The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-29
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.
Mr.. Ebert Hubbards Delightful Story
of Her Life.
Shakespeare of Women and Married a
a Great Poet.

Shakespeare of Women and Married a
Great Poet.
The Browning enthusiasts are numer-
GUS company in Portland If anything may
be judged by the attendance at the lecture
of Mr.. Elbert Hubbard, before the
Teachers association Thursday afternoon.
The Iecture.was delivered in Assembly
hall of the High school, and the audience
nearly filled the room.
Mr.. Hubbard was introduced by Hon.
Charles f. Libby. Mr.. Libby said that
1t was not often that we had the pleasure
OF meeting real Philistine in these days
since the chosen people made them scarce.
But few of them have survived and be-
| came creatures of sweetness and light in
these days. They are men and women of
courage. Faithful to their convictions,
they dare to stand up for what they be-
lleVe, for even in his nineteenth century
the wicked do not cease from troubling
and the weary dol rest. The Philistines
OF today boldly fling their banners to the
breeze in favor of the widest individuali-
ty in thought and expression. Such q
one, said Mr.. Sibley, he had the pleasure
of introducing, in Mr.. Elbert Hubbard.
| Mr.. Hubbard began by saying that he
should talk of Elizabeth Barrett Brown
ing; but he should not speak of her life
except to refer to few pivotal persons
and facts that played their parts in the
evolution of the soul.
| The paper which he should present
would be mere bundle of facts, with no
other art than that of the impressionist.
| He could not tell where Mrs. Browning
was born, for the authorities differed.
Some said in London and some in the
country. He was inclined to think that
essentially rural article. The place was
probably in Hertfordshire. There she
lived until she was 20. She never had
childhood OF her mother we hear little
or nothing She is merely shadow, who
glides across the shade. and she seems to
have passed off it unwept, unhonored and
unsung. OF her brothers and sisters we
know as little as we do of Shakespeare.
At an early age she began to write poems,
her father who had been her tutor, pub
fishing volume written by her at the
age of IL. A blind tutor, of poetic in
stincts, who was employed for her for a
brief period, had marked influence upon
herEcharacter, an influence which she
acknowledges In the beautiful poem,
"Wine of Cyprus"
| Finacial difficulties compelled the Bar
rett to move to London. There man No.
8 came upon the scene, John Kenyon.
Speaking of Kenyon the lecturer said that
the men who can write the best do not
know the most. Fate has merely put an
edge on them. He wrote merely few
bright things but he encouraged many
others to write. He was rich and idle, a
great giver Of dinners, feeder of
lions.'' He discovered one of Elizabeth
Barrett's book of poems in second hand
book store. They had no sale. He dis
covered their merit, and sent the book to
her with the request that she write her
name with his on the title page. i
| Mr.. Kenyon took 1t upon himself to get
her poems published in the best maya
zines, and he introduced the little lady
to literary people. One of these was
'tLittle Miss Milford" who went straight
over to the pale little invalid and kissed
her. Then they talked and talked and
talked, until John Kenyon hitohed in his
seat and said it was time to go. The
house where the meeting occurred was
No. "a Gloucester Place. The house still
stands.
Mr.. Kenyon the next day gave dinner
party to Miss Milford and Miss Barrett.
Wordsworth and Walter Savage Lander
were there. In letter home Miss Milford
spoke of the delightful Miss Barrett"
who had translated the most difficult Of
the tragedies of Aeschylus.
| By this time fortune had favored again
her father and they. lived in better
quarters. But the daughter had OUT
grown her father. While he could read in
Greek she could dream in it. She was
beginning to be called the Shakespeare of
women. John Kenyon said, "I told you
SOL But Edward Barrett grew jealous
and tried to dictate to her. She was a
pale faced invalid living much in
darkened room. There she developed into
life which diverged from her fathers.
A love grew up in her that was not his
love.
Elizabeth Barrett was 81 when Little
Miss Milford wrote that her girlish beauty
was fading. 1t was then that John Ken
yon had conversation with her about
Robert Browning. Browning had ex-
pressed a wish to see her. He was then
"a, not at all man of the typical poet in
appearance, with long hair and Byronic
collar. He was sturdy, practical looking.
He had been prize wrestler in his youth.
He looked not unlike farmer; but he had
noble and dignifed reserve. deeply
spiritual nature. and was man inside
and out Is 4suG
The love of Elizabeth Barrett and
Robert Browning was divine passion.
Their union was union of mind and
soul. Each found heart rest in the
other. From that time the shutters were