THE GREEKS AND BROWNING 411 



again, in liberating the desires from worldly strivings and 

 seeking refuge in the domain of thought, the soul becomes 

 strong in distinguishing good from evil, truth from error : 



"And, as in moments when the past 

 Gave partially enfranchisement, he [Sordello] cast 

 Himself quite through mere secondary states 

 Of his soul's essence, little loves and hates, 

 Into the mid-deep yearnings overlaid 

 By these; as who should pierce hill, plain, grove, glade, 

 And on into the very nucleus probe 

 That first determined there exists a globe. 

 As that were easiest, half the globe dissolved, 

 So seemed Sordello's closing truth evolved 

 By his flesh-half's break up; the sudden swell 

 Of his expanding soul showed 111 and Well, 

 Sorrow and Joy, Beauty and Ugliness, 

 Virtue and Vice, the Larger and the Less." 



Browning's standpoint, besides embracing the use of this 

 world's means, includes also the comprehension of the living 

 death of the philosopher, the living beyond the dominion of 

 bodily pleasures and of the senses. And with Plato he would 

 rid himself of eyes and ears and with the light of the mind only 

 behold the light of Truth. For truthfulness is the quality 

 a philosopher should possess and falsehood should be held in 

 detestation. 



There are the two kinds of knowledge, one derived from 

 without, the other from within, the two halves of the perfect 

 whole. 



"Thus: I possess 



Two sorts of knowledge, one vast, shadowy, 

 Hints of the unbounded aim I once pursued; 

 The other consists of many secrets, caught 

 While bent on noble prize, perhaps a few 

 Prime principles which may conduct to much. . . . 

 And I betake myself to study 

 Till patient searchings after hidden lore 

 Half wring truth from its prison." 



