life of robert browning(罗伯特·布朗宁传)-第3部分
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notwithstanding the exigencies of his vocation； he knew as much of the
history of art as any professional critic。 His extreme modesty is deducible
from this naive remark。 He was an amateur artist； moreover； as well as
poet； critic； and student。 I have seen several of his drawings which are
praiseworthy： his studies in portraiture； particularly； are ably touched： and；
as is well known； he had an active faculty of pictorial caricature。 In the
intervals of leisure which beset the best regulated clerk he was addicted to
making drawings of the habitual visitors to the Bank of England； in which
he had obtained a post on his return； in 1803； from the West Indies； and in
the enjoyment of which he remained till 1853； when he retired on a small
pension。 His son had an independent income； but whether from a bequest；
or in the form of an allowance from his then unmarried Uncle Reuben； is
uncertain。 In the first year of his marriage Mr。 Browning resided in an old
house in Southampton Street； Peckham； and there the poet was born。 The
house was long ago pulled down； and another built on its site。 Mr。
Browning afterwards removed to another domicile in the same Peckham
district。 Many years later； he and his family left Camberwell and resided at
Hatcham； near New Cross； where his brothers and sisters （by his father's
second marriage） lived。 There was a stable attached to the Hatcham house；
and in it Mr。 Reuben Browning kept his horse； which he let his poet…
nephew ride； while he himself was at his desk in Rothschild's bank。 No
doubt this horse was the ‘York' alluded to by the poet in the letter quoted；
as a footnote； at page 189 ＇Chapter 9＇ of this book。 Some years after his
wife's death； which occurred in 1849； Mr。 Browning left Hatcham and
came to Paddington； but finally went to reside in Paris； and lived there； in
a small street off the Champs Elysees； till his death in 1866。 The Creole
strain seems to have been distinctly noticeable in Mr。 Browning； so much
so that it is possible it had something to do with his unwillingness to
remain at St。 Kitts； where he was certainly on one occasion treated
cavalierly enough。 The poet's complexion in youth； light and ivory…toned
as it was in later life； has been described as olive； and it is said that one of
his nephews； who met him in Paris in his early manhood； took him for an
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Italian。 It has been affirmed that it was the emotional Creole strain in
Browning which found expression in his passion for music。**
* The three brothers were men of liberal education and literary tastes。
Mr。 W。 S。 Browning； who died in 1874； was an author of some repute。 His
‘History of the Huguenots' is a standard book on the subject。 ** Mrs。
Sutherland Orr； in her 〃Life and Letters of Robert Browning〃 （1891）； （now
available online） refutes these statements。 A。 L。； 1996。
By old friends of the family I have been told that Mr。 Browning had a
strong liking for children； with whom his really remarkable faculty of
impromptu fiction made him a particular favourite。 Sometimes he would
supplement his tales by illustrations with pencil or brush。 Miss Alice
Corkran has shown me an illustrated coloured map； depictive of the main
incidents and scenery of the ‘Pilgrim's Progress'； which he genially made
for 〃the children〃。*
* Mrs。 Fraser Corkran； who saw much of the poet's father during his
residence in Paris； has spoken to me of his extraordinary analytical faculty
in the elucidation of complex criminal cases。 It was once said of him that
his detective faculty amounted to genius。 This is a significant trait in the
father of the author of 〃The Ring and the Book〃。
He had three children himself Robert； born May 7th； 1812； a
daughter named Sarianna； after her mother； and Clara。 His wife was a
woman of singular beauty of nature； with a depth of religious feeling
saved from narrowness of scope only by a rare serenity and a fathomless
charity。 Her son's loving admiration of her was almost a passion： even late
in life he rarely spoke of her without tears coming to his eyes。 She was；
moreover； of an intellectual bent of mind； and with an artistic bias having
its readiest fulfilment in music； and； to some extent； in poetry。 In the latter
she inclined to the Romanticists： her husband always maintained the
supremacy of Pope。 He looked with much dubiety upon his son's early
writings； 〃Pauline〃 and 〃Paracelsus〃； 〃Sordello〃； though he found it
beyond either his artistic or his mental apprehension； he forgave； because
it was written in rhymed couplets； the maturer works he regarded with
sympathy and pride； with a vague admiration which passed into a clearer
understanding only when his long life was drawing near its close。
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Of his children's company he never tired； even when they were scarce
out of babyhood。 He was fond of taking the little Robert in his arms； and
walking to and fro with him in the dusk in 〃the library〃； soothing the child
to sleep by singing to him snatches of Anacreon in the original； to a
favourite old tune of his； 〃A Cottage in a Wood〃。 Readers of 〃Asolando〃
will remember the allusions in that volume to 〃my father who was a
scholar and knew Greek。〃 A week or two before his death Browning told
an American friend； Mrs。 Corson； in reply to a statement of hers that no
one could accuse him of letting his talents lie idle： 〃It would have been
quite unpardonable in my case not to have done my best。 My dear father
put me in a condition most favourable for the best work I was capable of。
When I think of the many authors who have had to fight their way through
all sorts of difficulties； I have no reason to be proud of my achievements。
My good father sacrificed a fortune to his convictions。 He could not bear
with slavery； and left India and accepted a humble bank…office in London。
He secured for me all the ease and comfort that a literary man needs to do
good work。 It would have been shameful if I had not done my best to
realise his expectations of me。〃*
* ‘India' is a slip on the part either of Browning or of Mrs。 Corson。
The poet's father was never in India。 He was quite a youth when he went
to his mother's sugar…plantation at St。 Kitts； in the West Indies。
The home of Mr。 Browning was； as already stated； in Camberwell； a
suburb then of less easy access than now； and where there were green trees；
and groves； and enticing rural perspectives into 〃real〃 country； yet withal
not without some suggestion of the metropolitan air。
〃The old trees Which grew by our youth's home the waving mass
Of climbing plants； heavy with bloom and dew The morning swallows
with their songs like words All these seem clear。 。 。 。 。 。 。 most distinct
amid The fever and the stir of after years。〃 （‘Pauline'。）
Another great writer of our time was born in the same parish： and
those who would know Herne Hill and the neighbourhood as it was in
Browning's youth will find an enthusiastic guide in the author of
‘Praeterita'。
Browning's childhood was a happy one。 Indeed； if the poet had been
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able to teach in song only what he had learnt in suffering； the larger part of
his verse would be singularly barren of interest。 From first to last
everything went well with him； with the exception of a single profound
grief。 This must be borne in mind by those who would estimate aright the
genius of Robert Browning。 It would be affectation or folly to deny that
his splendid physique a paternal inheritance； for his father died at the
age of eighty…four； without having ever endured a day's illness and the
exceptionally fortunate circumstances which were his throughout life； had
something to do with that superb faith of his which finds concentrated
expression in the lines in Pippa's song 〃God's in His Heaven； All's right
with the world！〃
It is difficult for a happy man with an imperturbable digestion to be a
pessimist。 He is always inclined to give Nature the benefit of the doubt。
His favourite term for this mental complaisance is 〃catholicity of faith〃； or；
it may be； 〃a divine hope〃。 The less fortunate brethren bewail the laws of
Nature； and doubt a future readjustment； because of stomachs chronically
out of order。 An eminent author with a weak digestion wrote to me
recently animadverting on what he calls Browning's insanity of optimism：
it required no personal acquaintanceship to discern the dyspeptic well…
spring of this utterance。 All this may be admitted lightly without carrying
the physiological argument to extremes。 A man may have a liberal hope
for himself and for humanity； although his dinner be habitually a
martyrdom。 After all； we are only dic
