life of robert browning(罗伯特·布朗宁传)-第24部分
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long slow poise of 〃The Ring and the Book〃。 Where then is the full
splendour and rush of the tide； where its culminating reach and power？
I should say in 〃Men and Women〃； and by 〃Men and Women〃 I mean
not merely the poems comprised in the collection so entitled； but all in the
〃Dramatic Romances〃； 〃Lyrics〃； and the 〃Dramatis Personae〃； all the short
pieces of a certain intensity of note and quality of power； to be found in
the later volumes； from 〃Pacchiarotto〃 to 〃Asolando〃。
And this because； in the words of the poet himself when speaking of
Shelley； I prefer to look for the highest attainment； not simply the high
and； seeing it； to hold by it。 Yet I am not oblivious of the mass of
Browning's lofty achievement； 〃to be known enduringly among men；〃
an achievement； even on its secondary level； so high； that around its
imperfect proportions； 〃the most elaborated productions of ordinary art
must arrange themselves as inferior illustrations。〃
How am I to convey concisely that which it would take a volume to do
adequately an idea of the richest efflorescence of Browning's genius in
these unfading blooms which we will agree to include in 〃Men and
Women〃？ How better certainly it would be impossible to be more
succinct than by the enumeration of the contents of an imagined volume；
to be called； say 〃Transcripts from Life〃？
It would be to some extent； but not rigidly； arranged chronologically。 It
would begin with that masterpiece of poetic concision； where a whole
tragedy is burned in upon the brain in fifty…six lines； 〃My Last Duchess〃。
Then would follow 〃In a Gondola〃； that haunting lyrical drama ‘in petto'；
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where the lover is stabbed to death as his heart is beating against that of
his mistress； 〃Cristina〃； with its keen introspection； those delightfully
stirring pieces； the 〃Cavalier Tunes〃； 〃Through the Metidja to Abd…el…
Kadr〃； and 〃The Pied Piper of Hamelin〃； 〃The Flower's Name〃； 〃The
Flight of the Duchess〃； 〃The Tomb at St。 Praxed's〃； the poem which
educed Ruskin's enthusiastic praise for its marvellous apprehension of the
spirit of the Middle Ages； 〃Pictor Ignotus〃； and 〃The Lost Leader〃。 But as
there is not space for individual detail； and as many of the more important
are spoken of elsewhere in this volume； I must take the reader's
acquaintance with the poems for granted。 So； following those first
mentioned； there would come 〃Home Thoughts from Abroad〃； 〃Home
Thoughts from the Sea〃； 〃The Confessional〃； 〃The Heretic's Tragedy〃；
〃Earth's Immortalities〃； 〃Meeting at Night： Parting at Morning〃； 〃Saul〃；
〃Karshish〃； 〃A Death in the Desert〃； 〃Rabbi Ben Ezra〃； 〃A Grammarian's
Funeral〃； 〃Love Among the Ruins〃； Song； 〃Nay but you〃； 〃A Lover's
Quarrel〃； 〃Evelyn Hope〃； 〃A Woman's Last Word〃； 〃Fra Lippo Lippi〃；
〃By the Fireside〃； 〃Any Wife to Any Husband〃； 〃A Serenade at the Villa〃；
〃My Star〃； 〃A Pretty Woman〃； 〃A Light Woman〃； 〃Love in a Life〃； 〃Life
in a Love〃； 〃The Last Ride Together〃； 〃A Toccata of Galuppi's〃； 〃Master
Hugues of Saxe Gotha〃； 〃Abt Vogler〃； 〃Memorabilia〃； 〃Andrea Del
Sarto〃； 〃Before〃； 〃After〃； 〃In Three Days〃； 〃In a Year〃； 〃Old Pictures in
Florence〃； 〃De Gustibus〃； 〃Women and Roses〃； 〃The Guardian Angel〃；
〃Cleon〃； 〃Two in the Campagna〃； 〃One Way of Love〃； 〃Another Way of
Love〃； 〃Misconceptions〃； 〃May and Death〃； 〃James Lee's Wife〃； 〃Dis
Aliter Visum〃； 〃Too Late〃； 〃Confessions〃； 〃Prospice〃； 〃Youth and Art〃；
〃A Face〃； 〃A Likeness〃； 〃Apparent Failure〃。 Epilogue to Part I。 〃O
Lyric Voice〃； etc。； from end of First Part of 〃The Ring and the Book〃。 Part
II。 〃Herve Riel〃； 〃Amphibian〃； 〃Epilogue to Fifine〃； 〃Pisgah Sights〃；
〃Natural Magic〃； 〃Magical Nature〃； 〃Bifurcation〃； 〃Numpholeptos〃；
〃Appearances〃； 〃St。 Martin's Summer〃； 〃A Forgiveness〃； Epilogue to
Pacchiarotto volume； Prologue to 〃La Saisiaz〃； Prologue to 〃Two Poets of
Croisic〃； 〃Epilogue〃； 〃Pheidippides〃； 〃Halbert and Hob〃； 〃Ivan
Ivanovitch〃； 〃Echetlos〃； 〃Muleykeh〃； 〃Pan and Luna〃； 〃Touch him ne'er
so lightly〃； Prologue to 〃Jocoseria〃； 〃Cristina and Monaldeschi〃； 〃Mary
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Wollstonecraft and Fuseli〃； 〃Ixion〃； 〃Never the Time and the Place〃； Song；
〃Round us the wild creatures〃； Song； 〃Wish no word unspoken〃； Song；
〃You groped your way〃； Song； 〃Man I am〃； Song； 〃Once I saw〃； 〃Verse…
making〃； 〃Not with my Soul Love〃； 〃Ask not one least word of praise〃；
〃Why from the world〃； 〃The Round of Day〃 （Pts。 9； 10； 11； 12 of Gerard
de Lairesse）； Prologue to 〃Asolando〃； 〃Rosny〃； 〃Now〃； 〃Poetics〃；
〃Summum Bonum〃； 〃A Pearl〃； 〃Speculative〃； 〃Inapprehensiveness〃； 〃The
Lady and the Painter〃； 〃Beatrice Signorini〃； 〃Imperante Augusto〃；
〃Rephan〃； 〃Reverie〃； Epilogue to 〃Asolando〃 （in all； 122）。
But having drawn up this imaginary anthology； possibly with faults of
commission and probably with worse errors of omission； I should like to
take the reader into my confidence concerning a certain volume； originally
compiled for my own pleasure； though not without thought of one or two
dear kinsmen of a scattered Brotherhood a volume half the size of the
projected Transcripts； and rare as that star in the tip of the moon's horn of
which Coleridge speaks。
‘Flower o' the Vine'； so it is called； has for double…motto these two
lines from the Epilogue to the Pacchiarotto volume 〃Man's thoughts and
loves and hates！ Earth is my vineyard； these grew there 〃 and these
words； already quoted； from the Shelley Essay； 〃I prefer to look for the
highest attainment； not simply the high。〃
I。 From 〃Pauline〃*1* 1。 〃Sun…treader； life and light be thine for
ever！〃 2。 The Dawn of Beauty； 3。 Andromeda； 4。 Morning。 II。 〃Heap
Cassia； Sandal…buds；〃 etc。 （song from 〃Paracelsus〃）。 III。 〃Over the Sea our
Galleys went〃 （song from 〃Paracelsus〃）。 IV。 The Joy of the World
（〃Paracelsus〃）。*2* V。 From 〃Sordello〃 1。 Sunset；*3* 2。 The Fugitive
Ethiop；*4* 3。 Dante。*5* VI。 Ottima and Sebald （Pt。 1； 〃Pippa Passes〃）。
VII。 Jules and Phene （Pt。 2； 〃Pippa Passes〃）。 VIII。 My Last Duchess。 IX。
In a Gondola。 X。 Home Thoughts from Abroad （1 and 2）。 XI。 Meeting at
Night： Parting at Morning。 XII。 A Grammarian's Funeral。 XIII。 Saul。 XIV。
Rabbi Ben Ezra。 XV。 Love among the Ruins。 XVI。 Evelyn Hope。 XVII。
My Star。 XVIII。 A Toccata of Galuppi's。 XIX。 Abt Vogler。 XX。
Memorabilia。 XXI。 Andrea del Sarto。 XXII。 Two in the Campagna。 XXIII。
James Lee's Wife。 XXIV。 Prospice。 XXV。 From 〃The Ring and the Book〃 …
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… 1。 O Lyric Love （The Invocation： 26 lines）； 2。 Caponsacchi （ll。 2069 to
2103）； 3。 Pompilia （ll。 181 to 205）； 4。 Pompilia （ll。 1771 to 1845）； 5。 The
Pope （ll。 2017 to 2228）； 6。 Count Guido （Book 11； ll。 2407 to 2427）。
XXVI。 Prologue to 〃La Saisiaz〃。 XXVII。 Prologue to 〃Two Poets of
Croisic〃。 XXVIII。 Epilogue to 〃Two Poets of Croisic〃。 XXIX。 Never the
Time and Place。 XXX。 〃Round us the Wild Creatures；〃 etc。 （song from
〃Ferishtah's Fancies〃）。 XXXI。 〃The Walk〃 （Pts。 9； 10； 11； 12； of 〃Gerard
de Lairesse〃）。 XXXII。 〃One word more〃 （To E。 B。 B。）。*6*
*1* The first； from the line quoted； extends through 55 lines 〃To
see thee for a moment as thou art。〃 No。 2 consists of the 18 lines beginning；
〃They came to me in my first dawn of life。〃 No。 3； the 11 lines of the
Andromeda picture。 No。 4； the 59 lines beginning； 〃Night； and one single
ridge of narrow path〃 （to 〃delight〃）。 *2* No。 IV。 comprises the 29 lines
beginning； 〃The centre fire heaves underneath the earth；〃 down to 〃ancient
rapture。〃 *3* No。 V。 The 6 lines beginning； 〃That autumn ere has stilled。〃
*4* The 22 lines beginning； 〃As； shall I say； some Ethiop。〃 *5* The 29
lines beginning； 〃For he； for he。〃 *6* To these 32 selections there must
now be added 〃Now〃； 〃Summum Bonum〃； 〃Reverie〃； and the 〃Epilogue〃；
from 〃Asolando〃。
It is here I will not say in ‘Flower o' the Vine'； nor even venture to
restrictively affirm it of that larger and fuller compilation we have agreed；
for the moment； to call 〃Transcripts from Life〃 it is here； in the
worthiest poems of Browning's most poetic period； that； it seems to me；
his highest greatness is to be sought。 In these 〃Men and Women〃 he is； in
modern times； an unparalleled dramatic poet。 The influence he exercises
through these； and the incalculably cumulative influence which will leaven
many generations to come； is not to be looked for in individuals only； but
in the whole thought of the age； which he has moulded to new form；
animated anew； and to which he has imparted a fresh stimulus。 For this a
