Vol. i, p.
vii. "I dedicate these Volumes to my old friend John
Forster, glad and grateful that he who, from the first pub-
lication of the various forms they include, has been their
promptest and staunchest helper, should seem even nearer to
me now than thirty years ago.
R. B."

London, April 21, 1863.

Vol. i, p. xiv. "In this Volume [i.] are collected and redistributed the pieces first published in 1842, 1845, and 1855, respectively, under the titles of 'Dramatic Lyrics,' 'Dramatic Romances,' and 'Men and Women.' Part of these were inscribed to my dear friend John Kenyon: I hope the whole may obtain the honour of an association with his memory.

VOL. I.-CONTENTS.

R. B."

(6) Sordello

VOL. III.-CONTENTS.

1 (53) Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day 163

252

1864. DRAMATIS PERSONE. By Robert Browning. London: Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly. 1864. p. i-vi, 1-250.

107

CONTENTS.

James Lee (in 9 Sections). 'Ah, love, but a day." [In Poet.
Works, 1868, vi. 41, this poem is cald "James Lee's Wife"; the
heading to § 1 is alterd to "[James Lee's Wife speaks] at the Win-
dow"; that to § 2 is made "[Reading a Book] under the Cliff";
and Part 2 of section VIII, only 2 lines in 1864, is turnd into § 2
and 3, of 22 and 41 lines, the last 2 of which are the original 2
lines of 1864. The full poem is 368 lines. (See note, next page).]

Page

3

277

The beauty in this,-how free, how fine
To fear almost !-of the limit-line.
Long ago the god, like me
The worm, learned, each in our degree:
Looked and loved, learned and drew,

Drew and learned and loved again,
While fast the happy minutes flew,
Till beauty mounted into his brain 283
And on the finger which outvied

His art he placed the ring that's there, Still by fancy's eye descried, 286

In token of a marriage rare :
For him on earth, his art's despair,
For him in heaven, his soul's fit bride. 289

108

Gold Hair: a Legend of Pornic. "Oh, the beautiful girl." 27
stanzas of 5. [In ed. 1868, vol. vi, p. 62-9, this poem has 30
stanzas, three fresh ones being put in after st. 20. The fresh 21
begins "Hid there? why?" 22, "Truth is truth"; 23, "Talk
not of God." Then 24 is the original 21, “Louis-d'ors, &c." The

III (p. 58)

Little girl with the poor coarse hand 290
I turned from to a cold elay cast-
I have my lesson, understand

300

The worth of flesh and blood at last! Nothing but beauty in a Hand? 294 Because he could not change the hue, Mend the lines and make them true To this which met his soul's demand,— Would Da Vinci turn from you? 298 I hear him laugh my woes to scorn"The fool forsooth is all forlorn "Because the beauty, she thinks best, "Lived long ago or was never born,— "Because no beauty bears the test 303 "In this rough peasant Hand! Confessed "Art is null and study void!' "So sayest thou? So said not I, "Who threw the faulty pencil by, 307 "And years instead of hours employed, Learning the veritable use

309

Go little girl with the poor coarse hand! "Of flesh and bone and nerve beneath I have my lesson, shall understand. 328 As to metre, § I is 3 stanzas of 7 lines each, ababcbc; 2-measure. § II is 4 stanzas of 8, abaccddb; a, d being 4-measure, b, c 2-measure. § III is 4 stanzas of 7, ababcca; a, c being 4-measure (anapæstic), b 2-measure. § IV is 8 stanzas of 5, abaab; a 4-measure, b 3-measure. § V is 5 stanzas of 6, ababcc; a and b 1 being 2-measure, c 2 three-measure, b 2 and c 1 four-measure. § VI is 16 stanzas of 5, ababa, -a 1, a 2 and b, being five-measure, b 2 four-measure, and a 3 three-measure. § VII is 2 stanzas of 6, abc abc, 5-measure. § VIII is in 3 divisions in couplets, triplets, fours, fives, sixes, a seven, and a nine, and a single, 1. 313: i. abab ddee, faaf hh, ijijjii, kllkk. ii. bcbc, gmgm, hh nn, ijij, opopo. iii. aqaqaiiai, rrsrss, tuut, vwwv, x, yaay, zz, AAuAu, BCCB, aa. All § VIII is 4-measure, iambic. § IX is 8 stanzas of 5, ababa, 4-measure, iambic, with anapæsts and dactyls. §I is iambs and anapæsts. § II is (4-measure) iambs and (2-measure) trochees. § IV and V are mainly iambs and anapæsts. § VI and VII are iambic. Of § VI, "Still ailing, Wind?" the first 6 stanzas were printed in 1836: see p. 40, above. The last 10 stanzas were added in 1864. James Lee may in this point be compard with Tennyson's Maud, 1855, of which one § was printed in 1837.

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

(106)

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

Page

27

full poem has 150 lines.] The stanzas ryme ababa; abab being
4-measure, a 3 three-measure: dactyls, iambs, and anapæsts
The Worst of it. "Would it were I had been false." 19 stanzas
of 6, abacba, c with internal ryme. 114 four-measure lines: iambs
and anapæsts, mainly
Dîs aliter visum; or, Le Byron de nos Jours: "Stop, let me have
the truth of that! 30 stanzas of 5, abcca, b with internal ryme.
4-measure iambics. 150 lines

Too Late: "Here was I with my arm and heart." 12 stanzas of 12,
ababcd, efefcd. 4-measure. 144 lines: iambs, dactyls, anapæsts
Abt Vogler. (After he has been extemporising upon the Musical In-
strument of his Invention.)1 "Would that the structure brave."
12 stanzas of 8 (2 alternates, abab, cdcd), 6-measure. 96 lines:
Alexandrines
Rabbi ben Ezra: "Grow old along with me.' 32 stanzas of 6,
aab ccb; aa, cc are 3-measure; b 1, five-measure; b 2, six-measure.
192 iambic lines. [One of the deepest and weightiest of all Brown-
ing's works. My favourite one. It contains the Philosophy of Life.]
A Death in the Desert. Proem, 12 lines: "Supposed of Pamphylax
the Antiochene," then 29 Sections (No. 10 being Comment) and
Epilogue. Blank verse. 686 lines. [St. John's Death. A Defence
of Christianity, and an argument against Strauss, &c.]
Caliban upon Setebos; or, Natural Theology in the Island: "Thou
thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself." Proem
of 23 lines, "Will sprawl, now that the heat of day is best," then
11 Sections and Epilogue. Blank verse. 295 lines
Confessions: "What is he buzzing in my ears?" 9 verses of 4:
alternates. abab; a 4-measure, b 3-measure. 36 lines: iambs and
anapæsts
May and Death: "I wish that when you died last May. 5 verses
of 4: 4-measure alternates. 20 iambic lines. (See p. 57, above.)
Prospice: "Fear death? to feel the fog in my throat": 28 lines,
alternates, abab; a 4-measure; b 2-measure: mixt iambs and ana-
pæsts. [A noble poem.
Face the last fight with Death. Your's
the Gain.]
Youth and Art: "It once might have been, once only." 17 verses
of 4: 3-measure alternates. 68 lines: mainly iambs and anapasts 153
A Face: "If one could have that little head of hers." 22 lines: 2
alternates, 4 couplets, and a six, abbba. 5-measure iambics

A Likeness: "Some people hang portraits up." 5 sections. 69 lines;
61 three-measure (in 2's, 4's, 5's, an 8 and a 9); 8 four-measure
(two 3's and a 2). Amphibrachs, anapæsts, iambs, &c.
Mr. Sludge, "The Medium:" "Now, don't sir! Don't expose me!"
Blank verse. 1525 lines (2 couplets, 1. 1182-3, 1283-4)
Apparent Failure: "No, for I'll save it!" 7 stanzas of 9, abab,
cdcdd. 4-measure iambics. 63 lines. [All souls are to be saved.] 239
Epilogue. First Speaker. "On the First of the Feast of Feasts."

171

1 Abt Vogler was translated into Greek Lyric Verse in "Translations into Greek and Latin Verse, by R. C. Jebb, M. A., Fellow and Tutor of Trinity College, Cambridge, &c. &c. Cambridge: Deighton, Bell and Co. London: Bell and Daldy." 1873, pp. 2-15.-T. W. Carson.

2 In 1865, came out, in 'Moxon's Miniature Poets,' the second 'Selection from the Works of Robert Browning.' See Appendix, p. 76, below.

In 1866 was publisht "A Selection from the Poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. London: Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly, 1866." Selected and prefaced by Robert Browning. The Preface, of 13 lines, prose, is signed "R. B.," and dated London, November, 1865."—S. It is as follows:

66

Mainly anapasts and iambs. 3 stanzas of 5, ababa; and a 4th
of 6, ababab: all 3-measure. Second Speaker. 'Gone now! All
gone across the dark so far."
44 lines, alternates, 5-measure

iambies. Third Speaker. "Witless alike of will and way divine."
12 triplets, 5-measure iambics.

101 lines

Page

245

1864. 217 Orpheus and Eurydice. F. Leighton.' (Quoted from the

Royal Academy Catalogue.)

124

"But give them me-the mouth, the eyes, the brow!
Let them once more absorb me! One look now

Will lap me round for ever, not to pass

Out of its light, though darkness lie beyond!
Hold me but safe again within the bond

Of one immortal look! All woe that was
Forgotten, and all terror that may be

Defied; no past is mine, no future! look at me!"

'Robert Browning, A fragment.'-From the Catalogue of the Royal Academy Exhibition, 1864, p. 13, where it is actually printed as prose a mess-specially in lines 6-8-duly condemd by Punch, May 28, 1864, and the Observer before that. 1 stanza of 8, aab ccb dd. 5-measure iambics. 8 lines. Reprinted in the Selections of 1865, p. 215, and in Poet. Works, 1868, vi. 153, and there cald "Eurydice to Orpheus: a picture by Frederick Leighton, A. R.A.") [In 1867 Browning was elected an Honorary Fellow of Balliol, and on June 25, 1867, the degree of M.A. (Oxford) was conferd on him by diploma.]

1868. The Poetical Works of Robert Browning, M.A., Honorary Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. Smith, Elder and Co., London. 18681 [in 6 volumes]. post 8vo. [For Foretalk, see Pauline, p. 37, above. There is one new Stanza of 8 lines in these Works: Deaf and Dumb. See note, p. 64.]

125

Vol. i, p. i-viii, 1-310.
Vol. ii, p. i-iv, 1-287.
Vol. iii, p. i-iv, 1-305.
-The Return of the
Vol. iv, p. i-iv, 1-310.
Dramatic Romances.

Pauline-Paracelsus--Strafford. See note, p. 64.
Sordello-Pippa Passes.

King Victor and King Charles-Dramatic Lyrics
Druses.
A Blot in the 'Scutcheon-Colombe's Birthday-

Vol. v, p. i-iv, 1-321. A Soul's Tragedy-Luria-Christmas-Eve and
Easter Day-Men and Women.

Vol. vi, p. i-iv, 1-233. In a Balcony-Dramatis Personæ. [General Index
to the 6 vols., as follows.]

"It has been attempted to retain and to dispose the characteristics of the general poetry, whence this is an abstract, according to an order which should allow them the prominency and effect they seem to possess when considered in the larger, not exclusively the lesser works of the poet. A musician might say, such and such chords are repeated, others made subordinate by distribution, so that a single movement may imitate the progress of the whole symphony. But there are various ways of modulating up to and connecting any given harmonies; and it will be neither a surprise nor a pain to find that better could have been done, as to both selection and sequence, than, in the present case, all care and the profoundest veneration

were able to do.

London, November, 1865."

R. B.

In 1866 also, some "Lines on Zermatt Churchyard" appeard in The Times of Aug. 30, signed B,—that is, "Robert Browning," said Notes & Queries, 3rd Ser. xii. 246. But they are plainly not his.

1 Tis in the Athenæum list for July 18, 1868.