The sun., 1912-07-14
The BrOwntnRs.

The last of the BRowNINGs, who died
the other day in Italy, where he was
born and had always lived. might have
seemed a predestined favorite Of the
MUSES.. The son Of two very famous
English poets. whose verse had attracted
them originally to one another. reared
in the atmosphere as in the land of art.
much might have been expected Of
BARRETT BROWNING. Whatever ex-
pectations were formed by his fond
parents were not realized. He betook
himself to painting, with results that
attracted almost wholly on hereditary
grounds attention which they cannot
be said really to have repaid. These
essays, such as they were, were made
many years ago. OF late he had so
fallen out Of notice and noticeableness
that the current volume OF the Eng
lish who's Who does not even con-
tain his name. 1t seems strange and
sad that all that wealth of heredity
and environment should have succeeded
only in rearing "a sterile dilettante."
Once. indeed. he became the cynosure
Of public attention, and that was when
some fifteen years ago he published the
love letters OF his parents: published.
not edited. for the letters were printed
just as they were found, without any
attempt at editorial elucidation even
when such elucidation was needed and
would have been welcome. But the
interest the publication excited was
quite a. much over the question whether
the letters ought to have been published
az over their own merits. The dis
cussion Of the question is the staple
Of LESLIE STEPHENS interesting re-
view OF them. A he admits that there
is nothing Objectionable in this publica-
ton in itself. which shows the corre-
spondents as "an ideal pair of lovers"
but only possibly pernicious example,
the question does not seem worth 80
elaborate raising, especially 10 q
generation which had just been sated
with the mutual endearments. diversi-
fled with clapperclawings, Of the CAR
LYLEs. The son who was responsible
for the publication might very we'll have
said that he was the person whose feel
ings were most. and almost only, to be
considered, and that since the letters
were undisputedly Equally creditable
to both parties the only proper ques-
ton remaining was as to their public
interest
As to the public interest there can be
no doubt. The story of a reciprocal
literary admiration turning into a life
long affection between a poet who was
also vigorous and genial man OF the
world and frail invalid almost dis
embodied as HAWTHORNE put it, three
years older than himself is very well
worth telling in its beginnings IA it is
told in the letters. But it was ELIZA
BETH BARRETr's published praise which
first turned BROwNIN0's attention TO
her. "She compared him to q nec-
tarine," explained CARL YLE to some
caller, to the horror and outrage OF Mrs
CARLYLE, who supplied the correct
version Of the famous lines:
/ WI FpHSkTBuBNe
| which n cut deep down the middle
Shows n heart within blood tinctured. Of q
| veined humanity"
Still, it is not to be said OF the Brown.
INGs that they are likely to be longes,
remcmberedb by eirlove letters, as NAT.
THEW ARNOLD rashiy said OF CARLYLE
that the record Of him in his CORE,
spondencc with EMERSON might outlas,
that of his books, Tho uncritical coup.
ling Of the BRowNiNCs. the Brown
riggs RUFUS CHoATE used to call then
, in declining to enlarge his old fashioned
p"ctlra' acquaintance when ,,r.N
thereto by their admirers of the younger
generation, has long since ceased She
must decrease whether or not he must
increase. She has been dead over hail
a century, and 10 tell the truth has he.
come much more nearly negligible 20,
~'d"rs y 'oHav than !. lock, ...,,,
that her husband who survived he,
thirty years. will have become IN 1910