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 "And soon. Oporinus," p. 111, the Selections have ". soon for Browning's answer, "quickly."] 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!" But the Selections additions to the first two lines of his song he does not adopt: Br. "Thus the Mayne glideth Sel. Where my love abideth." 1835 & 1863. Softly the Mayne river glideth Close by where my Love abideth." 1862, p. 116. 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," Bk I. p. 264, vol. iii. ed. 1863, to "Thus thrall reached thrall," p. 275, ib.). [The rymes are the same in both texts.] ... ... ... ... (24) From a Blot in the 'Scutcheon 121 131 141 179 152 (25′) From Colombe's Birthday 188 203 (23′) From the Return of the Druses 3 (Act V.) 163 (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 1 "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!" "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. "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." "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, 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!" 1865. MOXON'S MINIATURE POETS. (91) Protus (98) Two in the Campagna 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." 1 (107) From the same ("The swallow has set her six young on the rail": § III. 4 stanzas 2 ... (39) The lost Mistress (7) Song from "Pippa Passes" ("You'll love me yet: 3 verses of 4: in Act II.) (118) Youth and Art (20) Cristina ... ... of 7) From the same (§ V. "I leaned Page 43 on the turf": 5 stanzas of 6) 45 (56) A Lovers' Quarrel 5 10 11 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 (107') Song from "James Lee" (§ I) ("Ah, Love, but a day," 3 st. of 7) (104) Misconceptions (59) A Woman's last Word 47 55 (107) From "James Lee" (§ VII. o' the brown old earth 2 stanzas of 6) (63) Any Wife to any Husband (109) The Worst of it : 57 58 (66) A Serenade at the Villa (77) The last Ride together (27) Claret (28) Tokay (100) Song (calld "One way of Love" in Men and Women, (1855), ii. 218) ("All June I ... 39 40 bound the rose in sheaves": 3 st. of 6) 87 (107) From "James Lee" (§ II "Is all our fire of shipwreck wood": 4 stanzas of 8) 1 Alfred Tennyson, Miniature Poets.-S. -a Selection from whose Works opened the series of Moxon's (40) Home-Thoughts, from abroad song in Lear') 179 (Oh, to be in England) 127 (115) Caliban upon Setebos; or, ... (41) Home-Thoughts, from the Sea (Nobly, nobly) 128 (2) Romance from "Paracelsus." "Heap cassia, sandal-buds, &c." 16 lines (IV.191-206) 132 Song from the Same. "Thus the Mayne glideth." (7) Romance from "Pippa passes." ... 133 3 sections (in Act II.) 135 "The year's at the Spring." (81) Memorabilia ... 137 ... 139 (35) Pictor Ignotus (Florence, 15-) 143 shortly after the Revival of ... (112) Abt Vogler, after he has been extemporising upon the 156 163 ... (52) Michelagnolo. From 'Christ- (104) Adapted from "One Word Take and keep my fifty 1872. A Selection from the Works of Robert Browning. With a Memoir of the Author and Explanatory Notes. For the Use of Schools and Private Tuition. Edited by F. H. Ahn, Ph. Dr. Leipzig, Ernst Fleischer, 1872. 1872. SELECTIONS FROM THE POETICAL WORKS OF ROBERT BROWNING. London: | Smith, Elder & Co., 15, Waterloo Place. 1872. p. i-xii, 1-348. 8vo.1 [First Series.] 1 The Tauchnitz Selection of 1872, calld "The Poetical Works of Robert Browning," vols. 1197, 1198 of the "Collection of British Authors," contains: vol. i, p. 1-6 half-title, Portrait, title and contents; (52) A Soul's Tragedy, p. 7-43; (51) Luria, p. 45-108; (53) Christmas-Eve and Easter-Day (Florence, 1850'), p. 109-188; Men and Women ('London and Florence, 184-185-.') only the 12 under that title in the '68 edition-(102) Transcendentalism, (76) A Contemporary, (17) Artemis, (64) Karshish, (4) Agricola, (35) Pictor Ignotus, (60) Fra Lippo, (82) Andrea del Sarto, (32) Bishop's Tomb, (80) Blougram, (94) Cleon, (19) Rudel, (104) One Word More,-altering Karshook to Karshish in § 14,-p. 189-292. 18. 6d. vol. ii. half-title, Title and Contents, p. 1-5; (88) In a Balcony ('Bagni di Lucca, 1853'), p. 7-38; Dramatis Persona (London, 1864'); Dramatic Romances, p. 199320.-(14) French Camp, (78) Patriot, (12) Last Duchess, (13) Count Gismond, (31) Boy and Angel (complete), (68) Instans Tyrannus, (65) Mesmerism, (50) Glove, (49) Time's Revenges, (36) Italian in England, (37) Englishman in Italy, (16) Gondola, (18) Waring, (95) Twins, (72) Light Woman, (77) Last Ride, (22) Pied Piper, (33) Flight of the Duchess (all: a, b), (99) Grammarian's Funeral, (97) Heretic's Tragedy.-1s. 6d. Both a cheap Selection from Browning's Works and a cheap double-column Edition of them are sadly wanted in England. "Dedicated to ALFRED TENNYSON. In Poetry-illustrious and consummate: In Friendship—Noble and sincere.” [Forewords] "In the present selection from my poetry, there is an attempt to escape from the embarrassment of appearing to pronounce upon what myself may consider the best of it. I adopt another principle; and by simply stringing together certain pieces on the thread of an imagined personality, I present them in succession, rather as the natural development of a particular experience than because I account them. the most noteworthy portion of my work. Such an attempt was made in the volume of selections from the poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning [see p. 61, note 2, above]: to which-in outward uniformity, at least-my own would venture to become a companion. "A few years ago, had such an opportunity presented itself, I might have been tempted to say a word in reply to the objections my poetry was used to encounter. Time has kindly co-operated with my disinclination to write the poetry and the criticism besides. The readers I am at last privileged to expect, meet me fully half-way; and if, from the fitting standpoint, they must still "censure me in their wisdom," they have previously "awakened their senses that they may the better judge." Nor do I apprehend any more charges of being wilfully obscure, unconscientiously careless, or perversely harsh. Having hitherto done my utmost in the art to which my life is a devotion, I cannot engage to increase the effort; but I conceive that there may be helpful light, as well as reassuring warmth, in the attention and sympathy I gratefully acknowledge. R. B." "London, May 14, 1872." [This book is, in the main, a reproduction of the Selections of 1865.] CONTENTS. 1 (21) Through the Metidja to Abd- (14) Incident of the French Camp 67 (12) My last Duchess (7) Song from "Pippa Passes ("Give her but a least ex- (20) Cristina (13) Count Gismond (124) Eurydice to Orpheus (50) The Glove (45) Song ('Nay but you " (12) The Flight of the Duchess (38) The Lost Leader ... (77) The last Ride together 88 14 (65) Mesmerism 93 ... 15 (62) By the Fireside 99 22 ... (63) Any Wife to any Husband 110 23 (86) In a Year 116 26 30 (107) Song from 'James Lee' ("Oh, good gigantic smile o' the brown old earth." § VII.) 119 60 (59) A Woman's last Word |