370 Tra?isactions . — Miscellaneous . 



such studies are entirely unsuited to the habits of the every- 

 day man, whose whole thoughts are engrossed by business or 

 pleasure, and who can discern no attractiveness in an analysis 

 of the secret motives which prompt to action, and shape and 

 guide men's lives. 



This want of interest in the subject of the poems them- 

 selves, and not the obscure phraseology in which the thought 

 is expressed, appears to me the true cause of Browning's 

 writings not being more generally read. The subjects chosen 

 are, possibly — as some contend — not suited to poetry, which 

 is to work upon the feelings of men. Be this as it may, 

 Browning is not popular in the general acceptation of the 

 term. " I should have been gratified," he says, " with mode- 

 rate success, but I am not discouraged at the want of it." 

 And this from a reason of his own. ' The value of all life- 

 work, he held, was not the estimate put on it by others, but 

 by its power to influence and mould for higher purposes the 

 character and disposition of the worker. And so he was 

 content to work on, trusting to time to do him justice. 



If we glance over the leading events in the world's history 

 we note, with singular interest, the advent of a certain order 

 or class of minds which comes to the front at special periods, 

 and makes the deepest impression on its own age, and not 

 unfrequently many after ages. These periods are generally 

 periods of unrest, when the human mind, either from gross 

 Ignorance or over-refinement and pride of intellect, is full of 

 doubt and unbelief as to the existence after death of man's 

 spirit. Browning was endowed with a mind of that order, 

 with its noble aspirations, and its power of viewing, not 

 through a glass darkly, but as a reality constantly and clearly 

 seen as in broad daylight — the spiritual nature of man, the 

 true import of his life and its manifold duties. Such minds 

 are moved also by an irresistible impulse to impress their 

 belief upon mankind. The earnestness and singular freedom 

 and fearlessness with which this is done evidences the sincerity 

 of their convictions. These distinguishing qualities have fre- 

 quently been portrayed, and would appear to have been fully 

 developed, in Browning. 



In the present highly sceptical age we might expect to 

 find, as in reality we do find, some of our poets speaking on 

 the momentous questions of life and death, and the meaning 

 of life, with great force and eloquence. Conspicuous amongst 

 these are Tennyson and Browning. The one charming the 

 ear of the masses by the music of his verse, the other claim- 

 ing the serious attention of a select few by his deep original 

 thought and keen spiritual insight. 



The poetical faculty, allied as it was of old with the 

 prophetic, is perhaps the grandest conferred upon man. It 



