The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1889-12-21

VENICE, Specsal.-Robef Browning, the
poet, died tonight. His death was pam
less. During the day he expressed himself
as satisfied with the success OF his new
volume Of poems.
Robert Browning was n of the most
famous and at the same time one OF tne
least known literary men in all Great
Britain. While Browning's admirers a
him as the greatest poet OF the time, says q
recent b%iographer, he might, IN respecs o,
bard. Even of those familiar with him
comparatively few accept him u1nreseryedly,
and these are his worshipers, who can per.
ceive no defect in his worst faults, VINO
think his hardestmeasures and most mystic
insignificance replete with melody
beauty. Browning was as little
fRoT misht p9 WslR fhroug sh the 's' strand
or Pail Mall any pleasant afternoon, and
hardly anyone would recognize him. Al
though he lived in London for many years,
ever since his wife's death, indeed. he spent
so much time on the continent, particu-
larly in Italy, that he seemed much ik q
foreigner. In fact, his mind, temperament
and character were not Of the national
type, and his training, in consequence Of
the dissenting theology OF his ancestors II
of his education, at the London university,
of All exceptional kind. His father, a man
of independent means and character, made
no attempt to interfere with his indi-
vidual taste and tendencies, M he
grew up therefore with a distinct
personality ,lityyi NO. At des Twenty 70 ne iefn wens b ie
mind and life greatly, and passed years
there in diligent study of the land, its peo-
pie and institutions. Italian history, GUS
toms, and traits had a strange allurement
for him. He went to the small places, to
the walled villages perched on the spurs of
the Apprentices, to the out-ot-the-Way re-
gions that foreigners seldom penetrate, and
Closely observed their peculiar commune
ties. Browning spoke not only the pure
language of the Countrywide Tuscan-fu-
emily and correctly, but the principal dia-
lects of the provinces. He used to be called
the Observation-Disclosures, 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
counted for his eccentric style, his opacity
and unintelligibleness, so unpleasantly
characteristic Of his later poems, by his
living so much abroad, by his virtual dena-
tionalization.
Although he had written verses from boy
hood, he published nothing until he was
twenty-three, when "Paracelsus," a poem
III vi AAo ASA4b1 oPPS"ASNs " pAS
praise of a few, but attracted no general at
%tention. 1t is an ideaIization of the noted
Swiss alchemist and charlatan who made
so much noise in the sixteenth century by
his pretended healings and his fierce as
saults on the medical faculty. Strong,
original, full of insight, and remarkable for
subtle analysis, it yet abounds in faults; A
to everything that he produced atterward.
Two years later a tragedy written by him
and entitled Stafford" was produced on
the local slage with Macready as the hero,
who bestowed all possible attention upon
it. AS the piece was taken from one OF the
most interesting periods. of English history
it ought to have succeeded, and would. no
doubt, had it possessed any genuine roman
tic merit, But it had not, despite fine
passages and some admirable delineations
of character. After a number of representa-
tons it was withdrawn, and has never been
revived. Not long after came "Sardello,"
of which many have heard, but which
ately obscure does it seem to be-. Two
other dramas, "a Blot on the Scutcheon"
and the Duchess of Cleves, were written
and acted, though they would not draw.
Indeed, they would never have been &C
cepted by any manager but for the reputa-
ton of the author, The former is tender,
beautiful, q veritable poem Of passion and
oulCl1ISj UuU IN a. Ill dudpGeu W tll6
theater: Browning's poems are generally
dramatic, though his stage effects are not
actable, and could not be made so. His
poems published in the last twenty or
twenty-five years are severe tests Of patience,
and e~xasperations to the understanding.
While they contain fresh ideas, fine senti-
ments, poetic suggestions, they. are barren
forty years ago he published "Christmas
Eve and Easter Day, which was the au-
thor's idea of some of the theological ques-
tons of the time, and also an ap-
parent expression Of his own re-
figious views. The work was strong,
ingenious, intellectual, but not at all poet
ical in a complete sense, and to the major
collection of his poems that has IN entire
interest is "Men and Women" first printed
in 1855. Many of these are unfinished,
crude. and affectedly mystical; but Others
are beautiful and u~nforgetable. They, with
a few poems in "Bells and POmegranates,.
are nearly all the things that deserve pres
ervation and that another generation will
be likely to read. His enthusiastic admir-
ers put no limit to their admiration. They
place him next to Shakespeare; but the mass
Of unprecedented minds consider him, as q
whole, positively unreliable, and this will
unquestionably bethe ofposterity
Browning. thought a'painter and a mu-
! SlCldu, VI 4dvS yCd1S OultlNdIGu TuRgoOs
ness, mysticism and incomprehensibiiity
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 laud to the skies
every line that he printed.
much as he was literarily. Afew of his ac.
quaintances, who were, of course, his pane
gyrists, though him the most delightful of
men. But most of his acquaintance con-
sidered him egotistic, pompous and un-
satisfactory. His talk was like his poetry,
generally, unintelligible. He was fond 81
taking high themes, and, after an hours
ghost of an idea. Browning was almost up
to his death in possession Of all his tacuf-
ties and in perfect health. His memory had
not failed in the least. 1t has been suggested
that he caught the infection Of a loud
style Of writing from his wife, the famous
Elizabeth, Barrett. Browning. The sugges-
ton is not good, for nearly all she wrote
Browning's love for his. wife-she lived fit.
teen years after her marriage-was romantic
and devoted. She had always been an in
valid, and had not q personal charm of any
kind. She not only looked, as has been
said, unlike a woman who had ever
woman " who had ever read
one. He was as loyal to her memory as be
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. He was q
great fayorite With women. many of whom
derstand, and he deserves to be, for in some
of his minor poems he has eyinceda noble
sympathy with and understanding Of the
finest of womankind. He went q good deal
into society-that is, into circles where he
was sure Of admiration. He did not write
for money. Fortunately, he inherited an