this point) who can realize in marble, or in color, or in music, his ideal, has thereby missed the highest gain of art. In Pippa Passes the regeneration of the young sculptor's work turns on his finding that in the very perfection which he had attained lies ultimate failure. And one entire poem, Andrea del Sarto, has been devoted to the exposition of this thought. Andrea is 'the faultless painter'; no line of his drawing ever goes astray; his hand expresses adequately and accurately all that his mind conceives; but for this very reason, precisely because he is the faultless painter,' his work lacks the highest qualities of art." — Professor Douden. 4. The Urbinate out of me! Raphael Santi, born in Urbino, 1483. Though Andrea knows that Raphael is inferior to himself in technique, yet he acknowledges him to be his superior, because he reaches "above and through his art" toward heaven and things divine. 5. George Vasari: Friend and pupil of Michael Angelo ad Andrea del 3nd author of Lives of the Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. 145, 1. By the future: i.e., Ihel Agnolo) Buonamparison with the future. 2. Agnolo: Michael Angelo (or rotti. 142. 146, 1. For fear, etc.: See note 1, piumph was, to 147, 1. The triumph was, etc.: The rear triumph in have ended in your heart; that reached, the . France is no loss. me critic. 2. Rafael did this, etc.: The supposed remark of BY THE FIRESIDE 151, 2. Is: The present with future me: will be thy pleasant hue?" 154, 1. Hemp-stalks steep: Hemp that is s aration for dressing. 2. Fret: The lichens ornament as with rais 155, 1. Aware: Self-conscious. 2. My Leonor: The “perfect wife," with the “great brow" and the "spirit-small hand," can be no other than Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The poem, though in its circumstances purely dramatic and imaginary, is autobiographic in soul. Other beautiful allusions to Mrs. Browning may be found in One Word More, Prospice, and My Star. 158, 1. What did I say? The description is here resumed, which was broken off at line 20, page 155. 159, 1. Chrysolite: Greek xpuσós and Xidos, gold-stone. Technically, a mineral substance of a pale green color. 162, 1. "With Mr. Browning," says Professor Dowden, "those moments are most glorious in which the obscure tendency of many years has been revealed by the lightning of sudden passion, or in which a resolution that changes the current life has been taken in reliance upon that insight which vivid emotion bestows; and those periods of our history are charged most fully with moral purpose, which take their direction from moments such as these." Here it is the remembrance of one of those supreme moments which determined the issue of his life, that leads the speaker of the poem to exclaim: "How the world is made for each of us!" etc. this point) who can realize in marble, or in color, or in music, his ideal, has thereby missed the highest gain of art. In Pippa Passes the regeneration of the young sculptor's work turns on his finding that in the very perfection which he had attained lies ultimate failure. And one entire poem, Andrea del Sarto, has been devoted to the exposition of this thought. Andrea is the faultless painter'; no line of his drawing ever goes astray; his hand expresses adequately and accurately all that his mind conceives; but for this very reason, precisely because he is the faultless painter,' his work lacks the highest qualities of art.” - Professor Douden. 4. The Urbinate . . . out of me! Raphael Santi, born in Urbino, 1483. Though Andrea knows that Raphael is inferior to himself in technique, yet he acknowledges him to be his superior, because he reaches “above and through his art" toward heaven and things divine. 5. George Vasari: Friend and pupil of Michael Angelo and Andrea del Sarto, and author of Lives of the Painters, Sculptors, and Architects. 145, 1. By the future: i.e., in comparison with the future. 2. Agnolo: Michael Angelo (or Michel Agnolo) Buonarotti. 146, 1. For fear, etc.: See note 1, page 142. 147, 1. The triumph was, etc.: The real triumph was, to have ended in your heart; that reached, the lesser triumph in France is no loss. 2. Rafael did this, etc.: The supposed remark of some critic. 151, 1. Leonard: Leonardo da Vinci. BY THE FIRESIDE 151, 2. Is: The present with future meaning: will be thy pleasant hue? "Where 154, 1. Hemp-stalks steep: Hemp that is soaking in preparation for dressing. 2. Fret: The lichens ornament as with raised work. 155, 1. Aware: Self-conscious. 2. My Leonor: The "perfect wife," with the " great brow" and the "spirit-small hand," can be no other than Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The poem, though in its circumstances purely dramatic and imaginary, is autobiographic in soul. Other beautiful allusions to Mrs. Browning may be found in One Word More, Prospice, and My Star. 158, 1. What did I say? The description is here resumed, which was broken off at line 20, page 155. 159, 1. Chrysolite: Greek xpuoós and Xídos, gold-stone. Technically, a mineral substance of a pale green color. 162, 1. "With Mr. Browning," says Professor Dowden, "those moments are most glorious in which the obscure tendency of many years has been revealed by the lightning of sudden passion, or in which a resolution that changes the current life has been taken in reliance upon that insight which vivid emotion bestows; and those periods of our history are charged most fully with moral purpose, which take their direction from moments such as these." Here it is the remembrance of one of those supreme moments which determined the issue of his life, that leads the speaker of the poem to exclaim: How the world is made for each of us! etc. 66 QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR STUDY PRELIMINARY STUDY OF BROWNING'S POETRY 1. Insistence on sense before sound. 2. Condensation and concentration of thought. 3. Singular power of adapting meter to thought. Note: a. Cavalier Tunes. b. A Grammarian's Funeral. c. Saul. 4. Use of feminine endings. a. Memorabilia. b. By the Fireside. 5. Blank verse. a. Among the best in the English language. b. Full of dramatic vigor. 6. So-called obscurities. a. Due to depth of thought. b. Due to condensation, to the effort to say much in few words. c. Usually easily explained by study of constructions. STUDY OF THE POEMS CAVALIER TUNES In all study of Browning we should be peculiarly alive to the dramatic quality of the poet's work. He was a student of the great drama of humanity, Abstract beauty made little appeal to him; life-full, vigorous, among a world of men and women was to him the true subject for the poet's pen. In the person 184 |