1846. Letter to R. H. Horne, dated Pisa, Dec. 4 [1846], in "Letters of E. B. B. to R. H. Horne," ed. S. R. T. Mayer, 1877, vol. ii, p. 182-3. Another, dated London, Sept. 24 [1851], written by E. B. B. "for Robert as well as myself, and signd [? by her] Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.'"-ib. p. 194-5. 1849. Letter to William Etty, R. A., dated "Bagni di Lucca, Sept. 21, 1849," and signed "Robert Browning." Printed in the “Life of William Etty, R.A. By Alexander Gilchrist" (Lond. 1855), vol. ii. pp. 280-81.—S. 1857. A Letter from Robert Browning1 to Leigh Hunt (dated Bagni di of Leigh Hunt, edited by his Eldest Son. London: Smith and 1871. Letter to the Editor of The Daily News, dated 19, Warwick Crescent, W., Feb. 9,' and signd Robert Browning,' in The Daily News of Feb. 10, 1871, saying that his contribution to the French Relief Fund was his publishers' payment for a lyrical poem [Hervé Riel], and not for The Ring and the Book.-T. W. C. 1874. Letter to the Editor of The Daily News, dated, Nov. 20, in Daily News, Nov. 21, 1874. Reprinted above, p. 56. 1875. Letter to the Rev. Alexander B. Grosart, on the poem of The Lost Leader and Wordsworth, dated "19 Warwick-crescent, 1877. The Lord Rectorship of St. Andrew's. Letter to the Editor of 1881. Letter-in the PIGSBROOK AND CO. Controversy-to Mr. J. Or- 1 The Postscript is signed Elizabeth Barrett Browning. On p. 268-271 is a Letter to Mr. and Mrs. Browning, signed Leigh Hunt. In vol. i, p. 316, is also a Letter to Robert Browning, dated 'Chelsea, 15 April' [1839], signed Leigh Hunt. See also the Preface, vol. i, p. vii.-T. W. Carson. APPENDIX. I. THE "SELECTIONS" FROM BROWNING'S WORKS. II. THE CHANGED-RYME AND FRESH LINES IN SORDELLO, 1863. III. SAMPLE OF THE END-CHANGED, FRESH, AND LEFT-OUT LINES IN "PARACELSUS," eds. 1835 & 1863. IV. TRIAL-LIST OF CRITICISMS AND NOTICES OF BROWNING'S WORKS. V. PERSONAL NOTICES. I. 1863. SELECTIONS | FROM THE | POETICAL WORKS | OF | ROBERT BROWNING. | London:| Chapman and Hall, 193, Piccadilly, 1863. [Made by John Forster (author of the Life of Goldsmith, &c. &c.), “whom I am proud to call my friend.”—Dedication to Strafford, p. 18, above, and the poet Bryan Waller Procter (Barry Cornwall), to whom Colombe's Birthday was dedicated, a very old friend, whom Browning, when in town, visited Sunday by Sunday till his death.] p. i-xii, 1-411. 16mo. PREFACE. 'This volume is published with Mr. Browning's sanction; but for the choice of the particular pieces he is in no respect responsible. The rule observed in the Selections has been to avoid giving mere fragments. Everything is presented, as far as was found practicable, in a complete form. 'Mr. Browning's leading poems, "Paracelsus," "Sordello," and "Christmas Eve and Easter Day," appear by such portions only as could be so detached that they should possess an independent and intelligible interest. His dramas, "Strafford," "Pippa Passes," "King Victor and King Charles," "The "Return of the Druses,' ""A Blot in the 'Scutcheon," "Colombe's Birthday," and "Luria," are represented each by separate acts or scenes, constituting pictures of character in themselves complete. His "Dramatic Lyrics," and "Men and Women," have been laid under contribution exclusively for poems without omission or abridgment. 'The volume originated with two friends, who, from the first appearance of "Paracelsus," have regarded its writer as among the few great poets of the century; who have seen this opinion, since, gain ground with the best readers and critics and who believe that such a selection as the present may go far to render it universal. ; 'The manner of an original writer, always marked and peculiar, often prevents his general acceptance, until the novelty has worn off. This, for the most part, is what is meant when certain forms of poetical genius are said to be too subtle for immediate enjoyment. Friendships likely to be lasting, are seldom formed suddenly. But good service is done when such difficulties are, as far as possible, helped away. It is believed that this little book, by the range and variety of power it brings at once under view, will arrest, without overstraining, the attention of many readers; and, by making less novel and unfamiliar to them the style of a thoroughly original poet, will open to them sooner the full enjoyment of a series of writings as remarkable as any that have enriched the literature of our time.' 1 I. "Presume not to serve God apart from such," p. 16, ed. 1835, to "Where these must be displayed," p. 24, ib. 2 II. "Stay with us, Aureole!" p. 34, ib., to "Festus I plunge!" p. 41, ib. [1863, iii. 31, line 832, adds, "Fest. We wait you when you rise!"] 3 III. "Par. Heap logs, and let the blaze laugh out," p. 72, ed. 1835, to “Or in my fortunes," p. 78, ib. 4 III. "And you saw Luther," p. 119, ib., to end of III, "Will you not call me to your side, dear friend?" [N.B. "Friend," for Browning's " Aureole," ed. 1835, p. 123; and 1863, iii. 94.] 5 IV. "Shall one like me," p. 151, ed. 1835 (iii. 117, ed. 1863), to end of IV: "About to perish for your sport. Behold!" p. 156, ed. 1835. [In Paracelsus's Oporinus," p. 111, the Selections have ". soon for Browning's answer, 66 "And soon. quickly."] 6 V. "Festus, my own friend, you are come at last," p. 172, ed. 1835, to "But [Browning, Which '] glideth out to music sweet and low," p. 176, ed. 1835; iii. 136, ed. 1863. Three words of a Selections alteration Browning adopts in 1863, iii. 135. 1835. "I shall dream else. Speak on!" [1863] "ay, leaning so!" Selections additions to the first two lines of his song he does not adopt : Br. "Thus the Mayne glideth Where my love abideth." 1835 & 1863. Sel. Softly the Mayne river glideth Close by where my Love abideth." 1862, p. 116. But the 7 V. "I failed: I gazed on power till I grew blind," p. 195, ed. 1835, to end of V, "and this was Paracelsus.' (6') SORDELLO. Childhood of Sordello ("If I should falter now-for he is thine," Ek I. p. 264, vol. iii. ed. 1863, to "Thus thrall reached thrall,” p. 275, ib.). [The rymes are the same in both texts.] DRAMAS. (5′) From Strafford [Act I, sc. i] 131 (7) From Pippa Passes 1 (8) From King Victor and King Charles 2 ... (24) From a Blot in the 'Scutcheon1 [Act I, sc. iii] 121 141 179 152 ... (52′) CHRISTMAS-EVE AND EASTER-DAY. Mount-Zion Chapel, at Love Lane (§ 1, 2, 3, Poet. Works, '68, v. 117-123) Theological Lecture-room at Göttingen (§ 14, 15, less last line, Poet. Works, '68, v. 145-9) St. Peter's at Rome (§ 10, less 1st line, Poet. Works, '68; v. 136-8) ... 214 220 223 "Pippa is a girl from a Silk-factory, whose 'Passing' the various persons of the Play, at certain critical moments, in the course of her holiday, becomes, unconsciously to herself, a determining influence on the fortune of each. At Asolo in the Trevisan." From "I.-Morning. Up the Hill-side. . ." Seb. (sings) Let the watching lids wink! iii. 9, ed. 1863, to p. 21, "Not to me, God-to him be merciful!" 2 "Victor Amadeus, King of Sardinia, having abdicated in favour of his Son, Charles Emanuel, determines, on the subsidence of the political dangers which suggested that step, to resume his dignity, in reliance upon the Duty of his Son, the Insignificancy of his Daughter-in-law, and the Obsequiousness of his old Minister, D'Ormea. For this purpose he proceeds to Rivoli Palace, near Turin, during the presumed absence of the new King. From King Charles, Part I, "Vic. Sure I heard voices," iii. 113, ed. 1863, to end of Part I, "No praise, at least, Polyxenano praise," p. 123, ib. 3" In an Island colonized by the Druses, and garrisoned by the Knights-Hospitallers, Djabal has announced himself as the expected Hakeem and Deliverer of his people. Anael, his love, having, in attestation of her faith in this, slain the Prefect, their oppressor, receives the avowal of her lover's Imposture, and declares it to the Nuncio succeeding to the Tyranny of his predecessor, just as the Venetian succours, invited by Djabal, are about to arrive. Loys de Dreux, a young Knight, friendly to Djabal, loves Anael also." 4 66 Henry, Earl of Mertoun, having waited on Thorold, Lord Tresham, to solicit the hand of his sister Mildred, her cousin Guendolen communicates the result." 5 "The Courtiers of Colombe, Duchess of Juliers and Cleves, learn that her Duchy is claimed by Prince Berthold." Act I. p. 276, vol. ii. ed. 1863, to l. 6, p. 281, "Will we, Sir Maufroy?" Then "The Claimant of the Duchy, and rightful Duke, Prince Berthold, proposes to marry Colombe; and the advocate Valence, to whom had been entrusted the cause of defending her possession, and who secretly loves her, communicates the proposal." And extract from Act IV, p. 326, vol. ii, ed. 1863. "Val. So must it be," to p. 337, 1. 2, "And all's at darkest now. Impossible!" 61. ("Braccio, Commissary of the Republic, speaks of Florence and her Generals.") From Act I, p. 363, vol. ii, ed. 1863, “Lapo, there's one thing plain and positive," to p. 364, ib., "Stand firm where every famed precursor fell?” 2. (The Moorish General in service of the Florentines anticipates Peace.") "I wonder, do you guess why I delay," p. 369, ib., to p. 370, "Well, 'tis not sure the quiet lasts for ever. 3. (A Country's right to Individual service and sacrifice.') Lur. They are right then to try me?" Act II, p. 392, ib., to p. 395: "The fire! So, Braccio, Luria, which is best?" 4. (Luria, with Florence in his power, takes his Revenge.') Act IV. "Hus. . . Take revenge," p. 407, ib., to end of Act IV. "I drink this, and ere night,-die-Strange! (60) Fra Lippo Lippi (61) A Toccata of Galuppi's (64) An Epistle [Karshish the Arab Physician] ... (68) Instans Tyrannus (76) How it strikes a Contemporary 267 (73) The Statue and the Bust 1865. MOXON'S MINIATURE POETS. A SELECTION FROM THE WORKS OF ROBERT BROWNING. London: Edward Moxon and Co., "It is the wish of Messrs Chapman and Hall, who now publish R. B." (107) From the same ("The swallow of 7) From the same (§ V. "I leaned Page 43 on the turf": 5 stanzas of 6) 45 (56) A Lovers' Quarrel ... (59) A Woman's last Word 10 (107) From "James Lee" (§ VII. 19 (7) Song from "Pippa Passes (Act I) (Give her but a least excuse to love me: 2 st. of 9) 22 (24) Song from "A Blot in the 'Scutcheon" (There's a woman like a dew-drop: 2 stanzas of 6, couplets, 8 trochees) 23 (45) Song ("Nay but you": 2 st. of 6) (62) By the Fire-side (63) Any Wife to any Husband (109) The Worst of it (69) A pretty Woman (72) A light Woman (66) A Serenade at the Villa 47 55 57 (100) Song (calld "One way of 24 ... (28) Tokay 25 (107) Song from "James Lee" (§ I) ("Ah, Love, but a day,' 3 st. of 7) (104) Misconceptions (107) From "James Lee" (§ II "Is all our fire of shipwreck wood": 4 stanzas of 8) (18) Waring 90 93 1 Alfred Tennyson,-a Selection from whose Works opened the series of Moxon's Miniature Poets.-S. |