life of robert browning(罗伯特·布朗宁传)-第13部分
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insight of； say； 〃The Inn Album〃； but it has that charm of sequent
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excellence too rarely to be found in many of Browning's later writings。 It
glides onward like a steadfast stream； the thought moving with the current
it animates and controls； and throbbing eagerly beneath。 When we read
certain portions of 〃Paracelsus〃； and the lovely lyrics interspersed in it； it
is difficult not to think of the poet as sometimes； in later life； stooping like
the mariner in Roscoe's beautiful sonnet； striving to reclaim 〃some loved
lost echo from the fleeting strand。〃 But it is the fleeting shore of exquisite
art； not of the far…reaching shadowy capes and promontories of 〃the poetic
land〃。
Of the four interlusive lyrics the freer music is in the unique chant；
〃Over the sea our galleys went〃： a song full of melody and blithe lilt。 It is
marvellously pictorial； and yet has a freedom that places it among the
most delightful of spontaneous lyrics： 〃We shouted； every man of us；
And steered right into the harbour thus； With pomp and paean glorious。〃 It
is； however； too long for present quotation； and as an example of
Browning's early lyrics I select rather the rich and delicate second of these
〃Paracelsus〃 songs； one wherein the influence of Keats is so marked； and
yet where all is the poet's own： 〃Heap cassia； sandal…buds and stripes Of
labdanum； and aloe…balls； Smeared with dull nard an Indian wipes From
out her hair： such balsam falls Down sea…side mountain pedestals； From
tree…tops where tired winds are fain； Spent with the vast and howling main；
To treasure half their island…gain。 〃And strew faint sweetness from some
old Egyptian's fine worm…eaten shroud Which breaks to dust when once
unrolled； Or shredded perfume； like a cloud From closet long to quiet
vowed； With mothed and dropping arras hung； Mouldering her lute and
books among； As when a queen； long dead； was young。〃
With this music in our ears we can well forgive some of the prosaic
commonplaces which deface 〃Paracelsus〃 some of those lapses from
rhythmic energy to which the poet became less and less sensitive； till he
could be so deaf to the vanishing 〃echo of the fleeting strand〃 as to sink to
the level of doggerel such as that which closes the poem called
〃Popularity〃。
〃Paracelsus〃 is not a great； but it is a memorable poem： a notable
achievement； indeed； for an author of Browning's years。 Well may we
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exclaim with Festus； when we regard the poet in all the greatness of his
maturity 〃The sunrise Well warranted our faith in this full noon！〃
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CHAPTER4。
The ‘Athenaeum' dismissed 〃Paracelsus〃 with a half contemptuous
line or two。 On the other hand； the ‘Examiner' acknowledged it to be a
work of unequivocal power； and predicted for its author a brilliant career。
The same critic who wrote this review contributed an article of about
twenty pages upon 〃Paracelsus〃 to the ‘New Monthly Magazine'； under
the heading； 〃Evidences of a New Dramatic Poetry〃。 This article is ably
written； and remarkable for its sympathetic insight。 〃Mr。 Browning；〃 the
critic writes； 〃is a man of genius； he has in himself all the elements of a
great poet； philosophical as well as dramatic。〃
The author of this enthusiastic and important critique was John Forster。
When the ‘Examiner' review appeared the two young men had not met：
but the encounter； which was to be the seed of so fine a flower of
friendship； occurred before the publication of the ‘New Monthly' article。
Before this； however； Browning had already made one of the most
momentous acquaintanceships of his life。
His good friend and early critic； Mr。 Fox； asked him to his house one
evening in November； a few months after the publication of 〃Paracelsus〃。
The chief guest of the occasion was Macready； then at the height of his
great reputation。 Mr。 Fox had paved the way for the young poet； but the
moment he entered he carried with him his best recommendation。 Every
one who met Browning in those early years of his buoyant manhood
seems to have been struck by his comeliness and simple grace of manner。
Macready stated that he looked more like a poet than any man he had ever
met。 As a young man he appears to have had a certain ivory delicacy of
colouring； what an old friend perhaps somewhat exaggeratedly described
to me as an almost flower…like beauty； which passed ere long into a less
girlish and more robust complexion。 He appeared taller than he was； for he
was not above medium height； partly because of his rare grace of
movement； and partly from a characteristic high poise of the head when
listening intently to music or conversation。 Even then he had that
expressive wave o' the hand； which in later years was as full of various
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meanings as the ‘Ecco' of an Italian。 A swift alertness pervaded him；
noticeable as much in the rapid change of expression； in the deepening and
illuming colours of his singularly expressive eyes； and in his sensitive
mouth； with the upper lip ever so swift to curve or droop in response to the
most fluctuant emotion； as in his greyhound…like apprehension； which so
often grasped the subject in its entirety before its propounder himself
realised its significance。 A lady； who remembers Browning at that time；
has told me that his hair then of a brown so dark as to appear black
was so beautiful in its heavy sculpturesque waves as to attract frequent
notice。 Another； and more subtle； personal charm was his voice； then with
a rare flute…like tone； clear； sweet； and resonant。 Afterwards； though
always with precise clarity； it became merely strong and hearty； a little too
loud sometimes； and not infrequently as that of one simulating keen
immediate interest while the attention was almost wholly detached。
Macready； in his Journal；* about a week later than the date of his first
meeting with the poet； wrote 〃Read ‘Paracelsus'； a work of great daring；
starred with poetry of thought； feeling； and diction； but occasionally
obscure： the writer can scarcely fail to be a leading spirit of his time。〃 The
tragedian's house； whither he went at week…ends and on holidays； was at
Elstree； a short distance to the northward of Hampstead： and there he
invited Browning； among other friends； to come on the last day of
December and spend New Year's Day （1836）。** When alluding； in after
years； to this visit； Browning always spoke of it as one of the red…letter
days of his life。 It was here he first met Forster； with whom he at once
formed what proved to be an enduring friendship； and on this occasion；
also； that he was urged by his host to write a poetic play。
* For many interesting particulars concerning Macready and
Browning； and the production of 〃Strafford〃； etc。； see the ‘Reminiscences'；
vol。 1。 ** It was for Macready's eldest boy； William Charles； that
Browning wrote one of the most widely popular of his poems； 〃The Pied
Piper of Hamelin〃。 It is said to have been an impromptu performance； and
to have been so little valued by the author that he hesitated about its
inclusion in 〃Bells and Pomegranates〃。 It was inserted at the last moment；
in the third number； which was short of 〃copy〃。 Some one （anonymous；
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but whom I take to be Mr。 Nettleship） has publicly alluded to his
possession of a rival poem （entitled； simply； 〃Hamelin〃） by Robert
Browning the elder； and of a letter which he had sent to a friend along
with the verses； in which he writes： 〃Before I knew that Robert had begun
the story of the ‘Rats' I had contemplated a tale on the same subject； and
proceeded with it as far as you see； but； on hearing that Robert had a
similar one on hand； I desisted。〃 This must have been in 1842； for it was in
that year that the third part of ‘Bells and Pomegranates' was published。 In
1843； however； he finished it。 Browning's 〃Pied Piper〃 has been translated
into French； Russian； Italian； and German。 The latter （or one German）
version is in prose。 It was made in 1880； for a special purpose； and
occupied the whole of one number of the local paper of Hameln； which is
a quaint
