life of robert browning(罗伯特·布朗宁传)-第40部分
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that ‘he had no taste；' that ‘he was not a man of letters。' Whenever genius
has displayed epic force it has established a new order。 In the general
disintegration and reconstruction of literary ideals thus involved； it is
easier to be confused by the novel flashing of strange lights than to discern
the central vivifying altar…flame。 It may prove that what seem to us the
regrettable accidents of Browning's genius are no malfortunate flaws； but
as germane thereto as his Herculean ruggednesses are to Shakespeare； as
the laboured inversions of his blank verse are to Milton； as his austere
concision is to Dante。 Meanwhile； to the more exigent among us at any
rate； the flaws seem flaws； and in nowise essential。
But when we find weighty message and noble utterance in union； as
we do in the magnificent remainder after even the severest ablation of the
poor and mediocre portion of Browning's life…work； how beneficent seem
the generous gods！ Of this remainder most aptly may be quoted these lines
from 〃The Ring and the Book〃； 〃Gold as it was； is； shall be evermore；
Prime nature with an added artistry。〃
How gladly； in this dubious hour when； as an eminent writer has
phrased it； a colossal Hand； which some call the hand of Destiny and
others that of Humanity； is putting out the lights of Heaven one by one；
like candles after a feast how gladly we listen to this poet with his
serene faith in God； and immortal life； and the soul's unending
development！ 〃Hope hard in the subtle thing that's Spirit；〃 he cries in the
Prologue to 〃Pacchiarotto〃： and this； in manifold phrasing； is his ‘leit…
motif'； his fundamental idea； in unbroken line from the 〃Pauline〃 of his
twenty…first to the 〃Asolando〃 of his seventy…sixth year。 This superb
phalanx of faith what shall prevail against it？
How winsome it is； moreover： this； and the humanity of his song。
Profoundly he realised that there is no more significant study than the
human heart。 〃The development of a soul： little else is worth study；〃 he
wrote in his preface to 〃Sordello〃： so in his old age； in his last 〃Reverie〃
〃As the record from youth to age Of my own； the single soul So the
world's wide book： one page Deciphered explains the whole Of our
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Life of Robert Browning
common heritage。〃
He had faith also that 〃the record from youth to age〃 of his own soul
would outlast any present indifference or neglect that whatever tide
might bear him away from our regard for a time would ere long flow again。
The reaction must come： it is； indeed； already at hand。 But one almost
fancies one can hear the gathering of the remote waters once more。 We
may； with Strafford； 〃feel sure That Time； who in the twilight comes to
mend All the fantastic day's caprice； consign To the low ground once more
the ignoble Term； And raise the Genius on his orb again； That Time will
do me right。〃 。 。 。 Indeed； Browning has the grand manner； for all it is more
that of the Scandinavian Jarl than of the Italian count or Spanish grandee。
And ever； below all the stress and failure； below all the triumph of his
toil； is the beauty of his dream。 It was 〃a surpassing Spirit〃 that went from
out our midst。 〃One who never turned his back but marched breast forward；
Never doubted clouds would break； Never dreamed； though right were
worsted； wrong would triumph； Held we fall to rise； are baffled to fight
better； Sleep to wake。〃 〃Speed； fight on； fare ever There as here！〃 are the
last words of this brave soul。 In truth； 〃the air seems bright with his past
presence yet。〃
〃Sun…treader life and light be thine for ever； Thou art gone from us
years go by and spring Gladdens； and the young earth is beautiful； Yet
thy songs come not other bards arise； But none like thee they stand
thy majesties； Like mighty works which tell some Spirit there Hath sat
regardless of neglect and scorn； Till； its long task completed； it hath risen
And left us； never to return。〃
Index。
＇This index is included to allow the reader to browse the main subjects
included in this book。 The numbers in brackets are the number of
mentions in the original index as each mention may be long or short；
these numbers should be used only as a general indication。＇
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Life of Robert Browning
〃Abt Vogler〃 ＇3＇ 〃After〃 ＇1＇ 〃Agamemnon of Aeschylus〃 ＇1＇ Alma ；
Letter to ＇1＇ 〃Amphibian〃 ＇1＇ Ancona ＇1＇ 〃Andrea del Sarto〃 ＇2＇
〃Andromeda〃 ＇1＇ 〃Another way of Love〃 ＇1＇ 〃Any Wife to any Husband〃
＇2＇ 〃Apparent Failure〃 ＇2＇ 〃Appearances〃 ＇1＇ Appearance； Browning's
personal ＇2＇ Aprile ＇3＇ 〃Aristophanes' Apology〃 ＇1＇ 〃Ask not one least
word of praise〃 ＇1＇ 〃Asolando〃 ＇8＇ Asolo ＇2＇ ‘The Athenaeum' ＇1＇ 〃Aurora
Leigh〃 ＇5＇
Bagni di Lucca ＇2＇ Bailey's 〃Festus〃 ＇1＇ 〃Balaustion's Adventure〃 ＇2＇
Balzac ＇6＇ Barrett； Arabella ＇2＇ Barrett； Edward ＇1＇ Barrett； Mr。 ＇3＇
〃Beatrice Signorini〃 ＇1＇ Beautiful in Verse； the ＇1＇ Beethoven ＇1＇ 〃Before〃
＇1＇ 〃Bells and Pomegranates〃 ＇3＇ 〃Ben Karshook's Wisdom〃 ＇1＇ Berdoe； E。
＇3＇ 〃Bifurcations〃 ＇1＇ 〃Bishop Blougram〃 ＇2＇ Blake； William ＇1＇ 〃A Blot
in the 'Scutcheon〃 ＇6＇ Bossuet and Browning ＇1＇ Browning； Clara ＇1＇
Browning； Elizabeth Barrett： Browning's early influence on ＇1＇； born
March 4； 1809 （really 1806） ＇1＇； her girlhood and early work ＇1＇； death of
brother ＇1＇； residence in London ＇1＇； 〃The Cry of the Children〃 ＇1＇；
friendships with Horne and Kenyon ＇1＇； her appreciation of Browning's
poems ＇1＇； correspondence with him ＇1＇； engagement ＇1＇； acquaintance
with Mrs。 Jameson ＇1＇； marriage ＇1＇； Mr。 Barrett's resentment ＇1＇； journey
to Paris ＇1＇； thence to Pisa ＇1＇； Browning's love for his wife ＇1＇； 〃Sonnets
from the Portuguese〃 ＇1＇； in spring to Florence ＇1＇； to Ancona； via
Ravenna； in June ＇1＇； winter at Casa Guidi ＇1＇； 〃Aurora Leigh〃 ＇1＇；
description of poetess ＇2＇； birth of son in 1849 ＇1＇； 〃Casa Guidi Windows〃
＇1＇； 1850； spring in Rome ＇1＇； proposal to confer poet…laureateship on Mrs。
Browning ＇2＇； 1851； visits England ＇1＇； winter in Paris ＇1＇； she is
enthusiastic about Napoleon III。 and interested in Spiritualism ＇1＇； summer
in London ＇1＇； autumn at Casa Guidi ＇1＇； winter 1853…4 in Rome； 1856
〃Aurora Leigh〃； death of Kenyon； legacies ＇1＇； 1857； death of Mr。 Barrett
＇1＇； 1858； delicacy of Mrs。 Browning ＇1＇； July 1858； Brownings travel to
Normandy； 〃Two Poems by Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning〃；
1854 ＇1＇； 1860； 〃Poems before Congress〃； and death of Arabella Barrett
＇1＇； 〃North and South〃 ＇1＇； return to Casa Guidi； and death on 28th June
1861 ＇2＇。 Browning； Reuben ＇3＇ Browning； Robert： born in London in
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1812 ＇3＇； his literary and artistic antecedents and contemporaries ＇1＇； his
parentage and ancestry ＇2＇； concerning traces of Semitic origin ＇1＇； his
sisters ＇1＇； his father ＇1＇； his mother ＇2＇； his uncle； Reuben Browning ＇1＇；
the Camberwell home ＇1＇； his childhood ＇1＇； early poems ＇1＇； translation
of the odes of Horace ＇1＇； goes to school at Peckham ＇1＇； his holiday
afternoons ＇1＇； 〃Death of Harold〃 ＇1＇； criticisms of Miss Flower and Mr。
Fox ＇1＇； he reads Shelley's and Keats's poems ＇2＇； he has a tutor ＇1＇；
attends Gower Street University College ＇1＇； he decides to be a poet ＇1＇；
writes 〃Pauline〃； 1832 ＇1＇； it is published in 1833 ＇1＇； 〃Pauline〃 ＇1＇；
criticisms thereon ＇1＇； Rossetti and 〃Pauline〃； studies at British Museum
＇2＇； travels in 1833 to Russia ＇1＇； to Italy ＇1＇； return to Camberwell； 1834
＇1＇； and begins 〃Paracelsus〃； sonnet signed 〃Z〃； 1834 ＇1＇； love for Venice
＇1＇； 〃Paracelsus〃 ＇2＇； criticisms thereon ＇2＇； he meets Macready ＇1＇；
〃Narses〃 ＇1＇； he meets Talfourd； Wordsworth； Landor ＇1＇； 〃Strafford〃 ＇1＇；
his dramas ＇1＇； his love of the country ＇1＇； 〃Pippa Passes〃 ＇2＇； 〃Sordello〃
＇1＇； origin of 〃The Ring and the Book〃； 1865 ＇1＇； 〃The Ring and the
Book〃 ＇1＇； 〃The Inn Album〃 ＇1＇； 〃Men and Women〃 ＇1＇； proposed
〃Transcripts from Life〃 ＇1＇； 〃Flower o' the Vine〃 ＇1＇； correspondence
between him and Miss Barrett ＇1＇； meeting in 1846 ＇1＇； engagement ＇1＇；
marriage； 12th September 1846 ＇1＇； sojourn in Pisa ＇1＇； they go to
Florence ＇1＇； to Ancona； via Ravenna ＇1＇； 〃The Guardian Angel〃 ＇1＇； Casa
Guidi ＇1＇； birth of son； March 9th； 1849 ＇1＇； they go to Vallombrosa and
Bagni di Lucca for the autumn； and winter at Casa Guidi ＇1＇； spring of
1850 in Rome ＇1＇； 〃Two in the Campagna〃 ＇1＇； 1851； they
