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Robert Browning - Delphi Poets Series

Page 236

by Robert Browning


  APOLLO AND THE FATES.

  APPARENT FAILURE

  ARCADES AMBO

  ARTEMIS PROLOGUIZES

  ASOLANDO. EPILOGUE

  ASOLANDO. PROLOGUE

  BAD DREAMS I

  BAD DREAMS II

  BAD DREAMS III

  BAD DREAMS IV

  BEATRICE SIGNORINI

  BEFORE

  BEN KARSHOOK’S WISDOM

  BISHOP BLOUGRAM’S APOLOGY

  BY THE FIRE-SIDE

  CALIBAN UPON SETEBOS

  CAVALIER TUNES I. MARCHING ALONG.

  CAVALIER TUNES II. GIVE A ROUSE.

  CAVALIER TUNES III. BOOT AND SADDLE.

  CHERRIES.

  CHILDE ROLAND TO THE DARK TOWER CAME

  CHRISTMAS-EVE

  CLEON

  CLIVE

  CONFESSIONS

  COUNT GISMOND

  COUNT GUIDO FRANCESCHINI

  CRISTINA

  CRISTINA AND MONALDESCHI

  DE GUSTIBUS —

  DEAF AND DUMB

  DEVELOPMENT

  DÎS ALITER VISUM;

  DOCTOR — —

  DOMINUS HYACINTHUS DE ARCHANGELIS

  DONALD

  DUBIETY

  EARTH’S IMMORTALITIES

  EASTER-DAY

  ECHETLOS

  EPILOGUE

  EPILOGUE.

  EPILOGUE. THE HOUSEHOLDER.

  EURYDICE TO ORPHEUS

  EVELYN HOPE

  FAME

  FERISHTAH’S FANCIES.

  FIFINE AT THE FAIR.

  FLUTE-MUSIC, WITH AN ACCOMPANIMENT

  FRA LIPPO LIPPI

  FUST AND HIS FRIENDS.

  GARDEN-FANCIES

  GIUSEPPE CAPONSACCHI

  GOLD HAIR

  GUIDO

  HALBERT AND HOB

  HALF-ROME

  HOLY-CROSS DAY

  HOME-THOUGHTS, FROM ABROAD

  HOME-THOUGHTS, FROM THE SEA

  HOW IT STRIKES A CONTEMPORARY

  HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX

  HUMILITY

  I. — JAMES LEE’S WIFE SPEAKS AT THE WINDOW

  I. — THE FLOWER’S NAME

  II. — BY THE FIRESIDE

  II. — SIBRANDUS SCHAFNABURGENSIS.

  III. — IN THE DOORWAY

  IMPERANTE AUGUSTO NATUS EST —

  IN A BALCONY

  IN A GONDOLA

  IN A YEAR

  IN THREE DAYS

  INAPPREHENSIVENESS

  INCIDENT OF THE FRENCH CAMP

  INSTANS TYRANNUS

  IV. — ALONG THE BEACH

  IVÀN IVÀNOVITCH

  IX. — ON DECK

  IXION

  JAMES LEE’S WIFE

  JOCHANAN HAKKADOSH

  JOHANNES AGRICOLA IN MEDITATION I. — MADHOUSE CELL

  JOHANNES AGRICOLA IN MEDITATION II. — MADHOUSE CELL

  JURIS DOCTOR JOHANNES-BAPTISTA BOTTINIUS

  LA SAISIAZ

  LIFE IN A LOVE

  LOVE

  LOVE AMONG THE RUINS

  LOVE IN A LIFE

  MARTIN RELPH

  MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT AND FUSELI

  MASTER HUGUES OF SAXE-GOTHA

  MAY AND DEATH

  MEETING AT NIGHT

  MEMORABILIA

  MESMERISM

  MIHRAB SHAH.

  MISCONCEPTIONS

  MR. SLUDGE, “THE MEDIUM”

  MUCKLE-MOUTH MEG

  MULÉYKEH

  MY LAST DUCHESS

  MY STAR

  NATIONALITY IN DRINKS

  NED BRATTS

  NEVER THE TIME AND THE PLACE

  NOTE

  NOW

  OLD PICTURES IN FLORENCE

  ONE WAY OF LOVE

  ONE WORD MORE

  PACCHIAROTTO, AND HOW HE WORKED IN DISTEMPER

  PACCHIAROTTO. I

  PACCHIAROTTO. II

  PACCHIAROTTO. III

  PACCHIAROTTO. IV

  PACCHIAROTTO. IX

  PACCHIAROTTO. V

  PACCHIAROTTO. VI

  PACCHIAROTTO. VII

  PACCHIAROTTO. VIII

  PACCHIAROTTO. X

  PACCHIAROTTO. XI

  PACCHIAROTTO. XII

  PACCHIAROTTO. XIII

  PACCHIAROTTO. XIV

  PACCHIAROTTO. XIX

  PACCHIAROTTO. XV

  PACCHIAROTTO. XVI

  PACCHIAROTTO. XVII

  PACCHIAROTTO. XVIII

  PACCHIAROTTO. XX

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXI

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXII

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXIII

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXIV

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXIX

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXV

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXVI

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXVII

  PACCHIAROTTO. XXVIII

  PAMBO

  PAN AND LUNA

  PARLEYINGS WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE OF IMPORTANCE IN THEIR DAY

  PARTING AT MORNING

  PAULINE

  PHEIDIPPIDES

  PICTOR IGNOTUS

  PIETRO OF ABANO

  PLOT-CULTURE.

  POETICS

  POMPILIA

  PONTE DELL’ ANGELO, VENICE

  POPULARITY

  PORPHYRIA’S LOVER

  PRINCE HOHENSTIEL-SCHWANGAU, SAVIOUR OF SOCIETY

  PROLOGUE.

  PROLOGUE: AMPHIBIAN.

  PROSPICE

  PROTUS

  RABBI BEN EZRA

  RED COTTON NIGHT-CAP COUNTRY, OR, TURF AND TOWERS

  REPHAN

  RESPECTABILITY

  REVERIE

  ROSNY

  RUDEL TO THE LADY OF TRIPOLI

  SAUL

  SAUL

  SHAH ABBAS.

  SOLILOQUY OF THE SPANISH CLOISTER

  SOLOMON AND BALKIS

  SONG

  SONNET

  SORDELLO BOOK THE FIFTH.

  SORDELLO BOOK THE FIRST.

  SORDELLO BOOK THE FOURTH.

  SORDELLO BOOK THE SECOND.

  SORDELLO BOOK THE SIXTH.

  SORDELLO BOOK THE THIRD.

  SPECULATIVE

  SUMMUM BONUM

  TERTIUM QUID

  THE BEAN-FEAST

  THE BISHOP ORDERS HIS TOMB AT SAINT PRAXED’S CHURCH ROME

  THE BOOK AND THE RING

  THE BOY AND THE ANGEL

  THE CARDINAL AND THE DOG

  THE CONFESSIONAL

  THE EAGLE.

  THE ENGLISHMAN IN ITALY

  THE FAMILY.

  THE FLIGHT OF THE DUCHESS

  THE GLOVE

  THE GUARDIAN-ANGEL

  THE HERETIC’S TRAGEDY

  THE INN ABLUM

  THE ITALIAN IN ENGLAND

  THE LABORATORY

  THE LADY AND THE PAINTER

  THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER

  THE LOST LEADER

  THE LOST MISTRESS

  THE MELON-SELLER

  THE OTHER HALF-ROME

  THE PATRIOT

  THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN

  THE POPE

  THE POPE AND THE NET

  THE RING AND THE BOOK

  THE STATUE AND THE BUST

  THE SUN.

  THE TWINS

  THE WORST OF IT

  THREE SONGS FROM PARACELSUS

  THROUGH THE METIDJA TO ABD-EL-KADR

  TIME’S REVENGES

  TOO LATE

  TOUCH HIM NE’ER SO LIGHTLY

  TRANSCENDENTALISM:

  TRAY

  TWO CAMELS.

  TWO IN THE CAMPAGNA

  UP AT A VILLA–DOWN IN THE CITY

  V. — ON THE CLIFF

  VI. — READING A BOOK, UNDER THE CLIFF

  VII. — AMONG THE ROCKS

  VIII. — BESIDE THE DRAWING BOARD

  WANTING IS — WHAT?

  WARING

  WARNING II.

  WHICH?

  WHITE WITCHCRAFT

  WITH BERNARD DE MANDEVILLE.

  WITH CHARLES AVISON.

  WITH CHRIS
TOPHER SMART.

  WITH DANIEL BARTOLI.

  WITH FRANCIS FURINI.

  WITH GEORGE BUBB DODINGTON.

  WITH GERARD DE LAIRESSE.

  WOMEN AND ROSES

  YOU ARE SICK, THAT’S SURE

  YOUTH AND ART

  The Plays

  St. Marylebone Parish Church, where Robert and Elizbateh were married in secret, due to her father having expressly forbidden his children to marry. Mr. Barrett disinherited Elizabeth, as well as her other siblings that had married, and Elizabeth’s brothers accused Browning of being a lower-class gold-digger, refusing to see him.

  The church today

  Elizabeth Barrett, 1849

  PARACELSUS

  In 1834 Browning accompanied the Chevalier George de Benkhausen, the Russian consul-general, on a brief visit to St Petersburg, which is where he began writing Paracelsus, published the following year. The dramatic poem concerns a 16th century alchemist, which was most likely suggested to him by the Comte Amédée de Ripart-Monclar, to whom the work was dedicated. Paracelsus (1493-1541) was also an astrologer, medical doctor and general occultist. He was born Phillip von Hohenheim, but changed his name first to Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim, and later to Paracelsus, meaning “equal to or greater than Celsus”, a Roman encyclopedist known for his tract on medicine. He made significant contributions in the fields of toxicology, medicine and psychology.

  Paracelsus enjoyed some commercial and critical success, being noticed by such writers as Wordsworth, Dickens and Tennyson. A monodrama with little action, Paracelsus explores the problems confronting an intellectual trying to find his role in society. With the success of this work, Browning gained access to the London literary world.

  The first edition of Browning’s first literary success

  CONTENTS

  Persons

  Part I. Paracelsus Aspires

  Part II. Paracelsus Attains

  Part III. Paracelsus

  Part IV. Paracelsus Aspires

  Part V. Paracelsus Attains

  Paracelsus

  Inscribed to

  AMÉDÉE DE RIPERT-MONCLAR

  by his affectionate friend

  R. B.

  London, March 15, 1835.

  Persons

  Aureolus Paracelsus, a student.

  Festus and Michal, his friends.

  Aprile, an Italian poet.

  Part I. Paracelsus Aspires

  Scene. —

  Würzburg; a garden in the environs. 1512.

  Festus, Paracelsus, Michal.

  Paracelsus.

  Come close to me, dear friends; still closer; thus!

  Close to the heart which, though long time roll by

  Ere it again beat quicker, pressed to yours,

  As now it beats — perchance a long, long time —

  At least henceforth your memories shall make

  Quiet and fragrant as befits their home.

  Nor shall my memory want a home in yours —

  Alas, that it requires too well such free

  Forgiving love as shall embalm it there!

  For if you would remember me aright,

  As I was born to be, you must forget

  All fitful strange and moody waywardness

  Which e’er confused my better spirit, to dwell

  Only on moments such as these, dear friends!

  — My heart no truer, but my words and ways

  More true to it: as Michal, some months hence,

  Will say, “this autumn was a pleasant time,”

  For some few sunny days; and overlook

  Its bleak wind, hankering after pining leaves.

  Autumn would fain be sunny; I would look

  Liker my nature’s truth: and both are frail,

  And both beloved, for all our frailty.

  Michal.

  Aureole!

  Paracelsus.

  Drop by drop! she is weeping like a child!

  Not so! I am content — more than content;

  Nay, autumn wins you best by this its mute

  Appeal to sympathy for its decay:

  Look up, sweet Michal, nor esteem the less

  Your stained and drooping vines their grapes bow down,

  Nor blame those creaking trees bent with their fruit,

  That apple-tree with a rare after-birth

  Of peeping blooms sprinkled its wealth among!

  Then for the winds — what wind that ever raved

  Shall vex that ash which overlooks you both,

  So proud it wears its berries? Ah, at length,

  The old smile meet for her, the lady of this

  Sequestered nest! — this kingdom, limited

  Alone by one old populous green wall

  Tenanted by the ever-busy flies,

  Grey crickets and shy lizards and quick spiders,

  Each family of the silver-threaded moss —

  Which, look through near, this way, and it appears

  A stubble-field or a cane-brake, a marsh

  Of bulrush whitening in the sun: laugh now!

  Fancy the crickets, each one in his house,

  Looking out, wondering at the world — or best,

  Yon painted snail with his gay shell of dew,

  Travelling to see the glossy balls high up

  Hung by the caterpillar, like gold lamps.

  Michal.

  In truth we have lived carelessly and well.

  Paracelsus.

  And shall, my perfect pair! — each, trust me, born

  For the other; nay, your very hair, when mixed,

  Is of one hue. For where save in this nook

  Shall you two walk, when I am far away,

  And wish me prosperous fortune? Stay: that plant

  Shall never wave its tangles lightly and softly,

  As a queen’s languid and imperial arm

  Which scatters crowns among her lovers, but you

  Shall be reminded to predict to me

  Some great success! Ah see, the sun sinks broad

  Behind Saint Saviour’s: wholly gone, at last!

  Festus.

  Now, Aureole, stay those wandering eyes awhile!

  You are ours to-night, at least; and while you spoke

  Of Michal and her tears, I thought that none

  Could willing leave what he so seemed to love:

  But that last look destroys my dream — that look

  As if, where’er you gazed, there stood a star!

  How far was Würzburg with its church and spire

  And garden-walls and all things they contain,

  From that look’s far alighting?

  Paracelsus.

  I but spoke

  And looked alike from simple joy to see

  The beings I love best, shut in so well

  From all rude chances like to be my lot,

  That, when afar, my weary spirit, — disposed

  To lose awhile its care in soothing thoughts

  Of them, their pleasant features, looks and words, —

  Needs never hesitate, nor apprehend

  Encroaching trouble may have reached them too,

  Nor have recourse to fancy’s busy aid

  And fashion even a wish in their behalf

  Beyond what they possess already here;

  But, unobstructed, may at once forget

  Itself in them, assured how well they fare.

  Beside, this Festus knows he holds me one

  Whom quiet and its charms arrest in vain,

  One scarce aware of all the joys I quit,

  Too filled with airy hopes to make account

  Of soft delights his own heart garners up:

  Whereas behold how much our sense of all

  That ‘s beauteous proves alike! When Festus learns

  That every common pleasure of the world

  Affects me as himself; that I have just

  As varied appetite for joy derived

  From common
things; a stake in life, in short,

  Like his; a stake which rash pursuit of aims

  That life affords not, would as soon destroy; —

  He may convince himself that, this in view,

  I shall act well advised. And last, because,

  Though heaven and earth and all things were at stake,

  Sweet Michal must not weep, our parting eve.

  Festus.

  True: and the eve is deepening, and we sit

  As little anxious to begin our talk

  As though to-morrow I could hint of it

  As we paced arm-in-arm the cheerful town

  At sun-dawn; or could whisper it by fits

  (Trithemius busied with his class the while)

  In that dim chamber where the noon-streaks peer

  Half-frightened by the awful tomes around;

  Or in some grassy lane unbosom all

  From even-blush to midnight: but, to-morrow!

  Have I full leave to tell my inmost mind?

  We have been brothers, and henceforth the world

  Will rise between us: — all my freest mind?

  ‘T is the last night, dear Aureole!

  Paracelsus.

  Oh, say on!

  Devise some test of love, some arduous feat

  To be performed for you: say on! If night

  Be spent the while, the better! Recall how oft

  My wondrous plans and dreams and hopes and fears

  Have — never wearied you, oh no! — as I

  Recall, and never vividly as now,

  Your true affection, born when Einsiedeln

  And its green hills were all the world to us;

  And still increasing to this night which ends

  My further stay at Würzburg. Oh, one day

  You shall be very proud! Say on, dear friends!

  Festus.

  In truth? ‘T is for my proper peace, indeed,

  Rather than yours; for vain all projects seem

  To stay your course: I said my latest hope

  Is fading even now. A story tells

  Of some far embassy despatched to win

  The favour of an eastern king, and how

  The gifts they offered proved but dazzling dust

  Shed from the ore-beds native to his clime.

  Just so, the value of repose and love,

  I meant should tempt you, better far than I

  You seem to comprehend; and yet desist

  No whit from projects where repose nor love

  Has part.

  Paracelsus.

  Once more? Alas! As I foretold.

  Festus.

  A solitary briar the bank puts forth

  To save our swan’s nest floating out to sea.

  Paracelsus.

  Dear Festus, hear me. What is it you wish?

  That I should lay aside my heart’s pursuit,

  Abandon the sole ends for which I live,

  Reject God’s great commission, and so die!

  You bid me listen for your true love’s sake:

 

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