Life and Letters of Robert Browning

Life and Letters of Robert
Browning, by

Mrs. Sutherland Orr This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at
no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg
License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Life and Letters of Robert Browning
Author: Mrs. Sutherland Orr
Release Date: January 21, 2006 [EBook #655]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIFE AND
LETTERS OF ROBERT ***

Produced by Alan Light and David Widger

LIFE AND LETTERS OF ROBERT BROWNING
by Mrs. Sutherland Orr
Second Edition

Preface
Such letters of Mr. Browning's as appear, whole or in part, in the
present volume have been in most cases given to me by the persons to
whom they were addressed, or copied by Miss Browning from the
originals under her care; but I owe to the daughter of the Rev. W. J.
Fox--Mrs. Bridell Fox--those written to her father and to Miss Flower;
the two interesting extracts from her father's correspondence with
herself and Mr. Browning's note to Mr. Robertson.
For my general material I have been largely indebted to Miss Browning.
Her memory was the only existing record of her brother's boyhood and
youth. It has been to me an unfailing as well as always accessible
authority for that subsequent period of his life which I could only know
in disconnected facts or his own fragmentary reminiscences. It is less
true, indeed, to say that she has greatly helped me in writing this short
biography than that without her help it could never have been
undertaken.
I thank my friends Mrs. R. Courtenay Bell and Miss Hickey for their
invaluable assistance in preparing the book for, and carrying it through
the press; and I acknowledge with real gratitude the advantages derived
by it from Mr. Dykes Campbell's large literary experience in his very
careful final revision of the proofs.
A. Orr. April 22, 1891.

Contents
Chapter 1
Origin of the Browning Family--Robert Browning's Grandfather--His
position and Character--His first and second Marriage--Unkindness
towards his eldest Son, Robert Browning's Father--Alleged Infusion of
West Indian Blood through Robert Browning's Grandmother--Existing

Evidence against it--The Grandmother's Portrait.
Chapter 2
Robert Browning's Father--His Position in Life--Comparison between
him and his Son--Tenderness towards his Son--Outline of his Habits
and Character--His Death--Significant Newspaper Paragraph--Letter of
Mr. Locker--Lampson--Robert Browning's Mother--Her Character and
Antecedents--Their Influence upon her Son--Nervous Delicacy
imparted to both her Children--Its special Evidences in her Son.
Chapter 3
1812-1826 Birth of Robert Browning--His Childhood and
Schooldays--Restless Temperament--Brilliant Mental
Endowments--Incidental Peculiarities--Strong Religious
Feeling--Passionate Attachment to his Mother; Grief at first
Separation--Fondness for Animals--Experiences of School
Life--Extensive Reading--Early Attempts in Verse--Letter from his
Father concerning them--Spurious Poems in
Circulation--'Incondita'--Mr. Fox--Miss Flower.
Chapter 4
1826-1833 First Impressions of Keats and Shelley--Prolonged
Influence of Shelley--Details of Home Education--Its Effects--Youthful
Restlessness--Counteracting Love of Home--Early Friendships: Alfred
Domett, Joseph Arnould, the Silverthornes--Choice of Poetry as a
Profession--Alternative Suggestions; mistaken Rumours concerning
them--Interest in Art--Love of good Theatrical Performances--Talent
for Acting--Final Preparation for Literary Life.
Chapter 5
1833-1835 'Pauline'--Letters to Mr. Fox--Publication of the Poem; chief
Biographical and Literary Characteristics--Mr. Fox's Review in the
'Monthly Repository'; other Notices--Russian Journey--Desired

diplomatic Appointment--Minor Poems; first Sonnet; their Mode of
Appearance--'The Trifler'--M. de Ripert-Monclar--'Paracelsus'--Letters
to Mr. Fox concerning it; its Publication--Incidental Origin of
'Paracelsus'; its inspiring Motive; its Relation to 'Pauline'--Mr. Fox's
Review of it in the 'Monthly Repository'--Article in the 'Examiner' by
John Forster.
Chapter 6
1835-1838 Removal to Hatcham; some Particulars--Renewed
Intercourse with the second Family of Robert Browning's
Grandfather--Reuben Browning--William Shergold Browning--Visitors
at Hatcham--Thomas Carlyle--Social Life--New Friends and
Acquaintance--Introduction to Macready--New Year's Eve at Elm
Place--Introduction to John Forster--Miss Fanny Haworth--Miss
Martineau--Serjeant Talfourd--The 'Ion' Supper--'Strafford'--Relations
with Macready--Performance of 'Strafford'--Letters concerning it from
Mr. Browning and Miss Flower--Personal Glimpses of Robert
Browning--Rival Forms of Dramatic Inspiration--Relation of 'Strafford'
to 'Sordello'--Mr. Robertson and the 'Westminster Review'.
Chapter 7
1838-1841 First Italian Journey--Letters to Miss Haworth--Mr. John
Kenyon--'Sordello'--Letter to Miss Flower--'Pippa Passes'--'Bells and
Pomegranates'.
Chapter 8
1841-1844 'A Blot in the 'Scutcheon'--Letters to Mr. Frank Hill; Lady
Martin--Charles Dickens--Other Dramas and Minor Poems--Letters to
Miss Lee; Miss Haworth; Miss Flower--Second Italian Journey;
Naples--E. J. Trelawney--Stendhal.
Chapter 9
1844-1849 Introduction to Miss Barrett--Engagement--Motives for

Secrecy--Marriage--Journey to Italy--Extract of Letter from Mr.
Fox--Mrs. Browning's Letters to Miss Mitford--Life at
Pisa--Vallombrosa--Florence; Mr. Powers; Miss Boyle--Proposed
British Mission to the Vatican--Father Prout--Palazzo Guidi--Fano;
Ancona--'A Blot in the 'Scutcheon' at Sadler's Wells.
Chapter 10
1849-1852 Death of Mr. Browning's Mother--Birth of his Son--Mrs.
Browning's Letters continued--Baths of Lucca--Florence
again--Venice--Margaret Fuller Ossoli--Visit to England--Winter in
Paris--Carlyle--George Sand--Alfred de Musset.
Chapter 11
1852-1855 M. Joseph Milsand--His close Friendship with Mr.
Browning; Mrs. Browning's Impression of him--New Edition of Mr.
Browning's Poems--'Christmas Eve and Easter Day'--'Essay' on
Shelley--Summer in London--Dante Gabriel Rossetti--Florence;