The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-27
A POETS ROMANCE.
How Mrs. BrOwning's "SOnnets' from
the Portuguese Were Written.

New York Tribune.
In the new edition of Mrs. Browning's
.Sonnets from the Portuguese, just i'm
ported by Charles Scribners Sons, We find
some romantic notes concerning the or.g.n
Of these beautiful sonnets. Eight years be-
fore his death Browning told the story to
a friend with the understanding that some
day it might be made public. Tine time
seems to have arrived says Mr.. Gosse,
when there can be no possible ndiscre-
ton In recording a very pretty episode
Of literary history; During the months of
their brief courtship, closing, as all the
world knows. in the clandestine fight and
romantic marriage of Sept. IL, 1876, neither
Browning, in particular had not the small
est notion that the circumstances of their
betrothal had led Miss Barrett into any
artistic expression of feeling. AS little did
he suspect it during their honevmoon in
Paris or during their first crowded weeks
in Italy. They settled at length in Pisa,
and, being quilted by Mrs. Jameson and
her niece in a very calm and happy mood,
the young couple took up each his or her
separate work
Their custom was, Mr. Browning said
to write alone. and not to show each other
what they had written. This was a rule
which he sometimes broke through, but she
never. He had the habit of working in
downstairs room, where their meals were
spread, while Mrs Browning studied in
a room on the floor above. One day, early
in l8i7, their breakfast being over Mrs
Browning went upstairs while her hus-
street till the table should be cleared. He
was presently aware of some one behind
him. although the servant gone. 1t
was Mrs. Browning, who held him by the
shoulder to prevent his turning TO look at
her, and at the same time pushed a packet
of papers into the pocket OF his coat. She
told him to read that and to tear 1t up
If he did not like it; and then she fled
again to her own room.
Mr.. Browning settled himself at the table
and unfolded the parcel 1t contained the
series of sonnets which have now become so
ii Illus As he read, his emotion and de-
ished it was impossible for him to restrain
himself, and. regard'sss of his promise. he
rushed upstairs. stormed that guarded
citadel. He was early conscious that these
were treasures. not to be kept from the
said, the finest sonnets written in any Ian
guage since Shakspeares. But Mrs. Brown
publication of what had been the very notes
and chronicle of her betrothal. AT length
she was persuaded to permit her friend,
Miss Mary Russell Milford, to whom they
had originally been sent in manuscript to
pass them through the press, although she
absolutely declin ed to accede to Miss Nit
ford's suggestion that they should appear in
one of the fashionable ANIMALS of the day
Accordingly small volume was printed on
tilted 'Sonnets, by r. b. b. Reading not for
publication. 1s47,' an octave of forty-seven
pages
sonnets in the volumes of 1850 the question
of title arose. The name which was ulti-
mately chosen, 'Sonnets from the PortlI-
guese. vas inverted by Mr.. Browning as an
ship, and yet to suggest kinshp with that
beautiful lyric called Taterina to Camoens'
in which so similar a passion had been ex-
pressed. Long before he ever heard of
these poems. Mr. Browning called his wife
his own little Portuguese and So when
she proposed 'Sonnets Translated from the
OF translated replied, No. not BOSNIAN
that means nothing-but from the Portu-
guese They are caterina's sonnets.' And
so. in half a joke, half a conceit. the fa-i
NOUS title was invented.S'