English poet (1812-1889)
Progress, man's distinctive mark alone,
Not God's, and not the beasts': God is, they are,
Man partly is and wholly hopes to be.
ROBERT BROWNING
"De Gustibus"
When I am pained, I find the old theory of the uselessness of communicating the circumstances of it, singularly untenable.
ROBERT BROWNING
letter to Elizabeth Barrett, March 1, 1845
How good is man's life, the mere living!
How fit to employ
All the heart and the soul and the senses
Forever in joy!
ROBERT BROWNING
"Saul"
A people is but the attempt of many
To rise to the completer life of one--
And those who live as models for the mass
Are singly of more value than they all.
ROBERT BROWNING
Luria
The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hill-side's dew-pearl'd;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in His heaven--
All's right with the world!
ROBERT BROWNING
Pippa Passes
Progress is
The law of life: man is not Man as yet.
ROBERT BROWNING
Paracelsus
I have no pleasure in writing myself--none, in the mere act--though all pleasure in the sense of fulfilling a duty, whence, if I have done my real best, judge how heart-breaking a matter must it be to be pronounced a poor creature by critic this and acquaintance the other.
ROBERT BROWNING
letter to Elizabeth Barrett, March 12, 1845
For life, with all it yields of joy and woe,
And hope and fear (believe the aged friend),
Is just our chance o' the prize of learning love--
How love might be, hath been indeed, and is.
ROBERT BROWNING
A Death in the Desert
Only I discern
Infinite passion, and the pain
Of finite hearts that yearn.
ROBERT BROWNING
"Two in Campagna"
Every one soon or late comes round by Rome.
ROBERT BROWNING
Ring and the Book
As if true pride
Were not also humble!
ROBERT BROWNING
In an Album
Lofty designs must close in like effects.
ROBERT BROWNING
"A Grammarian's Funeral"
Who hears music feels his solitude
Peopled at once.
ROBERT BROWNING
Balaustion's Adventure
All June I bound the rose in sheaves,
Now, rose by rose, I strip the leaves.
ROBERT BROWNING
One Way of Love
I judge people by what they might be--not are, nor will be.
ROBERT BROWNING
"A Soul's Tragedy"
What I have printed gives no knowledge of me--it evidences abilities of various kinds, if you will--and a dramatic sympathy with certain modifications of passion ... But I never have begun, even, what I hope I was born to begin and end--'R.B. a poem'.
ROBERT BROWNING
letter to Elizabeth Barrett, February 11, 1845
Less is more.
ROBERT BROWNING
Andrea del Sarto
God be thanked, the meanest of his creatures
Boasts two soul-sides,--one to face the world with,
One to show a woman when he loves her!
ROBERT BROWNING
One Word More