Mind, in surview of things,
Now soared, anon alit
To treasure its gatherings
From the ranged expanse — to wit,
Nature, — earth’s, heaven’s wide show
Which taught all hope, all fear:
Acquainted with joy and woe,
I could say, “Thus much is clear,
Doubt annulled thus much: I know.
“All is effect of cause:
As it would, has willed and done
Power: and my mind’s applause
Goes, passing laws each one,
To Omnipotence, lord of laws.”
Head praises, but heart refrains
From loving’s acknowledgment.
Whole losses outweigh half-gains:
Earth’s good is with evil blent:
Good struggles but evil reigns.
Yet since Earth’s good proved good —
Incontrovertibly
Worth loving — I understood
How evil — did mind descry
Power’s object to end pursued —
Were haply as cloud across
Good’s orb, no orb itself:
Mere mind — were it found at loss
Did it play the tricksy elf
And from life’s gold purge the dross?
Power is known infinite:
Good struggles to be — at best
Seems — scanned by the human sight,
Tried by the senses’ test —
Good palpably: but with right
Therefore to mind’s award
Of loving, as power claims praise?
Power — which finds naught too hard,
Fulfilling itself all ways
Unchecked, unchanged: while barred,
Baffled, what good began
Ends evil on every side.
To Power submissive man
Breathes, “E’en as Thou art, abide!”
While to good “Late-found, long-sought,
“Would Power to a plenitude
But liberate, but enlarge
Good’s strait confine, — renewed
Were ever the heart’s discharge
Of loving!” Else doubts intrude.
For you dominate, stars all!
For a sense informs you — brute,
Bird, worm, fly, great and small,
Each with your attribute
Or low or majestical!
Thou earth that embosomest
Offspring of land and sea —
How thy hills first sank to rest,
How thy vales bred herb and tree
Which dizen thy mother-breast —
Do I ask? “Be ignorant
Ever!” the answer clangs:
Whereas if I plead world’s want,
Soul’s sorrows and body’s pangs,
Play the human applicant, —
Is a remedy far to seek?
I question and find response:
I — all men, strong or weak,
Conceive and declare at once
For each want its cure. “Power, speak!
“Stop change, avert decay
Fix life fast, banish death
Eclipse from the star bid stay,
Abridge of no moment’s breath
One creature! Hence, Night, hail Day!”
What need to confess again
No problem this to solve
By impotence? Power, once plain
Proved Power — let on Power devolve
Good’s right to co-equal reign!
Past mind’s conception Power!
Do I seek how star, earth, beast,
Bird, worm, fly, gain their dower
For life’s use, most and least?
Back from the search I cower.
Do I seek what heals all harm,
Nay, hinders the harm at first,
Saves earth? Speak, Power, the charm!
Keep the life there unamerced
By chance, change, death’s alarm!
As promptly as mind conceives,
Let Power in its turn declare
Some law which wrong retrieves,
Abolishes everywhere
What thwarts, what irks, what grieves!
Never to be! and yet
How easy it seems — to sense
Like man’s — if somehow met
Power with its match — immense
Love, limitless, unbeset
By hindrance on every side!
Conjectured, nowise known,
Such may be: could man confide
Such would match — were Love but shows
Stript of the veils that hide —
Power’s self now manifest!
So reads my record: thine,
O world, how runs it? Guessed
Were the purport of that prime line,
Prophetic of all the rest!
“In a beginning God
Made heaven and earth.” Forth flashed
Knowledge: from star to clod
Man knew things: doubt abashed
Closed its long period.
Knowledge obtained Power praise.
Had Good been manifest,
Broke out in cloudless blaze,
Unchequered as unrepressed,
In all things Good at best —
Then praise — all praise, no blame —
Had hailed the perfection. No!
As Power’s display, the same
Be Good’s — praise forth shall flow
Unisonous in acclaim!
Even as the world its life,
So have I lived my own —
Power seen with Love at strife,
That sure, this dimly shown,
— Good rare and evil rife.
Whereof the effect be — faith
That, some far day, were found
Ripeness in things now rathe,
Wrong righted, each chain unbound,
Renewal born out of scathe.
Why faith — but to lift the load,
To leaven the lump, where lies
Mind prostrate through knowledge owed
To the loveless Power it tries
To withstand, how vain! In flowed
Ever resistless fact:
No more than the passive clay
Disputes the potter’s act,
Could the whelmed mind disobey
Knowledge the cataract.
But, perfect in every part,
Has the potter’s moulded shape,
Leap of man’s quickened heart,
Throe of his thought’s escape,
Stings of his soul which dart
Through the barrier of flesh, till keen
She climbs from the calm and clear,
Through turbidity all between,
From the known to the unknown here,
Heaven’s “Shall be,” from Earth’s “Has been”?
Then life is — to wake not sleep,
Rise and not rest, but press
From earth’s level where blindly creep
Things perfected, more or less,
To the heaven’s height, far and steep,
Where, amid what strifes and storms
May wait the adventurous quest,
Power is Love — transports, transforms
Who aspired from worst to best,
Sought the soul’s world, spurned the worms’.
I have faith such end shall be:
From the first, Power was — I knew.
Life has made clear to me
That, strive but for closer view,
Love were as plain to see.
When see? When there dawns a day,
If not on the homely earth,
Then yonder, worlds away,
Where the strange and new have birth,
And Power comes full in play.
Asolando. Epilogue
Referring to the third verse of this poem, the Pall Mall Gazette of February 1, 1890, said: “On
e evening, just before his death-illness, the poet was reading this from a proof to his daughter-in-law and sister. He said: ‘It almost looks like bragging to say this, and as if I ought to cancel it; but it’s the simple truth; and as it’s truth, it shall stand.”‘
AT the midnight in the silence of the sleep-time,
When you set your fancies free,
Will they pass to where — by death, fools think, imprisoned —
Low he lies who once so loved you, whom you loved so,
— Pity me?
Oh to love so, be so loved, yet so mistaken!
What had I on earth to do
With the slothful, with the mawkish, the unmanly?
Like the aimless, helpless, hopeless, did I drivel
— Being — who?
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.
No, at noonday in the bustle of man’s work-time
Greet the unseen with a cheer!
Bid him forward, breast and back as either should be,
“Strive and thrive!” cry “Speed, — fight on fare ever
There as here!”
The Poems
50 Wimpole Street, London, where Browning first met Elizabeth Barrett, who was living with her father and suffering from poor health.
LIST OF POEMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
PAULINE
SORDELLO BOOK THE FIRST.
SORDELLO BOOK THE SECOND.
SORDELLO BOOK THE THIRD.
SORDELLO BOOK THE FOURTH.
SORDELLO BOOK THE FIFTH.
SORDELLO BOOK THE SIXTH.
CAVALIER TUNES I. MARCHING ALONG.
CAVALIER TUNES II. GIVE A ROUSE.
CAVALIER TUNES III. BOOT AND SADDLE.
MY LAST DUCHESS
COUNT GISMOND
INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP
SOLILOQUY OF THE SPANISH CLOISTER
IN A GONDOLA
ARTEMIS PROLOGUIZES
WARING
WARNING II.
RUDEL TO THE LADY OF TRIPOLI
CRISTINA
JOHANNES AGRICOLA IN MEDITATION I. — MADHOUSE CELL
JOHANNES AGRICOLA IN MEDITATION II. — MADHOUSE CELL
PORPHYRIA’S LOVER
THROUGH THE METIDJA TO ABD-EL-KADR
THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN
HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX
PICTOR IGNOTUS
THE ITALIAN IN ENGLAND
THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY
THE LOST LEADER
THE LOST MISTRESS
HOME-THOUGHTS, FROM ABROAD
HOME-THOUGHTS, FROM THE SEA
NATIONALITY IN DRINKS
THE BISHOP ORDERS HIS TOMB AT SAINT PRAXED’S CHURCH ROME
GARDEN-FANCIES
I. — THE FLOWER’S NAME
II. — SIBRANDUS SCHAFNABURGENSIS.
THE LABORATORY
THE CONFESSIONAL
THE FLIGHT OF THE DUCHESS
EARTH’S IMMORTALITIES
FAME
LOVE
SONG
THE BOY AND THE ANGEL
MEETING AT NIGHT
PARTING AT MORNING
SAUL
TIME’S REVENGES
THE GLOVE
CHRISTMAS-EVE
EASTER-DAY
LOVE AMONG THE RUINS
A LOVER’S QUARREL
EVELYN HOPE
UP AT A VILLA–DOWN IN THE CITY
A WOMAN’S LAST WORD
FRA LIPPO LIPPI
A TOCCATA OF GALUPPI’S
BY THE FIRE-SIDE
ANY WIFE TO ANY HUSBAND
AN EPISTLE
MESMERISM
A SERENADE AT THE VILLA
MY STAR
INSTANS TYRANNUS
A PRETTY WOMAN
CHILDE ROLAND TO THE DARK TOWER CAME
RESPECTABILITY
A LIGHT WOMAN
THE STATUE AND THE BUST
LOVE IN A LIFE
LIFE IN A LOVE
HOW IT STRIKES A CONTEMPORARY
THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER
THE PATRIOT
MASTER HUGUES OF SAXE-GOTHA
BISHOP BLOUGRAM’S APOLOGY
MEMORABILIA
ANDREA DEL SARTO
BEFORE
AFTER
IN THREE DAYS
IN A YEAR
OLD PICTURES IN FLORENCE
IN A BALCONY
SAUL
DE GUSTIBUS —
WOMEN AND ROSES
PROTUS
HOLY-CROSS DAY
THE GUARDIAN-ANGEL
CLEON
THE TWINS
POPULARITY
THE HERETIC’S TRAGEDY
TWO IN THE CAMPAGNA
A GRAMMARIAN’S FUNERAL
ONE WAY OF LOVE
ANOTHER WAY OF LOVE
TRANSCENDENTALISM:
MISCONCEPTIONS
ONE WORD MORE
JAMES LEE’S WIFE
I. — JAMES LEE’S WIFE SPEAKS AT THE WINDOW
II. — BY THE FIRESIDE
III. — IN THE DOORWAY
IV. — ALONG THE BEACH
V. — ON THE CLIFF
VI. — READING A BOOK, UNDER THE CLIFF
VII. — AMONG THE ROCKS
VIII. — BESIDE THE DRAWING BOARD
IX. — ON DECK
GOLD HAIR
THE WORST OF IT
DÎS ALITER VISUM;
TOO LATE
ABT VOGLER
RABBI BEN EZRA
A DEATH IN THE DESERT
CALIBAN UPON SETEBOS
CONFESSIONS
MAY AND DEATH
DEAF AND DUMB
PROSPICE
YOUTH AND ART
A FACE
A LIKENESS
EURYDICE TO ORPHEUS
THREE SONGS FROM PARACELSUS
MR. SLUDGE, “THE MEDIUM”
APPARENT FAILURE
EPILOGUE
BEN KARSHOOK’S WISDOM
SONNET
THE RING AND THE BOOK
HALF-ROME
THE OTHER HALF-ROME
TERTIUM QUID
COUNT GUIDO FRANCESCHINI
GIUSEPPE CAPONSACCHI
POMPILIA
DOMINUS HYACINTHUS DE ARCHANGELIS
JURIS DOCTOR JOHANNES-BAPTISTA BOTTINIUS
THE POPE
GUIDO
THE BOOK AND THE RING
PRINCE HOHENSTIEL-SCHWANGAU, SAVIOUR OF SOCIETY
PROLOGUE: AMPHIBIAN.
FIFINE AT THE FAIR.
EPILOGUE. THE HOUSEHOLDER.
RED COTTON NIGHT-CAP COUNTRY, OR, TURF AND TOWERS
THE INN ABLUM
PACCHIAROTTO, AND HOW HE WORKED IN DISTEMPER
PACCHIAROTTO. I
PACCHIAROTTO. II
PACCHIAROTTO. III
PACCHIAROTTO. IV
PACCHIAROTTO. V
PACCHIAROTTO. VI
PACCHIAROTTO. VII
PACCHIAROTTO. VIII
PACCHIAROTTO. IX
PACCHIAROTTO. X
PACCHIAROTTO. XI
PACCHIAROTTO. XII
PACCHIAROTTO. XIII
PACCHIAROTTO. XIV
PACCHIAROTTO. XV
PACCHIAROTTO. XVI
PACCHIAROTTO. XVII
PACCHIAROTTO. XVIII
PACCHIAROTTO. XIX
PACCHIAROTTO. XX
PACCHIAROTTO. XXI
PACCHIAROTTO. XXII
PACCHIAROTTO. XXIII
PACCHIAROTTO. XXIV
PACCHIAROTTO. XXV
PACCHIAROTTO. XXVI
PACCHIAROTTO. XXVII
PACCHIAROTTO. XXVIII
PACCHIAROTTO. XXIX
LA SAISIAZ
MARTIN RELPH
PHEIDIPPID
ES
HALBERT AND HOB
IVÀN IVÀNOVITCH
TRAY
NED BRATTS
YOU ARE SICK, THAT’S SURE
ECHETLOS
CLIVE
MULÉYKEH
PIETRO OF ABANO
DOCTOR — —
PAN AND LUNA
TOUCH HIM NE’ER SO LIGHTLY
WANTING IS — WHAT?
DONALD
SOLOMON AND BALKIS
CRISTINA AND MONALDESCHI
MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT AND FUSELI
ADAM, LILITH, AND EVE
IXION
JOCHANAN HAKKADOSH
NOTE
NEVER THE TIME AND THE PLACE
PAMBO
FERISHTAH’S FANCIES.
PROLOGUE.
THE EAGLE.
THE MELON-SELLER
SHAH ABBAS.
THE FAMILY.
THE SUN.
MIHRAB SHAH.
A CAMEL-DRIVER.
TWO CAMELS.
CHERRIES.
PLOT-CULTURE.
A PILLAR AT SEBZEVAR.
A BEAN-STRIPE: ALSO, APPLE-EATING.
EPILOGUE.
PARLEYINGS WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE OF IMPORTANCE IN THEIR DAY
APOLLO AND THE FATES.
WITH BERNARD DE MANDEVILLE.
WITH DANIEL BARTOLI.
WITH CHRISTOPHER SMART.
WITH GEORGE BUBB DODINGTON.
WITH FRANCIS FURINI.
WITH GERARD DE LAIRESSE.
WITH CHARLES AVISON.
FUST AND HIS FRIENDS.
AN EPILOGUE.
ASOLANDO. PROLOGUE
ROSNY
DUBIETY
NOW
HUMILITY
POETICS
SUMMUM BONUM
A PEARL, A GIRL
SPECULATIVE
WHITE WITCHCRAFT
BAD DREAMS I
BAD DREAMS II
BAD DREAMS III
BAD DREAMS IV
INAPPREHENSIVENESS
WHICH?
THE CARDINAL AND THE DOG
THE POPE AND THE NET
THE BEAN-FEAST
MUCKLE-MOUTH MEG
ARCADES AMBO
THE LADY AND THE PAINTER
PONTE DELL’ ANGELO, VENICE
BEATRICE SIGNORINI
FLUTE-MUSIC, WITH AN ACCOMPANIMENT
IMPERANTE AUGUSTO NATUS EST —
DEVELOPMENT
REPHAN
REVERIE
ASOLANDO. EPILOGUE
LIST OF POEMS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER
A-D E-H I-L M-O P-S T-V W-Z
A BEAN-STRIPE: ALSO, APPLE-EATING.
A CAMEL-DRIVER.
A DEATH IN THE DESERT
A FACE
A GRAMMARIAN’S FUNERAL
A LIGHT WOMAN
A LIKENESS
A LOVER’S QUARREL
A PEARL, A GIRL
A PILLAR AT SEBZEVAR.
A PRETTY WOMAN
A SERENADE AT THE VILLA
A TOCCATA OF GALUPPI’S
A WOMAN’S LAST WORD
ABT VOGLER
ADAM, LILITH, AND EVE
AFTER
AN EPILOGUE.
AN EPISTLE
ANDREA DEL SARTO
ANOTHER WAY OF LOVE
ANY WIFE TO ANY HUSBAND
Robert Browning - Delphi Poets Series Page 235