ABSTRACT

If it were Mr. Browning’s desire to withdraw himself from the inquest of criticism, he could scarcely have affected that purpose better than by the impenetrable veil, both of manner and language, in which he has contrived to wrap up whatever truths or beauties this volume may contain. Into his peculiarities of language-his quarrels with the prepositions, and other puerilities and affectations, it is scarcely worth while to enter, further than to hint to the author, that even if his truths and beauties lay nearer the surface than they do, they would recommend themselves far more agreeably in the accepted grammatical forms; and that euphony is one of the conditions of poetry, which, as a sort of usher to the rest, is less safely neglected than some of its higher and more essential qualities. The reader’s attention, during the first half of this volume, is necessarily occupied in mastering those novelties of mere construction, the perfect understanding of which is necessary to qualify him for grappling with the far more impracticable peculiarities of expression that lie below:—and the second half is exhausted in the attempt to acquire such a familiarity with the author’s manner, as may enable him to get at the meanings concealed in the oracles themselves. The first of these difficulties may, of course, be overcome. Like any system of short-hand, the author’s scheme of syntax may, with some trouble, be acquired. The second carries us too far into the regions of transcendentalism to offer any certainty of a satisfactory solution. The song of the bard falls dull and muffled on the ear, as from a fog; and if, at times, a breath of purer inspiration sweeps off the vapours, letting his voice come articulately to the understanding, it is but for a moment. Fold upon misty fold has stolen up, while we were yet rejoicing over our premature єєєєєє, 1 and the singer is again lost to our apprehension in cloudy depths, whither it must be a long labour to learn to follow him. It is, nevertheless, these occasional outbreaks of light, giving assurance of a spiritual presence, that win the reader onward,—tempted, as he is, again and again, to throw down the book in despair. The dust and cobwebs of Time, the student is willing to remove, for the purpose of getting at the old spiritualities that lie beneath a covering, spread over them by the hand of Nature;

courted.