The sun., 1899-03-12

soon mlbb D1TTott, anu ~ was ouIy low uuyb
previously that he had first read some OF her
poems. "In the FIRST flush OF delight" he tells
her. II thought would this once get out Of
my habit Of purely passive enjoyment. when
do really enjoy. and thoroughly Justify my ad-
miration-perhaps. even as loyal fellow crafts
man should. try and find fault. and do you
sonae little good. to be proud OF hereafter l-but
nothing comes OF II all-so into me has 1t gone
and part OF me has It become. this great living
poetry OF yours. not flower OF which but took
root and grew. After all. I need not
give up the thought of doing that, too
in time; because. even now. talking with who
ever is worthy. l can give a reason for
my faith In one and another excellence
the fresh. strange music. the affluent lam
guage. the exquisite pathos. and true. new
brave thought: but in this. addressing myself
to you. your own self. and for the first time.
my feeling rises altogether. lido. as say. love
these books with all my heart-and l love you.
too" Miss Barrett's answer was dated on the
following day. such letter." she writes.
from such hand Sympathy is dear. very
dear to me: but the sympathy OF poet. and Of
such poet. is the quintessence OF sympathy to
me. Will you take back my gratitude for it2
agreeing. too. that OF all the commerce done In
the world. from Tyre to Carthage. the exchange
OF sympathy for gratitude is the most princely
thing 2" She goes on to beg that he will tell
her of such faults as rise to the surface and
strike him as important in her poems. She re-
calls the circumstance that tho most frequent
general criticism / receive is. think. upon
the style. But that is an objection. isn't
It. to the writer bodily. Button says. and every
N sincere writer must feel that lie Style c'est =
hornrne' fact. however. scarcely calculated
TO lessen the objection with certain critics" !"
On Jan. 13 Browning replied: 1t looks as II
have introduced some phrase or other about
your faults SO cleverly as to give exactly the
opposite meaning to what meant. which was
that. in my first ardor. l thought to tell you Of
srepthino which impressed me in your verses.
down even to whatever faults could find
good earnest when had got to them that I
hadleft out not much between. e" What
struck me as faults were not matters on the
removal OF which one was to have poetry or
high poetry. but the very highest poetry. so I
thought. aud that to universal recognition.
' ." Night is drawing on and 60 out.
yet cannot quiet my conscience till I
repeat ito myself for I never said
it to you. think that your poetry
must be. cannot but be. infinitely more to me
than mine 70 you-for you do what always
wanted. hoped to do. apd only seem now likely
TO do for the first time. You speak out, pou-I
only make men and women speak-Rive you
truth broken into prismatc hues, and fear the
pure white light. even II 1t is In me. but am
going to try" Miss Barrett's response to
the letter bears date Jan. 10. She seems to
have OWNED what certainly was not expressed.
to wit: Browning's recognition OF her chief
superficial faults. overhaste and carelessness
in expression. Il apprehend." she says.
what you mean in the criticism you just inti-
mate. and shall turn it over and over in my
mind until get practical good from It."
She is headleng by nature. she ayows.
but. In art, / understand that It does
not do to be headlonR." One muat be
patient and laborious. What no mere
critic sees. but what you an artist. know. is the
difference between the thing desired and tho
thing attained between the idea In the
writer's mind and the eidoIon cast of In his
work. All the effort. the quickening of the
breath and beating OF the heart in pursuit.
which is rufling and injurious to the general
effect OF n composition: all which you call
'insistency., and which many would call super
huity. and which is supernuous in sense you
can pardon because you understand. The
great chasm between tho thing I say and the
thing would say would be quite dispiritinR to
me. in spite even of such kindness as yours. II
the desire did not master the despondency" I"
In BrowninG's next letter he complains that
Miss Barrett knows nothing. next to nothing. OF
him. Miss Barrett replies: is 1t true. as you
say. that know so little OF your And Is it
true. as others say. that the productions OF an
artist do not partake OF his real nature that.
In the minor sense man Is hot made in the
image OF Godp 1t is not true. to my mind
and, therefore. it is not true that know little
OF you. except In aS Tar as It Is true (which
believer that your greatest works are to come
little later she adds: But do not know.
cannot guess. whether you are liable to be
panied deeply oy hard criticism and cold
neglect. such as original writer's like
yourself are too often exposed to; or
whether the love OF art Is enough for
you. and tho exercise OF art tho fill-
Ing Joy OF your life 1t appears to
me that poets who. ike Keats. are highly sus-
ceptible to criticism must be jealous In their
own persons ot tho future honor OF their work
Because II awork Is worthy. honor must fol-
low, though the worker should not live to see
that following overtake him. Now. is it not