ROBERT BROWNING. A POET who, at the age of more than fifty, can look back with satisfaction to thirty years of the inspiration of his Muse, and to several editions of his collected works, may fairly be said to have attained a point of eminence in literature. There are few writers of verse, however, whose earnest thoughts and high imaginings have been less promptly understood, and appreciated as the emanations of a poetic genius, than those of Robert Browning. His dramas, notwithstanding the advantage of having an admiring and zealous exponent, kept but a brief existence on the stage; his poems, extolled by some, were denounced by others as being of the mystical and spasmodic school, and one able critic went so far as to describe them as incomprehensible,―annoying the judgment by obscurity, and offending the ear by discord. "But we have read most of the pieces with pleasure," adds the same authority, "because we like to hear what a thoughtful, generous man has to say on a variety of subjects." Robert Browning was born in 1812, at Camberwell, and received his education at the London University. Music, painting, and the drama have in turn occupied his thoughts, and some of the best years of his life were spent in Italy, in the society of a wife of yet higher poetic genius, Miss Elizabeth Barrett, who died in 1861. Mr. Browning's first published work, ‘Paracelsus,' a poem in five scenes, appeared in 1835. It was founded on Renauldin's history of one of the travelling literati of the early part of the sixteenth century, who spent their days in wandering from country to country, predicting the future by astrology and chiromancy, evoking apparitions, and practising magic and alchemy; and was inscribed by its author to "his affectionate friend, Amédée de Ripert-Monclar." Two years later, Mr. Browning appeared in the more difficult and arduous character of a tragic dramatist. In May, 1837, he produced at Covent Garden Theatre his historical tragedy of 'Strafford,' supported in the delineation of its principal characters by Macready, Vandenhoff, and Helen Faucit. It was not, however, very successful. As an acting play, the interest fails after the third act, when Strafford is overthrown. The fourth act, in which he does not appear, somewhat lingers on the stage, amid the plots for his destruction and the vacillation of the King; and though his prison scene is touching, our sympathies are not sufficiently aroused for Charles, who is drawn more weak and treacherous throughout than even adverse history represents him. Mr. Browning made large amends, however, for this apparent want of sympathy for the royal martyr by his spirited 'Cavalier Tunes :' "God for King Charles! Pym and such carles To the Devil that prompts 'em their treasonous parles! Hands from the pasty, nor bite take nor sup, In 1840 appeared his 'Sordello,' a poem in six books, and in 1841 the drama Pippa Passes,' with the following inscription:"I dedicate my best intentions in this poem, admiringly to the author of 'Ion,' affectionately to Mr. Serjeant Talfourd.” Its opening is highly characteristic of what has been termed Mr. Browning's spasmodic style of utterance, full, however, of poetic fervour. "Day! Faster and more fast, O'er night's brim, day boils at last; Boils, pure gold, o'er the cloud-cup's brim Of yonder gap in the solid gray Of the eastern cloud, an hour away; But forth one wavelet, then another, curled, Rose, reddened, and its seething breast Flickered in bounds, grew gold, then overflowed the world. A mite of my twelve-hours' treasure, The least of thy gazes or glances, (Be they grants thou art bound to, or gifts above measure One of thy choices, or one of thy chances, Be they tasks God imposed thee, or freaks at thy pleasure) Then shame fall on Asolo, mischief on me!" Mr. Browning's next production, in 1842, was a tragedy, entitled 'King Victor and King Charles,' founded on some stirring events in Italian history during the middle of the last century, between Victor Amadeus, first king of Sardinia, and his son Charles Emmanuel, Prince of Piedmont. In 1842 he published his first volume of collected poems, under the title of 'Dramatic Lyrics ;' it was followed at intervals of three and ten years by his 'Dramatic Romances,' and Men and Women,' all of which are now dedicated to "their promptest and staunchest helper," John Forster. In 1843 Mr. Browning produced two acting tragedies of considerable poetic merit-The Return of the Druses,' and 'A Blot in the 'Scutcheon.' The latter was represented on the stage of Drury Lane Theatre, but with only moderate success. Then came his play of 'Colombe's birthday,' dedicated in the following manner to Mr. Bryan W. Proctor:-" No one loves and honours Barry Cornwall more than does Robert Browning; who, having nothing better than this play to give him in proof of it, must say so." The last of Mr. Browning's acting tragedies, Luria,' appeared in 1846, dedicated in the plentitude of his enthusiasm, with extravagant eulogy, to the late Mr. Walter Savage Landor:-“ I dedicate this last attempt for the present at dramatic poetry to a Great Dramatic Poet; wishing what I write may be read by his light' if a phrase originally addressed, by not the least worthy of his contemporaries, to Shakespeare, may be applied here, by one whose sole privilege is in a grateful admiration to Walter Savage Landor." This was followed by two other dramatic poems of less pretension,-A Soul's Tragedy,' Part First being what was called the Poetry of Chiappino's Life, and Part Second its Prose; and In a Balcony, a Scene.' In 1850 a spirited poem, of between two |