Essays on Robert Browning |
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Andrea del Sarto Aprile artist aspirations Basil beauty blind Browning lover Browning's Caponsacchi celsus Christ Christmas Eve creature death despised dream earth endeavour enter eyes face failed failure faith feel Festus fire flesh Florence follow Fra Lippo Lippi friends further gain gazed Giotto give glory God's Greek art hand heart heaven hope hope and fear human imperfect instinct intellect knew knowledge labour learning life's light Lippo Lippi live look Lucrezia man's mankind matter means mind nature never nonconformity obscure once paint painters pantheism Paracelsus perfect picture poem poet poetry Pompilia possessed Pre-Raphaelite priest proud youth pure question Rabbi Ben Ezra realisation recognises seems shows Sordello soul speaker spirit strong struggle task tells thee things thou thought true truth turn weakness whole words wrong youth Zion Chapel
Popular passages
Page 169 - What I see, what at bottom of my heart I wish for, if I ever wish so deep — Do easily, too — when I say, perfectly, I do not boast, perhaps: yourself are judge.
Page 182 - Do I find love so full in my nature, God's ultimate gift, That I doubt his own love can compete with it ? Here, the parts shift ? Here, the creature surpass the Creator, — the end, what Began ? Would I fain in my impotent yearning do all for this man. And dare doubt he alone shall not help him, who yet alone can ? Would it ever have entered my mind, the bare will, much less power.
Page 172 - Had you, with these the same, but brought a mind! Some women do so. Had the mouth there urged 'God and the glory! never care for gain. The present by the future, what is that? 'Live for fame, side by side with Agnolo! 'Rafael is waiting: up to God, all three!
Page 176 - I surely then could sometimes leave the ground, Put on the glory, Rafael's daily wear, In that humane great monarch's golden look...
Page 168 - All in a twilight, you and I alike — You, at the point of your first pride in me (That's gone, you know) but I, at every point; My youth, my hope, my art, being all toned down To yonder sober pleasant Fiesole.
Page 17 - Therefore to whom turn I but to thee, the ineffable Name? Builder and maker, thou, of houses not made with hands! What, have fear of change from thee who art ever the same? Doubt that thy power can fill the heart that thy power expands?
Page 57 - I go to prove my soul ! I see my way as birds their trackless way. I shall arrive ! what time, what circuit first, I ask not : but unless God send his hail Or blinding fireballs, sleet or stifling snow, In some time, his good time, I shall arrive : He guides me and the bird. In his good time ! Mich.
Page 117 - If I stoop Into a dark tremendous sea of cloud, It is but for a time ; I press God's lamp Close to my breast — its splendour, soon or late, Will pierce the gloom : I shall emerge one day ! You understand me ? I have said enough ? Fest.
Page 170 - Heart, or whate'er else, than goes on to prompt This low-pulsed forthright craftsman's hand of mine. Their works drop groundward, but themselves, I know, Reach many a time...
Page 63 - God renews His ancient rapture. Thus he dwells in all, From life's minute beginnings, up at last To man — the consummation of this scheme Of being, the completion of this sphere Of life...