Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-04-02
Anecdotes Of Robert Browning.

The London correspondent Of the
LreTpoOt Courier tells the following
stories bearing upon the difficulties
| experienced in fathoming Mr..
BrOwning's poetry: When Doug
las JerrOd was i'll some one sent
him a copy Of BrOwning's poems.
He resa one 81 them but could not
comprehend il. lie asked his wife
to read it. She did so and said il
was incomprehensibIe. ssThank
heavens, said Jerr0ld, 81 am not
mad" a later and perfectly au-
thentic story is 10 this effect: A
great admirer Of the poet called
upon him To ask for the meaning Of
4 particular passage. Browning
read II and then remarked slowly,
Il cannot tell you what my thoughts
were at the time. The passage no
doubt expresses my ideas at the
time, but | have forgotten what they
were.3
There are Browning societies in
the Emitted States, and OF one Of
them in the West conicai story of
thoroughgoinS devotion 10 princi-
piles is told by Mr.. G.. w. Curtis
This club held a reception. at which
everything was 10 be brown. "a
brown tahleclOih wss covered with
brown china. There was brown
bread and brown sugar. The
hosts appeared In brown dfesses, and
brown curtains drayed the windows.
Brown was universal; and when one
of the guests, looking round the
room, at last exclaimed, We'll, | de-
clare, really believe You are a
Browning clubi' there was no mem
Der hardy enough to deny it," 1t is
admitted by Mr.. Curtis that his
countrymen have an opinion that
much of the popularity of Mr..
Browning is attributable to the OBJ
security Of some Of his verse, coupled
with a feeling that the mystery.
wherever il exists, lis but cloud |
an Alp" At all events |
the readers OF the poet are numerous
in America.
The following story has been
under the notice Of the birmingham
fosi: a poem Of MIR. BroWning's,
'Prospice, - was recently fixed upon
in connection with an elOcution |
eompetitionatthe Birmingham high
school for girls. Ore Of the pupils.
I daughter Of Mr.. w. T. Smedley,
finding herself unable to fathom the
Of some Of the more diff
cult passages, hit upon the happy
thought Of seeking the assistance OF
Mr.. Browning himself. Copying
'ut the particular passages in the in
expectation Of which she needed
I'D, the young lady appended to
hem her own ideas Of the meaning
.nd sent the manuscript TO the poet.
TO her delight the copy was prompt
returned, carefully annotated in
'ir. BrOwning's own writing, ne
laving given opposite each passage
brief but lucid explanation Of tie
thoughts it had been his intention
D convey. At the bottom Of all he
ad written the following pleasant
title note: "rhere, my dear young
ldy, | have done the little that was
ecessary, and hope it may suffice.
-Affectionately yours, ROBERT :
An additional in !
rest attaches to this note from the
Ict that it must have been one of
lie last written by the veteran poet.
Mr.. Browning Isays "Atlas;' in
he World used occasionally to re-
r to the only occasion on which be
FER spoke TO the queen. Some
ssrs ago the late Dean Of West
mister and Lady Augusta STAN
y invited him, among others, to (
a at the Deanery TO meet the !
leen, and n small and select party
eIe present, MIR: Carlyle being
&c. The company, as was befit-
~ in the presence Of their sOver-
sn, Were respectfully silent, only
ming in the conversation when
dressed. The queen began to
X to Mr.. Carlyle, and expressed
r opinions on some matter from
lich he differed, and he, as usual,
her aud silenced her,
aiming hold OF the conversation
the queen rose to &c. AS the
cen left the room she stopped at
} door to speak to Mr.. Browning \
4 say uoOd-bye, remarking, -
What a very extraordinary man
!. Carlyle isI Dies he always
( Ike that? 1 never met him be-