Solikeawallattheworld’sedgeitstood，Withnaughtbeyondtolivefor，——isthatreached?——
Alreadyarenewundream’denergiesOutgrowingunder，andextendingfartherToanewobject；——there’sanotherworld！”
ThedyingJohnin`ADeathintheDesert’，ismadetosay：——”Isaythatmanwasmadetogrow，notstop；
Thathelpheneededonce，andneedsnomore，Havinggrownupbutaninchby，iswithdrawn：
Forhehathnewneeds，andnewhelpstothese。
Thisimportssolely，manshouldmountoneachNewheightinview；thehelpwherebyhemounts，Theladder-runghisfoothasleft，mayfall，SinceallthingssufferchangesaveGodtheTruth。
ManapprehendshimnewlyateachstageWhereatearth’sladderdrops，itsservicedone；
Andnothingshallprovetwicewhatoncewasproved。”
Andagain：——”Manknowspartlybutconceivesbeside，Creepseveronfromfanciestothefact，Andinthisstriving，thisconvertingairIntoasolidhemaygraspanduse，Findsprogress，man’sdistinctivemarkalone，NotGod’s，andnotthebeasts’：Godis，theyare，Manpartlyisandwhollyhopestobe。
SuchprogresscouldnomoreattendhissoulWereallitstrugglesafterfoundatfirstAndguesseschangedtoknowledgeabsolute，Thanmotionwaithisbody，wereallelseThanitthesolidearthoneveryside，Wherenowthroughspacehemovesfromresttorest。
Man，therefore，thusconditioned，mustexpectHecouldnot，whatheknowsnow，knowatfirst；
Whatheconsidersthatheknowsto-day，Comebutto-morrow，hewillfindmisknown；
Gettingincreaseofknowledge，sincehelearnsBecausehelives，whichistobeaman，Settoinstructhimselfbyhispastself：
First，likethebrute，obligedbyfactstolearn，Next，asmanmay，obligedbyhisownmind，Bent，habit，nature，knowledgeturnedtolaw。
God’sgiftwasthatmanshouldconceiveoftruthAndyearntogainit，catchingatmistake，Asmidwayhelptillhereachfactindeed。
ThestatuaryerehemouldashapeBoastsalikegift，theshape’sidea，andnextTheaspirationtoproducethesame；
So，takingclay，hecallshisshapethereout，Criesever，`NowIhavethethingIsee’：
Yetallthewhilegoeschangingwhatwaswrought，Fromfalsehoodlikethetruth，totruthitself。
Howwereithadhecried，`Iseenoface，Nobreast，nofeeti’theineffectualclay’?
Rathercommendhimthatheclappedhishands，Andlaughed，`Itismyshapeandlivesagain！’
Enjoyedthefalsehoodtoucheditontotruth，UntilyourselvesapplaudthefleshindeedInwhatisstillflesh-imitatingclay。
Rightinyou，rightinhim，suchwaybeman’s！
Godonlymakestheliveshapeatajet。
Willyerenouncethisfactofcreatureship?
ThepatternontheMountsubsistsnomore，Seemedawhile，thenreturnedtonothingness，Butcopies，MosesstrovetomaketherebyServestillandarereplacedastimerequires：
Bythesemakenewestvessels，reachthetype！
Ifyedemur，thisjudgmentonyourhead，Nevertoreachtheultimate，angels’law，IndulgingeveryinstinctofthesoulTherewherelaw，life，joy，impulseareonething。”
Browninghasgivenvariedandbeautifulexpressionstotheseideasthroughouthispoetry。
Thesoulmustrestinnothingthissideoftheinfinite。
Ifitdoesrestinanything，howeverrelativelynoblethatthingmaybe，whetherart，orliterature，orscience，ortheology，even，itdeclinesinvitality——ittorpifies。
Howevergreataconquestthecombatantmayachieveinanyofthesearenas，”stridingawayfromthehugegratitude，hisclubshouldered，lion-fleeceroundloinandflank”，hemustbe”boundonthenextnewlabour，heighto’erheighteversurmounting——
destiny’sdecree！”*
Aristophanes’Apology’，p。31，Englished。”RejoicethatmanishurledFromchangetochangeunceasingly，Hissoul’swingsneverfurled！”*
JamesLee’sWife’，sect。6。
Butthistabernacle-life，whichshouldeverlookahead，hasitsclaimswhichmustnotbeignored，anditsstandardswhichmustnotbetoomuchabovepresentconditions。Manmust”fittothefinitehisinfinity”(`Sordello’)。Lifemaybeover-spiritualaswellasover-worldly。”Letuscry，`Allgoodthingsareours，norsoulhelpsfleshmore，now，thanfleshhelpssoul！’”*
Thefigurethepoetemploysin`TheRingandtheBook’
toillustratetheartprocess，maybeasaptlyappliedtolifeitself——
thegreatestofallarts。Thelife-artistmustknowhowtosecuretheproperdegreeofmalleabilityinthismixtureoffleshandsoul。
Hemustminglegoldwithgold’salloy，anddulytemperingbotheffectamanageablemass。Theremaybetoolittleofalloyinearth-lifeaswellastoomuch——toolittletoworkthegoldandfashionit，notintoaring，butring-ward。”Ontheearththebrokenarcs；
intheheavenaperfectround”(`AbtVogler’)。”Oh，ifwedrawacirclepremature，heedlessoffargain，greedyforquickreturnsofprofit，sure，badisourbargain”(`AGrammarian’sFuneral’)——
*`RabbiBenEzra’——
`AnEpistlecontainingtheStrangeMedicalExperiencesofKarshish，theArabPhysician’，isoneofBrowning’smostremarkablepsychologicalstudies。Itmaybesaidtopolarizetheidea，sooftenpresentedinhispoetry，thatdoubtisaconditionofthevitalityoffaith。Inthispoem，thepoethastreatedasupposedcaseofaspiritualknowledge”increasedbeyondthefleshlyfaculty——heavenopenedtoasoulwhileyetonearth，earthforcedonasoul’susewhileseeingheaven”，aspiritualstate，lessdesirableandfarlessfavorabletothetruefulfilmentofthepurposesofearth-life，thanthatexpressedinthefollowinglinesfrom`EasterDay’：——”AworldofspiritasofsenseWasplaintohim，yetnotTOOplain，Whichhecouldtraverse，notremainAGUESTIN：——elsewerepermanentHeavenonearth，whichitsgleamsweremeantTostingwithhungerforfulllight”，etc。
TheEpistleisasubtlerepresentationofasoulconceivedwithabsolutespiritualstandards，whileobligedtoliveinaworldwhereallstandardsarerelativeanddeterminedbythecircumstancesandlimitationsofitssituation。
Thespirituallifehasbeentoodistinctlyrevealedforfulfillingarightthepurposesofearth-life，purposeswhichthesoul，whileintheflesh，mustnotignore，since，inthewordsofRabbiBenEzra，”allgoodthingsareours，norsoulhelpsfleshmore，now，thanfleshhelpssoul。”Thepoemmayalsobesaidtorepresentwhatis，orshouldbe，thetruespiritofthemanofscience。InspiteofwhatKarshishwrites，apologetically，hebetrayshisrealattitudethroughout，towardsthewonderfulspiritualprobleminvolved。
Itis，asmanyofBrowning’sMonologuesare，adoublepicture——
onedirect，theotherreflected，andthereflectedoneisasdistinctasthedirect。ThecompositionalsobearstestimonytoBrowning’sownsoul-healthfulness。Thoughthespiritualbearingofthingsistheall-in-all，inhispoetry，therobustnessofhisnature，thefulnessandsplendidequilibriumofhislife，protecthimagainstaninarticulatemysticism。Browningis，inthewidestanddeepestsenseoftheword，thehealthiestofalllivingpoets；
andingeneralconstitutionthemostShakespearian。
WhathemakesShakespearesay，intheMonologueentitled`AttheMermaid’，hecouldsay，withperhapsgreatertruth，inhisownperson，thanShakespearecouldhavesaidit：——”Haveyoufoundyourlifedistasteful?
Mylifedidanddoessmacksweet。
Wasyouryouthofpleasurewasteful?
MineIsaveandholdcomplete。
Doyourjoyswithagediminish?
Whenminefailme，I’llcomplain。
Mustindeathyourdaylightfinish?
Mysunsetstoriseagain。
Ifindearthnotgraybutrosy，Heavennotgrimbutfairofhue。
DoIstoop?Ipluckaposy。
DoIstandandstare?All’sblue。”
ItisthespiritexpressedintheselineswhichhasmadehispoetrysoentirelyCONSTRUCTIVE。Withthedestructivespirithehasnoaffinities。Thepoetryofdespairandpoetswiththedumpshecannotawaywith。
PerhapsthemostcomprehensivepassageinBrowning’spoetry，expressiveofhisidealofacompletemanundertheconditionsofearth-life，isfoundin`Colombe’sBirthday’，ActIV。
ValencesaysofPrinceBerthold：——”Hegathersearth’sWHOLEGOODintohisarms，standing，asman，now，stately，strongandwise——marchingtofortune，notsurprisedbyher：
onegreataim，likeaguidingstarabove——whichtasksstrength，wisdom，stateliness，tolifthismanhoodtotheheightthattakestheprize；aprizenotnear——lestoverlookingearth，herashlyspringtoseizeit——norremote，sothatherestsuponhispathcontent：butdaybyday，whileshimmeringgrowsshine，andthefaintcircletprophesiestheorb，heseessomuchas，justevolvingthese，thestateliness，thewisdom，andthestrengthtoduecompletion，willsufficethislife，andleadhimathisgrandesttothegrave。”
Browningfullyrecognizes，touseanexpressioninhis`FraLippoLippi’，fullyrecognizes”thevalueandsignificanceofflesh。”Ahealthyandwell-tonedspirituallifeiswithhimthefurthestremovedfromasceticism。Tothepassagefromhis`RabbiBenEzra’alreadyquoted，”allgoodthingsareours，norsoulhelpsfleshmore，now，thanfleshhelpssoul”，shouldbeaddedwhatDavidsingstoSaul，inthepoementitled`Saul’。
Wasthefullphysicallifeevermorebeautifullysung?”Oh！ourmanhood’sprimevigour！nospiritfeelswaste，Notamuscleisstoppedinitsplaying，norsinewunbraced。
Oh，thewildjoysofliving！theleapingfromrockuptorock，Thestrongrendingofboughsfromthefir-tree，thecoolsilvershockOftheplungeinapool’slivingwater，thehuntofthebear，Andthesultrinessshowingthelioniscouchedinhislair。
Andthemeal，therichdatesyellowedoverwithgolddustdivine，Andthelocust-fleshsteepedinthepitcher，thefulldraughtofwine，Andthesleepinthedriedriver-channelwherebulrushestellThatthewaterwaswonttogowarblingsosoftlyandwell。
Howgoodisman’slife，themereliving！howfittoemployAlltheheartandthesoulandthesensesforeverinjoy！”
Thoughthisissaidinthepersonofthebeautifulshepherd-boy，David，whoeverhaslivedanytimewithBrowning，throughhispoetry，mustbeassuredthatitisalsoanexpressionofthepoet’sownexperienceofthegloryofflesh。Hehashimselfbeenanexpressionofthefullestphysicallife：andnow，inhisfiveandseventiethyear，sincethe7thoflastMay，hepreservesbothmindandbodyinamagnificentvigor。
Ifhissoulhadbeenlodgedinasickly，ricketybody，hecouldhardlyhavewrittentheselinesfrom`Saul’。Norcouldhehavewritten`CalibanuponSetebos’，especiallytheopeninglines：”Willsprawl，nowthattheheatofdayisbest，flatonhisbellyinthepit’smuchmire，withelbowswide，fistsclenchedtoprophischin。And，whilehekicksbothfeetinthecoolslush，andfeelsabouthisspinesmalleft-thingscourse，runinandouteacharm，andmakehimlaugh：andwhileabovehisheadapompion-plant，coatingthecave-topasabrowitseye，creepsdowntotouchandticklehairandbeard，andnowaflowerdropswithabeeinside，andnowafruittosnapat，catchandcrunch，——
helooksouto’eryonseawhichsunbeamscrossandrecrosstilltheyweaveaspider-web(meshesoffire，somegreatfishbreaksattimes)，andtalkstohisownself，howe’erheplease，touchingthatother，whomhisdamcalledGod。”
There’sagrandpassagein`Balaustion’sAdventure：
includingatranscriptfromEuripides’，descriptiveofHeraklesashereturns，afterhisconflictwithDeath，leadingbackAlkestis，whichshowsthepoet’ssympathywiththephysical。Thepassageismorevaluableasrevealingthatsympathy，fromthefactthatit’soneofhisadditionstoEuripides：——”therestoodthestrength，Happyasalways；somethinggrave，perhaps；
Thegreatvein-cordageonthefret-workedbrow，Black-swollen，beadedyetwithbattle-dropsTheyellowhairo’thehero！——hisbigframeA-quiverwitheachmusclesinkingbackIntothesleepysmoothitleapedfromlate。
Underthegreatguardofonearm，thereleantAshroudedsomething，liveandwoman-like，Proppedbytheheart-beats’neaththelion-coat。
Whenhehadfinishedhissurvey，itseemed，Theheavingsoftheheartbegansubside，Thehelpingbreathreturned，andlastthesmileShoneout，allHerakleswasbackagain，Asthewordsfollowedthesalutinghand。”
ItisnotsomuchthegloryoffleshwhichEuripidesrepresentsinHerakles，astheindulgenceofappetite，atatime，too，whenthatindulgenceismadetoappearthemoreculpableandgross。
Thisideaof”thevalueandsignificanceofflesh”，itisimportanttonote，alongwiththepredominantspiritualbearingofBrowning’spoetry。Itarticulateseverywherethespiritual，sotospeak——makesithealthyandrobust，andprotectsitagainstvolatilityandfromrunningintomysticism。
2。TheIdeaofPersonalityasembodiedinBrowning’sPoetry。
AcardinalideainBrowning’spoetryistheregenerationofmenthroughapersonalitywhobringsfreshstuffforthemtomould，interpret，andproveright，——newfeelingfreshfromGod——
whoselifere-teachesthemwhatlifeshouldbe，whatfaithis，loyaltyandsimpleness，alloncerevealed，buttaughtthemsolongsincethattheyhavebutmeretraditionofthefact，——
truthcopiedfalteringlyfromcopiesfaint，theearlytraitsalldroppedaway。(`Luria’。)Theintellectplaysasecondarypart。
Itsplaceisbehindtheinstinctive，spiritualantennaewhichconductalongtheirtremblinglines，freshstufffortheintellecttostampandkeep——freshinstinctforittotranslateintolaw。”Apeopleisbuttheattemptofmanytorisetothecompleterlifeofone。”(`ASoul’sTragedy’。)
