ABSTRACT

From his unsigned review of Poems, 1849. …To the deep thought prevailing throughout Mr. Browning’s poetry, we have

already sufficiently alluded, in passing. It is to be added, however, that difficulty and apparent obscurity form by no means the universal attendant on this poetic exposition of thought. There are passages and whole poems, of which the meaning and beauty may be transparent to any, and at once. And at least a moiety of his writing, we should judge to be not more distant from the ordinary apprehension than all genuine poetry commonly is.