life of robert browning(罗伯特·布朗宁传)-第30部分
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would be a palpable fiction。 The moment individuality can lapse to fusion；
that moment the tide has ebbed； the wind has fallen； the dream has been
dreamed。 So long as the soul remains inviolate amid all shock of time and
change； so long is it immortal。 No man； no poet assuredly； could love as
Browning loved； and fail to be aware； often with vague anger and
bitterness； no doubt； of this insuperable isolation even when spirit seemed
to leap to spirit； in the touch of a kiss； in the evanishing sigh of some one
or other exquisite moment。 The poem tells us how the lovers； straying
hand in hand one May day across the Campagna； sat down among the
seeding grasses； content at first in the idle watching of a spider spinning
her gossamer threads from yellowing fennel to other vagrant weeds。 All
around them 〃The champaign with its endless fleece Of feathery grasses
everywhere！ Silence and passion； joy and peace； An everlasting wash of
air 。 。 。 〃Such life here； through such length of hours； Such miracles
performed in play； Such primal naked forms of flowers； Such letting
nature have her way。〃 。 。 。
Let us too be unashamed of soul； the poet…lover says； even as earth lies
bare to heaven。 Nothing is to be overlooked。 But all in vain： in vain 〃I
drink my fill at your soul's springs。〃 〃Just when I seemed about to learn！
Where is the thread now？ off again！ The old trick！ Only I discern
Infinite passion； and the pain Of finite hearts that yearn。〃
It was during this visit to Rome that both were gratified by the
proposal in the leading English literary weekly； that the Poet…Laureateship；
vacant by the death of Wordsworth； should be conferred upon Mrs。
Browning： though both rejoiced when they learned that the honour had
devolved upon one whom each so ardently admired as Alfred Tennyson。 In
1851 a visit was paid to England； not one very much looked forward to by
Mrs。 Browning； who had never had cause to yearn for her old home in
Wimpole Street； and who could anticipate no reconciliation with her father；
who had persistently refused even to open her letters to him； and had
forbidden the mention of her name in his home circle。
Bayard Taylor； in his travel…sketches published under the title 〃At
Home and Abroad〃； has put on record how he called upon the Brownings
one afternoon in September； at their rooms in Devonshire Street； and
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found them on the eve of their return to Italy。
In his cheerful alertness； self…possession； and genial suavity Browning
impressed him as an American rather than as an Englishman； though there
can be no question but that no more thorough Englishman than the poet
ever lived。 It is a mistake； of course； to speak of him as a typical
Englishman： for typical he was not； except in a very exclusive sense。
Bayard Taylor describes him in reportorial fashion as being apparently
about seven…and…thirty （a fairly close guess）； with his dark hair already
streaked with grey about the temples： with a fair complexion； just tinged
with faintest olive： eyes large； clear； and grey； and nose strong and well…
cut； mouth full and rather broad； and chin pointed； though not prominent：
about the medium height； strong in the shoulders； but slender at the waist；
with movements expressive of a combination of vigour and elasticity。
With due allowance for the passage of five…and…thirty years； this
description would not be inaccurate of Browning the septuagenarian。
They did not return direct to Italy after all； but wintered in Paris with
Robert Browning the elder； who had retired to a small house in a street
leading off the Champs Elysees。 The pension he drew from the Bank of
England was a small one； but； with what he otherwise had； was sufficient
for him to live in comfort。 The old gentleman's health was superb to the
last； for he died in 1866 without ever having known a day's illness。
Spring came out and found them still in Paris； Mrs。 Browning
enthusiastic about Napoleon III。 and interested in spiritualism： her
husband serenely sceptical concerning both。 In the summer they again
went to London： but they appear to have seen more of Kenyon and other
intimate friends than to have led a busy social life。 Kenyon's friendship
and good company never ceased to have a charm for both poets。 Mrs。
Browning loved him almost as a brother： her husband told Bayard Taylor；
on the day when that good poet and charming man called upon them； and
after another visitor had departed a man with a large rosy face and
rotund body； as Taylor describes him 〃there goes one of the most
splendid men living a man so noble in his friendship； so lavish in his
hospitality； so large…hearted and benevolent； that he deserves to be known
all over the world as Kenyon the Magnificent。〃
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In the early autumn a sudden move towards Italy was again made； and
after a few weeks in Paris and on the way the Brownings found
themselves at home once more in Casa Guidi。
But before this； probably indeed before they had left Paris for London；
Mr。 Moxon had published the now notorious Shelley forgeries。 These were
twenty…five spurious letters； but so cleverly manufactured that they at first
deceived many people。 In the preceding November Browning had been
asked to write an introduction to them。 This he had gladly agreed to do；
eager as he was for a suitable opportunity of expressing his admiration for
Shelley。 When the letters reached him； he found that； genuine or not；
though he never suspected they were forgeries； they contained nothing of
particular import； nothing that afforded a just basis for what he had
intended to say。 Pledged as he was； however； to write something for Mr。
Moxon's edition of the Letters； he set about the composition of an Essay；
of a general as much as of an individual nature。 This he wrote in Paris； and
finished by the beginning of December。 It dealt with the objective and
subjective poet； on the relation of the latter's life to his work； and upon
Shelley in the light of his nature； art； and character。 Apart from the
circumstance that it is the only independent prose writing of any length
from Browning's pen； this is an exceptionally able and interesting
production。
Dr。 Furnivall deserves general gratitude for his obtaining the author's
leave to re…issue it； and for having published it as one of the papers of the
Browning Society。 As that enthusiastic student and good friend of the poet
says in his 〃foretalk〃 to the reprint； the essay is noteworthy； not merely as
a signal service to Shelley's fame and memory； but for Browning's
statement of his own aim in his own work； both as objective and
subjective poet。 The same clearsightedness and impartial sympathy； which
are such distinguishing characteristics of his dramatic studies of human
thought and emotion； are obvious in Browning's Shelley essay。 〃It would
be idle to enquire；〃 he writes； 〃of these two kinds of poetic faculty in
operation； which is the higher or even rarer endowment。 If the subjective
might seem to be the ultimate requirement of every age； the objective in
the strictest state must still retain its original value。 For it is with this
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world； as starting…point and basis alike； that we shall always have to
concern ourselves； the world is not to be learned and thrown aside； but
reverted to and reclaimed。〃
Of its critical subtlety the more remarkable as by a poet…critic who
revered Shelley the poet and loved and believed in Shelley the man the
best example； perhaps； is in those passages where he alludes to the charge
against the poet's moral nature 〃charges which； if substantiated to their
wide breadth； would materially disturb； I do not deny； our reception and
enjoyment of his works； however wonderful the artistic qualities of these。
For we are not sufficiently supplied with instances of genius of his order
to be able to pronounce certainly how many of its constituent parts have
been tasked and strained to the production of a given lie； and how high
and pure a mood of the creative mind may be dramatically simulated as
the poet's habitual and exclusive one。〃
The large charity； the liberal human sympathy； the keen
