life of robert browning(罗伯特·布朗宁传)-第17部分
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interest； really due to the reader's more or less acute perception of the
radical divergence； for all Valence's greatness of mind and spirit； between
the fair young Duchess and her chosen lover： a circumstance which must
surely stand in the way of its popularity。 Though 〃A Soul's Tragedy〃 has
the saving quality of humour； it is of too grim a kind to be provocative of
laughter。
In each of these plays* the lover of Browning will recall passage after
passage of superbly dramatic effect。 But supreme in his remembrance will
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be the wonderful scene in 〃The Return of the Druses〃； where the Prefect；
drawing a breath of relief； is almost simultaneously assassinated； and that
where Anael； with every nerve at tension in her fierce religious resolve；
with a poignant； life…surrendering cry； hails Djabal as ‘Hakeem' as
Divine and therewith falls dead at his feet。 Nor will he forget that where；
in 〃A Blot in the 'Scutcheon〃； Mildred； with a dry sob in her throat；
stammeringly utters 〃I I was so young！ Besides I loved him；
Thorold and I had No mother； God forgot me： so I fell 〃 or that
where； 〃at end of the disastrous day；〃 Luria takes the phial of poison from
his breast； muttering 〃Strange！ This is all I brought from my own land
To help me。〃
* 〃Strafford〃； 1837； 〃King Victor and King Charles〃； 1842； 〃The
Return of the Druses〃； and 〃A Blot in the 'Scutcheon〃； 1843； 〃Colombe's
Birthday〃； 1844； 〃Luria〃； and 〃A Soul's Tragedy〃； 1845。
Before passing on from these eight plays to Browning's most
imperishable because most nearly immaculate dramatic poem； 〃Pippa
Passes〃； and to 〃Sordello〃； that colossal derelict upon the ocean of poetry；
I should like out of an embarrassing quantity of alluring details to
remind the reader of two secondary matters of interest； pertinent to the
present theme。 One is that the song in 〃A Blot in the 'Scutcheon〃； 〃There's
a woman like a dew…drop〃； written several years before the author's
meeting with Elizabeth Barrett； is so closely in the style of 〃Lady
Geraldine's Courtship〃； and other ballads by the sweet singer who
afterwards became a partner in the loveliest marriage of which we have
record in literary history； that； even were there nothing to substantiate the
fact； it were fair to infer that Mertoun's song to Mildred was the electric
touch which compelled to its metric shape one of Mrs。 Browning's best…
known poems。
The further interest lies in the lordly acknowledgment of the
dedication to him of 〃Luria〃； which Landor sent to Browning lines
pregnant with the stateliest music of his old age： 〃Shakespeare is not our
poet but the world's； Therefore on him no speech！ and brief for thee；
Browning！ Since Chaucer was alive and hale No man has walked along
our roads with step So active； so enquiring eye； or tongue So varied in
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discourse。 But warmer climes Give brighter plumage； stronger wing： the
breeze Of Alpine heights thou playest with； borne on Beyond Sorrento and
Amalfi； where The Siren waits thee； singing song for song。〃
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CHAPTER 5。
In my allusion to 〃Pippa Passes〃； towards the close of the preceding
chapter； as the most imperishable because the most nearly immaculate of
Browning's dramatic poems； I would not have it understood that its pre…
eminence is considered from the standpoint of technical achievement； of
art； merely。 It seems to me； like all simple and beautiful things； profound
enough for the searching plummet of the most curious explorer of the
depths of life。 It can be read； re…read； learned by heart； and the more it is
known the wider and more alluring are the avenues of imaginative thought
which it discloses。 It has； more than any other long composition by its
author； that quality of symmetry； that ‘symmetria prisca' recorded of
Leonardo da Vinci in the Latin epitaph of Platino Piatto； and； as might be
expected； its mental basis； what Rossetti called fundamental brain…work； is
as luminous； depth within depth； as the morning air。 By its side； the more
obviously 〃profound〃 poems； Bishop Blougram and the rest； are mere
skilled dialectics。
The art that is most profound and most touching must ever be the
simplest。 Whenever Aeschylus； Dante； Shakespeare； Milton； are at white
heat they require no exposition； but meditation only the meditation akin
to the sentiment of little children who listen； intent upon every syllable；
and passionately eager of soul； to hearthside tragedies。 The play of genius
is like the movement of the sea。 It has its solemn rhythm： its joy； irradiate
of the sun； its melancholy； in the patient moonlight： its surge and
turbulence under passing tempests： below all； the deep oceanic music。
There are； of course； many to whom the sea is but a waste of water； at best
useful as a highway and as the nursery of the winds and rains。 For them
there is no hint 〃of the incommunicable dream〃 in the curve of the rising
wave； no murmur of the oceanic undertone in the short leaping sounds；
invisible things that laugh and clap their hands for joy and are no more。 To
them it is but a desert： obscure； imponderable； a weariness。 The
〃profundity〃 of Browning； so dear a claim in the eyes of the poet's
fanatical admirers； exists； in their sense； only in his inferior work。 There is
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more profound insight in Blake's Song of Innocence； 〃Piping down the
valleys wild；〃 or in Wordsworth's line； 〃Thoughts that do often lie too
deep for tears；〃 or in Keats' single verse； 〃There is a budding morrow in
midnight；〃 or in this quatrain on Poetry； by a young living poet 〃She
comes like the husht beauty of the night； But sees too deep for laughter；
Her touch is a vibration and a light From worlds before and after 〃
there is more 〃profundity〃 in any of these than in libraries of 〃Sludge the
Medium〃 literature。 Mere hard thinking does not involve profundity； any
more than neurotic excitation involves spiritual ecstasy。 ‘De profundis'；
indeed； must the poet come： there must the deep rhythm of life have
electrified his 〃volatile essence〃 to a living rhythmic joy。 In this deep
sense； and this only； the poet is born； not made。 He may learn to fashion
anew that which he hath seen： the depth of his insight depends upon the
depth of his spiritual heritage。 If wonder dwell not in his eyes and soul
there can be no 〃far ken〃 for him。 Here it seems apt to point out that
Browning was the first writer of our day to indicate this transmutive； this
inspired and inspiring wonder…spirit； which is the deepest motor in the
evolution of our modern poetry。 Characteristically； he puts his utterance
into the mouth of a dreamy German student； the shadowy Schramm who is
but metaphysics embodied； metaphysics finding apt expression in tobacco…
smoke： 〃Keep but ever looking； whether with the body's eye or the mind's；
and you will soon find something to look on！ Has a man done wondering
at women？ there follow men； dead and alive； to wonder at。 Has he done
wondering at men？ there's God to wonder at： and the faculty of wonder
may be； at the same time； old and tired enough with respect to its first
object； and yet young and fresh sufficiently； so far as concerns its novel
one。〃
This wonder is akin to that ‘insanity' of the poet which is but
impassioned sanity。 Plato sums the matter when he says； 〃He who； having
no touch of the Muse's madness in his soul； comes to the door and thinks
he will get into the temple by the help of Art he； I say； and his poetry；
are not admitted。〃
In that same wood beyond Dulwich to which allusion has already been
made； the germinal motive of 〃Pippa Passes〃 flashed upon the poet。 No
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wonder this resort was for long one of his sacred places； and that he
lamented its disappearance as fervently as Ruskin bewailed the
encroachment of the ocean of bricks and mortar upon the wooded
privacies of Denmark Hill。
Save for a couple of brief visits abroad； Browning spent the years；
between his first appearance as a
