The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27

or Browning 70 hear something in this vol.
ume, because, after his son had entered at Ballot
College,. he was often seen among the Oxford
dons. He was not n university man, nor, for
that matter, was Grotc; but our author testif1 es
that Browning's mind was saturated with clas-
steal lore. and his appreciation Of Greek poetry,
Greek mythology, and Greek sculpture was
very keen. He could not quote Greek verses,
but he was stepped in the Greek tragedians and
lyric poets. or course. this classical sympathy
was but one side Of his poetry. Browning was
full of sympathy, nay, OF worship. for anything
noble and true in literature, ancient or modern.
What was most delightful in him was his gen.
erosity In pouring out his own thoughts before
anybody who shared his sympathies. For real
and substantial conversation there was no one
his equal, and even in tho lighter after-dinner
talk he was admirable. His health seemed good,
and he was able to sacrifice much of his time to
society. He had one great advantage-he
never consented to spelling his dinner by
making q speech" In Max Mnller's opinion
the best place in which to see Browning
was Venice; 1t was there that he saw him
for the last time. HE was staying in one
Of the smaller palaces with a friend, and he
was easily persuaded to read some of his poems.
l asked him for his poem on Andrea del Sarto,
and his delivery was most simple, and yet most
telling. He was a far better reader than Tenny-
son. His voice was natural. sonorous and full
Of delicate shades; while Tennyson read in SO
deep a tone that it was like the rumbling and
rolling sound OF the sea rather than like a human |
voice. His admirers. who thought that every
thing he did must be perfect, encouraged him in
that kind of a delivery; and. whilo to me
1t seemed that he had smothered and MUIR
dered some Of the poems I liked best,
they sighed and groaned and poured out
strange interjections meant to be indie.
alive Of rapture" Our author adds:
There ia O definiteness In Tennyson's poetry
which makes 1t easy to recite, and even to de.
claim. his poems. while many of Browning's |
compositions do not lend themselves at all to |
rfra roce repetition. There is always n super.
abundance of thought and feeling in them. and
his mastery of rhyme and rhythm proved a
temptation which he could not always resist.
One often wished that some OF Browning's
poems could have passed through the Tenny.
sonian sieve, to take away all that is unneces.
sary In them. and to moderate his eSuberant
revolry in language"
Tennyson, though 4 Cambridge man. was a
more or less frequent visitor to Oxford. One
day during the long vacation he came to the nu.
thor's house, which was In tho High street
nearly opposite Magdalen College. The reader
may think that he was rather rude, though his
host does not say 30. wishing to show the
w aohSa MIN y " lIlI |
that night and to breakfast the next morning.
At that time almost all the shops we're in the
market, which closed Mt l o'clock. MY wife. n
young housekceper, did her best for the honored
guest. He was known to be a gourmand, and.
at dinner he was evidently put out when he
found the sauce with the salmon was not tho
ono he preferred. He was pleased. however, with
the wing OF a chicken. and said 1t was the only
he got from being Poet Laureate.
hAI ha lE nntxV A. ill.,
chicken. The next morning. at breakfast, we
had rather plumed ourselves on having been
able to get a dish of outlets. and were not a
little surprised when our guest arrived to SEQ
him whip off the cover of the hot dish and to
hear the exclamation: Mutton chops, the
Of every bad inn In England
However. these were hut minor mat
ters. though not without importance
NJ tho time in the eyes of a young
wife to whom Tonnyson had been like one OF
The Immortals. He WAS simply delightful, and
'ull OF inquiries about the f st, more ~pnrticu.
|arly about Indian poetry. and / believe IL was
then that l told him that there was no rhyme in
sanskrit poetry. and ventured TO ask him why
here should be in English. He was not SO
as Samuel johnson seems TO have
been when eskod tho Same question. The old
bear would probably have answered my cues.
Ion by, You are a great fool, sir; use your
'"h Judgment whle Iennyson gave the very
answer that rhyme assisted the
1t was difficult, even for his friends. 1t seems,
o have a long discussion with Tennyson. He
vas fond OF uttering short and decisive sen.
ences; his yes was yes indeed, and his no was
10 indeed. 1t was generally after dinner, when
his pipe and slipping his whiskey and
water. that Tennyson began to thaw and to take
moro active part in conversation. People who
ave not known him then have hardly known
iim at all. This, at least, is Max MGller's tes
imony, and he proceeds as follows: During
ho day he was often very silent and alb