New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-31

Her letters during these Joyous years III i'0'S
tmany of which Mrs Orr is able to give mere
are delightful, and not least so because OF the
passionate love for her husband which they rc-
veal She is never tired Of talking ABOUT hii,i'
He is the best husband in the world. And truly
there was better ground for this euloglum than
often appears. For Robert Browning was
very literally q model husband. 1t was said OF
him that he was never seen without his wl1e'
that he passed tall his evenings at her side. That
he put himself always in the background where
she was concerned. The most tender and unself-
ish of men. she declares; and no evidence mas
ever appeared to the contrary. Two poets
in one household small minds might suspect,
would surely Jar. But here all was harmony
and sweet accord, and the spirit of this unity
appears in the fact that each thought the other
the greater singer Sse has genius" said he TO
friends, while l have but painstaUing talent.
On her part she never would admit that her
verses were worthy to be named in the same
breath with his: and both Of them were
sincere in their self-depreciation
According to Mrs Orr they never disagreed save
upon one topic and that was spirtualisn. Mrs.
Browning believed in the hypothesis. Robert
Browning could not do so. What vexed him most
was that his wife would not admit that his posi-
ton was sincere bnt insisted that at heart he
was with her. No serious quarrel ever grew out
of this difference Of opinion, but it became an
annoyance to Browning whose nervous system
was very sensitive. They took up their abode
lostensibly) in Florence but spent most of the time
travelling from place to place, seeking cool sum-
mer and warm winter resorts. Then presently
came the browning blessing, IA child and the in
valid wife renewed her youth in his, and the
happiness of both of them overlooked. And then
fbo 20 barn
Mrs Browning was wholly unexpected; SO much
so that to the last she did not know that she was
dying few moments before she drew her last
breath she was laughing at her husband for try
ing to make "a serious case" of her indsposition,
which she thought slight cold. And then,
on sudden she was gone. 1t was heartbreak-
ing blow, and for time it seemed that the career
of the survivor would end then and there But
tits better to have loved and lost, than never
to have loved at all and one reason why it is
better is that the memories of the beloved and
the desire to carry out their wishes help to ennobe
life, and give TO it's meanest occupations the
significance of sacred duties. Robert Browning
lived for his child, and to do for that child and
for himself what he knew she would have desired
him to do.
Yet for time his heart was too sore for work.
He travelled on the coast of France, restessly
fitting from point to point. carefully watching
over his boy, and by degrees schooling himself
to resume his composition. He never again
the same man. That was not TO have been en-
pected by any who knew what his wife had been
to him. But it was laid upon him to fulfil his
career D.; to do the best of which he was capable
to convey his message whether the world would
receive it or not and he did his duty manfully.
One would like to know much more of lBrowning's
x,fo ;,,+;,o fbo, Orr hoe. ia
willing to set forth in these volumes. Moreover.
what she does tell somehow lacks the clear
note of well-detined personality. We have attr-
butes described to us in place of a complete ind-
viduality There are very few illustrative ancc-
dotes very few indications of habit, of idiosyn-
Grassy; in fact, no distinct portrait of the man.
We are made aware of some pecuiarities, as, for
instance, that he talked loud, MS is surmsed be-
cause for some time he had foregathered with a
group of deaf people, who had TO be shouted at:
that he was brilliant talker, more addicted to
monologue than conversation, but that he could
not make speech; that he preferred the society
of women TO that Of men-a by no means rare
trait among men, by the way-and that he was
not precisely chivalrous in his behavior to women,
but deeply respectful and warmly cordial.
After the death of his wife he left Florence.
never to return. Thenceforward he lived much
in London and in France, later spending more
time in Venice, where he bought "palazzo' for
his son Barrett when the young man grew up and
took unto himself wife, after the manner of the
sons Of men. At Venice he made many friends,
and several American friends, chief among whom
were Mrs. Bronson and Mr. and Mrs Curtis, Of
the Palazzo Barbara Four years after his great
affection he wrote what may hereafter be deemed
his greatest work-"Ihe Ring and the Book in
which the story of the Franceschini murder is
told with much wealth of genius. few months
before the end came he added one more illustra-
ton to the sinister Turkish adage-" When the
house is furnished, Death enters for he moved
into a new and larger dwelling in London, and
for the first time had room to set out his own
books and the six thousand his father left him.
Then, in 1891, he went to Italy, and stayed
little while at Asolo, where he had first sojourned
in Italy, fifty years before. And the beauty of
the place so wrought upon him that he resolved
to buy there or build a little house, for summer
use and so resolving he passed on to Venice and
became the guest OF his son and daughter. Men
die often because they cannot realize that old age
and death have anysconcern with them. This was
Brownings case He had been visibly failing
during the past year. but would not recognize the
truth Always great walker, he insisted upon
taking his accustomed constitutional" on the
Lido, one day when it was foggy and raw. His
chest had always been delicate and now bronchitis
set in. At first he would not see doctor. 1t
was nothing, he said. When at length he was
persuaded to let his sons physician examine him.
he was past remedies Yet he did not realize
that he was dying until a few minutes before he
died. He was quite composed and cheerful to the
last. From Venice his body passed to the great
Abbey of Westminster, and all ltaly-the Italy he
had loved so warmly-mourned him.
Mrs Orrs biography is disappointing in several
respects, some of which have been already men
toned. 1t has too much abstract criticism and
elucidation for one thing, and too little informa-
ton about the man himself. 1t is however, in
teesting and cminenty readable, and awaiting
the ideal Life of Robert Browning, which is still
in the womb of the future, it may be welcomed
unconstrainedly.