Tennyson’sgeniuswasearlytrainedbytheskepticalphilosophyoftheage。Allhispoetryshowsthis。The`InMemoriam’mayalmostbesaidtobethepoemofnineteenthcenturyscepticism。
Tothisscepticismhehasappliedan”all-subtilizingintellect”，andhastranslateditintothepoetical”concrete”，witharareartisticskill，andmorethanthis，hassubjectedittothespiritualinstinctsandapperceptionsofthefemininesideofhisnatureandmadeitvassaltoalargerfaith。Butitis，afterall，notthevitalfaithwhichBrowning’spoetryexhibits，afaithPROCEEDINGDIRECTLYFROMTHESPIRITUALMAN。ItisratherthefaithexpressedbyBrowning’sBishopBlougram：——”WithmefaithmeansperpetualunbeliefKeptquietlikethesnake’neathMichael’sfoot，Whostandsfirmjustbecausehefeelsitwrithe。”
AndTennyson，inpicturingtousintheIdylls，thepassageofthesoul”fromthegreatdeeptothegreatdeep”，appearstohavefeltitnecessarytothecompletionofthatpicture(orwhydidhedoit?)，thatheshouldbringoutthatdoubtatthelastmoment。
ThedyingArthurismadetosay：——”IamgoingalongwayWiththesethouseest——ifindeedIgo(Forallmymindiscloudedwithadoubt)——
Totheisland-valleyofAvilion”；etc。
Tennyson’spoetryis，infact，anexpressionofthehighestsublimationofthescepticismwhichcameoutoftheeighteenthcentury，whichinvokedtheauthorityofthesensualisticphilosophyofLocke，andhassincebeenfosteredbythescienceofthenineteenth；
whileBrowning’spoetryisadecidedprotestagainst，andareactionaryproductof，thatscepticism，thatinfidelphilosophy(infidelastothetranscendental)，andhasCLOSEDwithitandborneawaythepalm。
Thekey-noteofhispoetryisstruckin`Paracelsus’，publishedin1835，inhistwenty-thirdyear，and，withtheexceptionof`Pauline’publishedin1833，theearliestofhiscompositions：
Paracelsussays(andhewhoknowsBrowningknowsittobesubstantiallyhisowncreed)：——”Truthiswithinourselves；ittakesnoriseFromoutwardthings，whate’eryoumaybelieve：
Thereisaninmostcentreinusall，Wheretruthabidesinfulness；andaroundWalluponwall，thegrossfleshhemsitin，Thisperfect，clearperception——whichistruth；
AbafflingandpervertingcarnalmeshBlindsit，andmakesallerror：and`TOKNOW’
RatherconsistsinopeningoutawayWhencetheimprisonedsplendourmayescape，ThanineffectingentryforalightSupposedtobewithout。WatchnarrowlyThedemonstrationofatruth，itsbirth，AndyoutracebacktheeffluencetoitsspringAndsourcewithinus，wherebroodsradiancevast，Tobeelicitedraybyray，aschanceShallfavour：chance——forhitherto，yoursageEvenasheknowsnothowthosebeamsareborn，Aslittleknowshewhatunlockstheirfount；
AndmenhaveoftgrownoldamongtheirbooksTodie，case-hardenedintheirignorance，WhosecarelessyouthhadpromisedwhatlongyearsOfunremittedlabourne’erperformed：
While，contrary，ithaschancedsomeidleday，Thatautumn-loiterersjustasfancy-freeAsthemidgesinthesun，haveoftgivenventTotruth——producedmysteriouslyascapeOfcloudgrownoutoftheinvisibleair。
Hence，maynottruthbelodgedalikeinall，Thelowestasthehighest?someslightfilmTheinterposingbarwhichbindsitup，Andmakestheidiot，justasmakesthesageSomefilmremoved，thehappyoutletwhenceTruthissuesproudly?Seethissoulofours！
Howitstrivesweaklyinthechild，isloosedInmanhood，cloggedbysickness，backcompelledByageandwaste，setfreeatlastbydeath：
Whyisit，fleshenthrallsitorenthrones?
Whatisthisfleshwehavetopenetrate?
Oh，notalonewhenlifeflowsstilldotruthAndpoweremerge，butalsowhenstrangechanceRufflesitscurrent；inunusedconjuncture，Whensicknessbreaksthebody——hunger，watching，Excess，orlanguor——oftenestdeath’sapproach——
Peril，deepjoy，orwoe。OnemanshallcrawlThroughlife，surroundedwithallstirringthings，Unmoved——andhegoesmad；andfromthewreckOfwhathewas，byhiswildtalkalone，Youfirstcollecthowgreataspirithehid。
Thereforesetfreethespiritalikeinall，DiscoveringthetruelawsbywhichthefleshBarsinthespirit！……
IgotogatherthisThesacredknowledge，hereandtheredispersedAbouttheworld，longlostorneverfound。
AndwhyshouldIbesad，orlornofhope?
Whyevermakeman’sgooddistinctfromGod’s?
Or，findingtheyareone，whydaremistrust?
Whoshallsucceedifnotonepledgedlikeme?
MineisnomadattempttobuildaworldApartfromHis，likethosewhosetthemselvesTofindthenatureofthespirittheybore，And，taughtbetimesthatalltheirgorgeousdreamsWereonlyborntovanishinthislife，Refusedtofitthemtothisnarrowsphere，ButchosetofigureforthanotherworldAndotherframesmeetfortheirvastdesires，——
Still，alladream！Thuswaslifescorned；butlifeShallyetbecrowned：twineamaranth！Iampriest！”
Andagain：——”Inman’sselfariseAugustanticipations，symbols，typesOfadimsplendoureveronbefore，Inthateternalcirclerunbylife：
Formenbegintopasstheirnature’sbound，AndfindnewhopesandcareswhichfastsupplantTheirproperjoysandgriefs；andoutgrowall*
Thenarrowcreedsofrightandwrong，whichfadeBeforetheunmeasuredthirstforgood；whilepeaceRiseswithinthemevermoreandmore。
Suchmenareevennowupontheearth，Sereneamidthehalf-formedcreaturesround，Whoshouldbesavedbythemandjoinedwiththem。”
Inthelastthreeversesisindicatedthedoctrineoftheregeneratingpowerofexaltedpersonalities，soprominentinBrowning’spoetry，andwhichistreatedinthenextpaper。
*proper：InthesenseoftheLatinPROPRIUS，peculiar，private，personal。
Thereisno`tabularasa’doctrineinthesepassages，norinanyothers，inthepoet’svoluminousworks；andofallmenofgreatintellectandlearning(itisalwaysamatterofmereinsulatedintellect)，borninEnglandsincethedaysofJohnLocke，noone，perhaps，hasbeensoentirelyuntaintedwiththisdoctrineasRobertBrowning。Itisadoctrinewhichgreatspiritualvitality(andthatheearlypossessed)，reachingout，asitdoes，beyondallexperience，beyondalltransformationofsensations，andallconclusionsofthediscursiveunderstanding，naturallyandspontaneouslyrejects。Itsimplysays，”Iknowbetter”，andthereanend。
Thegreatfunctionofthepoet，aspoet，is，withBrowning，toopenoutawaywhencetheimprisonedsplendormayescape，nottoeffectentryforalightsupposedtobewithout；
totracebacktheeffluencetoitsspringandsourcewithinus，wherebroodsradiancevast，tobeelicitedraybyray。
In`FifineattheFair’，publishedthirty-sevenyearsafter`Paracelsus’，issubstantiallythesamedoctrine：——”Truthinside，andoutside，truthalso；andbetweenEach，falsehoodthatischange，astruthispermanence。
Theindividualsoulworksthroughtheshowsofsense，(Which，everprovingfalse，stillpromisetobetrue)
Uptoanoutersoulasindividualtoo；
And，throughthefleeting，livestodieintothefixed，Andreachatlength`God，man，orbothtogethermixed’。”
Inhispoementitled`Popularity’，includedinhis”fiftymenandwomen”，thespeaker，inthemonologue，”draws”his”truepoet”，whomHEknows，ifothersdonot；who，thoughherenders，orstandsreadytorender，tohisfellows，thesupremeserviceofopeningoutawaywhencetheimprisonedsplendoroftheirsoulsmayescape，isyetlockedsafefromendtoendofthisdarkworld。
Thoughtheremaybe，inhisowntime，no”reapersreapingearlyinamongthebeardedbarley”and”pilingsheavesinuplandsairy”
whohearhissong，heholdstheFUTUREfast，acceptstheCOMINGAGES’duty，theirpresentforthispast。Thistrue，creativepoet，whomthespeakercalls”God’sglow-worm，creativeinthesenseofrevealing，whoseinmostcentre，wheretruthabidesinfulness，hasthatfreedomofresponsivenesstothedivinewhichmakeshimtherevealerofittomen，playsthepartintheworldofspiritwhich，inthematerialworldwasplayedbythefisherwho，firstonthecoastofTyretheold，fishedupthepurple-yieldingmurex。Untilthepreciousliquor，filteredbydegrees，andrefinedtoproof，isflaskedandpriced，andsalableatlast，theworldstandsaloof。Butwhenitisallreadyforthemarket，thesmalldealers，”putblueintotheirline”，andoutdareeachotherinazurefeatsbywhichtheysecuregreatpopularity，and，asaresult，faresumptuously；
whilehewhofishedthemurexupwasunrecognized，andfed，perhaps，onporridge。
Popularity。
I。
Standstill，truepoetthatyouare！
Iknowyou；letmetryanddrawyou。
Somenightyou’llfailus：whenafarYourise，rememberonemansawyou，Knewyou，andnamedastar！*1*
II。
Mystar，God’sglow-worm！WhyextendThatlovinghandofHiswhichleadsyou，YetlocksyousafefromendtoendOfthisdarkworld，unlessHeneedsyou，Justsavesyourlighttospend?
III。
Hisclenchedhandshalluncloseatlast，Iknow，andletoutallthebeauty：
Mypoetholdsthefuturefast，Acceptsthecomingages’duty，Theirpresentforthispast。
IV。
Thatday，theearth’sfeast-master’sbrowShallclear，toGodthechaliceraising；”Othersgivebestatfirst，butThouForeverset’stourtablepraising，Keep’stthegoodwinetillnow！”
V。
Meantime，I’lldrawyouasyoustand，Withfewornonetowatchandwonder：
I’llsay——afisher，onthesandByTyretheold，withocean-plunder，Anetful，broughttoland。
VI。
WhohasnotheardhowTyrianshellsEnclosedtheblue，thatdyeofdyesWhereofonedropworkedmiracles，AndcoloredlikeAstarte’seyesRawsilkthemerchantsells?
VII。
Andeachby-standerofthemallCouldcriticise，andquotetraditionHowdepthsofbluesublimedsomepall——
Togetwhich，prickedaking’sambition；
Worthsceptre，crown，andball。
VIII。
Yetthere’sthedye，inthatroughmesh，Theseahasonlyjusto’er-whispered！
Livewhelks，eachlip’sbearddrippingfresh，Asiftheystillthewater’slispheardThroughfoamtherock-weedsthresh。
IX。
EnoughtofurnishSolomonSuchhangingsforhiscedar-house，That，whengold-robedhetookthethroneInthatabyssofblue，theSpouseMightswearhispresenceshoneX。
Mostlikethecentre-spikeofgoldWhichburnsdeepintheblue-bell’swombWhattime，withardorsmanifold，Thebeegoessingingtohergroom，Drunkenandoverbold。
XI。
Mereconchs！notfitforwarporwoof！
TillcunningcometopoundandsqueezeAndclarify，——refinetoproof*2*
Theliquorfilteredbydegrees，Whiletheworldstandsaloof。
XII。
Andthere’stheextract，flaskedandfine，Andpricedandsalableatlast！
AndHobbs，Nobbs，Stokes，andNokescombineTopaintthefuturefromthepast，Putblueintotheirline。*3*
XIII。
Hobbshintsblue，——straightheturtleeats：
Nobbsprintsblue，——claretcrownshiscup：
NokesoutdaresStokesinazurefeats，——
Bothgorge。Whofinishedthemurexup?
WhatporridgehadJohnKeats?——
*1*named：Announced。
*2*Originalreading：——”Tillartcomes，——comestopoundandsqueezeAndclarify，——refinestoproof。”
*3*”Line”isperhapsmeanttobeusedequivocally，——
theirlineofbusinessorlineoftheirverse。
ThespiritualebbandflowexhibitedinEnglishpoetry(thehighesttidebeingreachedinTennysonandBrowning)
whichIhaveendeavoredcursorilytopresent，beartestimonytothefactthathumannatureWILLassertitswholenessinthecivilizedman。Andtheremustcomeatime，intheprogressofcivilization，whenthisebbandflowwillbelessmarkedthanithasbeenheretofore，byreasonofabetterbalancing，whichwillbebroughtabout，oftheintellectualandthespiritual。
Eachwillhaveitsdueactivity。Themanofintellectualpursuitswillnothaveastarvedspiritualnature；andthemanofpredominantspiritualfunctionswillnothaveanintellectweakenedintoasubmissivenesstoformulated，stereotyped，and，consequently，lifelessdogmas。
RobertBrowningisinhimselfthecompletestfulfilmentofthisequipoiseoftheintellectualandthespiritual，possessingeachinanexalteddegree；andhispoetryisanemphasizedexpressionofhisownpersonality，andaprophecyoftheultimateresultsofChristiancivilization。
II。TheIdeaofPersonalityandofArtasanintermediateagencyofPersonality，asembodiedinBrowning’sPoetry。
1。GeneralRemarks。”SubsistsnolawofLifeoutsideofLife。
