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Drayton； Donne； and the rest。 Lovers of poetry will always read him as
they will read Wordsworth； Keats； Milton； Coleridge； and Chaucer。 Look
his defects in the face； throw them into the balance； and how they
disappear before his merits！ He is the last and youngest of the mighty
race； born； as it were； out of due time； late； and into a feebler generation。
Let it be admitted that the gold is not without alloy； that he has a touch
of voluntary affectation； of obscurity； even an occasional perversity； a
mannerism； a set of favourite epithets （〃windy〃 and 〃happy〃）。 There is a
momentary echo of Donne； of Crashaw； nay； in his earliest pieces； even a
touch of Leigh Hunt。 You detect it in pieces like 〃Lilian〃 and 〃Eleanore；〃
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and the others of that kind and of that date。
Let it be admitted that 〃In Memoriam〃 has certain lapses in all that
meed of melodious tears； that there are trivialities which might deserve
（here is an example） 〃to line a box；〃 or to curl some maiden's locks； that
there are weaknesses of thought； that the poet now speaks of himself as a
linnet； singing 〃because it must；〃 now dares to approach questions
insoluble； and again declines their solution。 What is all this but the
changeful mood of grief？ The singing linnet； like the bird in the old
English heathen apologue； dashes its light wings painfully against the
walls of the chamber into which it has flown out of the blind night that
shall again receive it。
I do not care to dwell on the imperfections in that immortal strain of
sympathy and consolation； that enchanted book of consecrated regrets。 It
is an easier if not more grateful task to note a certain peevish egotism of
tone in the heroes of 〃Locksley Hall；〃 of 〃Maud；〃 of 〃Lady Clara Vere de
Vere。〃 〃You can't think how poor a figure you make when you tell that
story； sir；〃 said Dr。 Johnson to some unlucky gentleman whose 〃figure〃
must certainly have been more respectable than that which is cut by these
whining and peevish lovers of Maud and Cousin Amy。
Let it be admitted； too； that King Arthur； of the 〃Idylls；〃 is like an
Albert in blank verse； an Albert cursed with a Guinevere for a wife； and a
Lancelot for friend。 The 〃Idylls；〃 with all their beauties； are full of a
Victorian respectability； and love of talking with Vivien about what is not
so respectable。 One wishes； at times； that the 〃Morte d'Arthur〃 had
remained a lonely and flawless fragment； as noble as Homer； as polished
as Sophocles。 But then we must have missed； with many other admirable
things； the 〃Last Battle in the West。〃
People who come after us will be more impressed than we are by the
Laureate's versatility。 He has touched so many strings； from 〃Will
Waterproof's Monologue；〃 so far above Praed； to the agony of 〃Rizpah；〃
the invincible energy of 〃Ulysses；〃 the languor and the fairy music of the
〃Lotus Eaters；〃 the grace as of a Greek epigram which inspires the lines to
Catullus and to Virgil。 He is with Milton for learning； with Keats for
magic and vision； with Virgil for graceful recasting of ancient golden lines；
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and； even in the latest volume of his long life； 〃we may tell from the
straw；〃 as Homer says； 〃what the grain has been。〃
There are many who make it a kind of religion to regard Mr。 Browning
as the greatest of living English poets。 For him； too； one is thankful as
for a veritable great poet； but can we believe that impartial posterity will
rate him with the Laureate； or that so large a proportion of his work will
endure？ The charm of an enigma now attracts students who feel proud of
being able to understand what others find obscure。 But this attraction
must inevitably become a stumbling…block。
Why Mr。 Browning is obscure is a long question； probably the answer
is that he often could not help himself。 His darkest poems may be made
out by a person of average intelligence who will read them as hard as； for
example； he would find it necessary to read the 〃Logic〃 of Hegel。 There
is a story of two clever girls who set out to peruse 〃Sordello；〃 and
corresponded with each other about their progress。 〃Somebody is dead
in 'Sordello；'〃 one of them wrote to her friend。 〃I don't quite know who it
is； but it must make things a little clearer in the long run。〃 Alas！ a
copious use of the guillotine would scarcely clear the stage of 〃Sordello。〃
It is hardly to be hoped that 〃Sordello；〃 or 〃Red Cotton Night Cap
Country；〃 or 〃Fifine；〃 will continue to be struggled with by posterity。
But the mass of 〃Men and Women；〃 that unexampled gallery of portraits
of the inmost hearts and secret minds of priests； prigs； princes； girls； lovers；
poets； painters； must survive immortally； while civilization and literature
last； while men care to know what is in men。
No perversity of humour； no voluntary or involuntary harshness of
style； can destroy the merit of these poems； which have nothing like them
in the letters of the past； and must remain without successful imitators in
the future。 They will last all the better for a certain manliness of religious
faithsomething sturdy and assured not moved by winds of doctrine； not
paltering with doubts； which is certainly one of Mr。 Browning's attractions
in this fickle and shifting generation。 He cannot be forgotten while； as he
says …
〃A sunset touch； A chorus ending of Euripides；〃
remind men that they are creatures of immortality； and move 〃a
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thousand hopes and fears。〃
If one were to write out of mere personal preference； and praise most
that which best fits one's private moods； I suppose I should place Mr。
Matthew Arnold at the head of contemporary English poets。 Reason and
reflection； discussion and critical judgment； tell on