself
as satisfied with the success of his new
volume Of poems,
Robert Browning was one of the most
famous and at the same time ohc Of the
least known literary men III oil Great
Britain. While BrOwning's admirers rank
him as the greatest poet OF the time, says .
recent biograrler, he might, in respect OF
the multitude, g. we'll sc bartender .,!t ~: as
comparatively few ACCEPT lin unrescrvedly,
and these are his wOrshipcrs, who can per
ceive no defect in his worst faults who
think his hardest measures and most mystic
insigniticancc rcpletc with melody and
beauty. Browning was as little
known personally as poeticaily;
hardly anyone would recognize him. AL
though he lived in London for many years,
ever since. his wife's death, indeed. lie spent
50 much time on the continent, particu-
larly in Italy, that lie seemed much like u
foreigner. In fact. his mind, temperament
and character were not of the national
type, and his training, in consequence OF
of his education at the London university,
of an exceptional kind. His father man
of independent means and character, made
no attempt to Interfere with his indi-
vi,lual taste and tendencies, and he
grew up therefore with distinct
personality; At, twenty he , went t.! to
there in diligcnt study Of the land, its l@o-
pie and institutions. Italian history, Gus
toms, and traits had II strange alluremcnt
for him. lie went to the small places, to
the walled villages pcrclicl on the spurs of
the AlN,ennincs. to the out-"t-thc-way re-
gioils that foreigners seldom penetrate, and
closely 'olscrvc,Ethcir peculiar commune
language ofthe Countrywide Tuscan flu
emily and correctly, but the principal dia-
lects OF the provinces. He used to hSca!lei
the Itaian-Englislnmai, and the English.
Italian, and with great Justice. for he was,
as his writings show. saturated with the
lore. the traditions, and the spirit of that
pictorial peninsula. Some critics have nc
cOtlIltctl lot UIS cCCcINIlC siSIc, MS oIutilt
and unintelligiblcness, 70 unplcasantly
characteristic OF .his Later poems, by his
living 80 much Abroad by his virtual dena-
tiOnaliZatiOn.
Although lie had written verses from boy
hood, he published nothing until lie was
twcnty-tlircc. when "Paucclsms." poem
i'll dramatic form, appeared: It won the
praise Of few, but attracted no general at,
tcntion. 1t is all idcaizutiOn OF the noted
Swiss alcllcmiSt and cl,arlaian who made
50 m,lcl, noise in the sistecnth century by
his pretended hcalings and his fierce as
saults on the medical faculty. Strong
original, full of insight, and rcnarkablef for
subtle analysis, it yet abound!s i'll faults. a
characteristic work, 1t is Il sort of prelude
to everything that he produced attcrwar'l.
and entitled "Statlord," was produced OH
the local slagc with Macready as the hero,
who bestowed all possible attention upon
it. AS the piece was taken from one ot the
most interesting periods of English history
it ought To haze succeeded, and would, no
doubt, had il possessed any genuine romnI-
tic merit. But it had not, despite ino
passages and. some admirable tlclincations
of character. After Il number of representa-
tons it was withdrawn, and has meyer been
revived. Not long after. came hSaricllo," +"
of which many have heard, but which
hardly any one has eyer read, so delihcr=
utely obscure does il seem to be. Two
other dramas, "a Blot on the Scutchcon"
and the DUCHESS of Clcvcs, were written
and acted, though they would not draw.
Indeed, they would never have been ac-
ccltcd by any manager but for the reputa-
ton of the author. The former is tender,
beautiful, IL yeritablc POEM OF passion and
suffering; but not ut all adapted to the
theater. l;rowning's poems are generally
dramatic though his stage effects are not
actablc. and could not be made 50. His
poems published in the last twenty or
and eX:sl,cratioiis to the understanding.
While they contain fr.sl ideas, fine scnti-
mcnts, poetic suggestions, they are barren
of interest, connection or lucidity. Some
forty years ago he Published 'ChrStmas
Eve and Easter Day, (which was. the au-
thor's idea ofsOmc of the theological Ilics-
tions of the time, and also All al-
Iigious views. Tho work was strong
ingenious, intellectual, but not at all poet
ical in complete sense, anit tn the major
ity of persons exceedingly dull. The only
collection of his poems that has All entire
interest is Men and Women" first printed
in lsIl Many of these arc unfinished,
crude, and ailcctcdly mystical; but others
q few poems in Bells and Pomcgrallatcs'
are nearly all the things that deserve pres
cryation and that another generation will
be likely to read. His enthusiastic admir-
crs put no limit.to their admiration. They
place him next to Shakespeare; but the mass
of unprcju,liccd minds consider him, us u
whole. positively unrcadablc, and this will
nng,icstionably acknowledgements Of postcrity.
Browning, thought painter and mil-
sicial, OF late years cultivated rugged
ness, mysticism and incomprchensibility.
There was no rational doubt about it, and
the cause was probably due To the circle Of
fulSome adulatOrs by whom he was often
surrounded. There are Browning societies
both in America and England whose chief
object appears to be to luud TO the skies
every line that he printed.
Personally, the poet was regarded very
much as he was litcrarily. a few of his ac-
guaintanGGs, who were, of course, his pane
gyrists though linn the most delightful OF
incn. But most of his acquaintance con-
siderctl him egotistic, pnIlou> and un-
satisfactory. His talk was Iike his poetry,
taking high themes, and, after al hours
enlargement on them, he conveyed net the
ghost Of an idea. Browning was almost up
to his death in possession of all his facul-
ties and in perfect health His memory had
not failed in the least. 1t has been suggested
that he caught the infection of loud
style of writing from his wife, the famous
ton is not good. for nearly all she wrote
was clear enough, however commonplace.
Broyning's loyc for his wiGc--shc lived lit-
teen years after her rmarragc-was romantic
and devoted. She had always been an in
valid, and lad not u personal charm of any
kind. She not only looked, as has been
said, unlike woman. who had eyer
written poem, put unlike = !,
one. lie was as loyal To her memory as lie
was to her life, for she has been
dead more than twenty years, and
he is not known to have
been in love with anybody since. lie was a
great 1,lvorite with women. many of whom
are prone to admire what they do not un.
derstand. and he deserves to be, for in some
of his minor poems he has evinccd Il noble
sympathy will AMI understanding of the
finest of womankind. He went a good deal
into socicty-that is. into circles where he
was sure Of admiration. He did not write
for money. Fortunately, he inherited an
Independence from lis father He was u
handsome man, had good figure. SHOW
white hair, and All easy carriage. His man
ncrs were precise and formal, not to say
stiff and when he was all inspired his
speech was often intclligible and pleasant
Still he gave one an impression Of a man
who had spent most of his years in taking
his own altitude and had never yet been
able to put it into comprehensive measure
lnent.
slSSEToNS SIGNING.
Over One Half of the REQUIRED Num-