Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-03-29

SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF ELIZABETH BARRETT
BROWNING.
Elizabeth Barrett was jorn in London in 1909
and educated carefully in a masculine range of
studies. She became writer tor periodicals
when she was only ten years old, and published
her first volume In 1926, entitled IAN Essay on
the Mind, and Other Poea s..
A friend, in describing the appearance of the
authoress al the age OF twenty-seyen, said ;
"She certainly was one of the most interesting
persons had ever seen; slight and delicate in
figure, with a shower of dark curls falling on
either side OF a most expressive face, large
tender eyes richly fringed by dark eyeashes.
smile like a sunbeam, and look of youthful
ness" The year 1887 was painful one to her.
self and to all who loved her. She broke
blood vessel upon the lungs which did not heal,
and at the approach of cold weather she was
ordered to a milder climate.
At Torquay her eldest brother, who had
accompanied her there. was drowned. This
tragedy nearly killed Elizabeth Barrett, and IL
was not until the following year that she could
he removed to London, where she began the life
which she continued for SO many years, con
fueh to one large and commodious. but darf-
ened chamoer admitting only her own afrection-
ate family and few devoted friends, reading
almost every book worth reading In almost
every language, and giving herself. heart and
soul to that poetry of which she seem born to
be the priestess.
In 1874 the first collected edition of her poems
was published in two volumes.
LADY Geraidin-'s Courtship" Is perhaps the
finest of her poems. and is said 80 have been
written in the incredible space of twelve hours
In this poem there graceful comp 'inent
to MIR Browning. to whom, 1t Is said, she had
not previously been personally known.
1t Is said that the grateful poet called to
express in person his Acknowledgements, and
that he was admitted Into the invalid's presence
by the happy mistake of Ia new servant. At aLy
rate he saw her anu mad permission to renew his
visit. The mutual attachment grew more and
more powerful; the acqu~intance became the
friend, and the friend was transformed into the
lover.
Love, the magician, brought restorative in
nnences, and her health q" far improved that
she became the wife of Robert Browning In the
autumn of 1876.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Browning
went Immediately to Italy and in ls49 their hap
piDess was completed by the birth Of son. an
only child. thus rounding the circle of her
10 fe, all that Is comprehended in the words
daughter, sister. wife ami mother. In 1851 she
published Casa Guidi 5Windows", a poem, The
title of which WAS taken from the name of the
residence occupied the Brownings, in
Florence. They lived in the house Casa Gu'di
for fourteen years. and from it Mrs, Browning
went out TO her grave.
In ls55 she published Aurora Leigh, mar
| rative poem in nine books; a sort of versified
| novel. Of which the subject characters and
| incidents are taken from English life and man.
| ners. Mrs. Browning tput the great Italian
| cause into burning verse and pleaded the
rights of humanity in aurora Leigh.
Mrs. Browning was not SO engrossed
In the Italian regeneration that she had no
| thought for other nations. Her interest in
America was very great. In her poem "a
Curse for a Nation" when she foretold the
| agony in store for America, and which fell
upon us with the swiftness of lightning, she
was loath to raise her poets voice against
us. pleading
"For am boundIby gratitude,
D.