ThepoetryofBrowningeverywheresaysthis，andsaysitmoreemphaticallythanthatofanyotherpoetinourliterature。
Itsayseverywhere，thatnotthroughknowledge，notthroughasharpenedintellect，butthroughrepentance，inthedeepersensetowhichIhavejustalluded，throughconversion，throughwheelingintoanewcentreitsspiritualsystem，thesoulattainstosavingtruth。
Salvationwithhimmeansthatrevelationofthesoultoitself，thatawakening，quickening，actuating，attitude-adjusting，ofthesoul，whichsetsitgravitatingtowardtheDivine。
Browning’sideaofConversionis，perhaps，mostdistinctlyexpressedinapassageintheMonologueoftheCanonCaponsacchi，in`TheRingandtheBook’，whereinhesetsforththecircumstancesunderwhichhissoulwaswheeledintoanewcentre，afteralifeofdallianceandelegantfolly，andmadeawareof”themarvellousdowerofthelifeitwasgiftedandfilledwith”。Hehasbeentellingthejudges，beforewhomhehasbeensummoned，thestoryofthelettersforgedbyGuidotoentraphimandPompilia，andofhishavingseen”rightthroughthethingthattriedtopassfortruthandsolid，notanemptylie”。Theconclusionandtheresolvehecomesto，areexpressedinthesoliloquywhichherepeatstothejudges，ashavingutteredatthetime：”So，henotonlyforgedthewordsforherbutwordsforme，madelettershecalledmine：
whatIsent，heretained，gavetheseinplace，allbythemistressmessenger！AsIrecognizedher，atpotencyoftruth，soshe，bythecrystallinesoul，knewme，nevermistookthesigns。
Enoughofthis——letthewraithgotonothingnessagain，hereistheorb，haveonlythoughtforher！”WhatfollowsadmitsustotheveryHEARTofBrowning’spoetry——admitsustothegreatIdeawhichisalmost，inthesedays，strangetosay，peculiarlyhis——
whichnootherpoet，certainly，ofthisintellectual，analytic，scientificage，withits”patent，truth-extractingprocesses”，hasbroughtoutwiththesamedegreeofdistinctness——thegreatIdeawhichmaybevariouslycharacterizedasthatofsoul-kindling，soul-quickening，adjustmentofsoul-attitude，regeneration，conversion，throughPERSONALITY——akindling，quickening，adjustment，regeneration，conversioninwhichTHOUGHTisnotevenacoefficient。
AsexpressedinSordello，”Divestmindofe’enthought，andlo，God’sunexpressedwilldawnsaboveus！””Thought?”theCanongoesontosay，”Thought?nay，Sirs，whatshallfollowwasnotthought：
Ihavethoughtsometimes，andthoughtlongandhard。
Ihavestoodbefore，goneroundaseriousthing，taskedmywholemindtotouchitandclaspitclose，……Godandman，andwhatdutyIoweboth，——IdaresayIhaveconfrontedtheseinthought：
butnosuchfacultyhelpedhere。Iputforthnothought，——powerless，allthatnightIpacedthecity：itwasthefirstSpring。
BytheINVASIONILAYPASSIVETO，inrushednewthings，theoldwereraptaway；alikeabolished——theimprisonmentoftheoutsideair，theinsideweighto’theworldthatpulledmedown。
Deathmeant，tospurntheground，soartothesky，——diewellandyoudothat。Theveryimmolationmadethebliss；
deathwastheheartoflife，andalltheharmmyfollyhadcrouchedtoavoid，nowprovedaveilhidingallgainmywisdomstrovetograsp……Intoanotherstate，undernewruleIknewmyselfwaspassingswiftandsure；whereoftheinitiatorypangapproached，felicitousannoy，asbitter-sweetaswhenthevirginband，thevictorschaste，feelattheendtheearthygarmentsdrop，andrisewithsomethingofarosyshameintoimmortalnakedness：
soIlay，andletcometheproperthroewouldthrillintotheecstasyandout-throbpain。I’thegrayofthedawnitwasIfoundmyselffacingthepillaredfronto’thePieve——mine，mychurch：
itseemedtosayforthefirsttime，`ButamnotItheBride，themysticloveo’theLamb，whotookthyplightedtroth，mypriest，tofoldthywarmheartonmyheartofstoneandfreezetheenorunfastenanymore?Thisisafleshlywoman，——letthefreebestowtheirlifeblood，thouartpulselessnow！’……Now，whenIfoundoutfirstthatlifeanddeatharemeanstoanend，thatpassionusesboth，indisputablymistressofthemanwhoseformofworshipisself-sacrifice——now，fromthestonelungssighedthescrannelvoice，`Leavethatlivepassion，comebedeadwithme！’
Asif，i’thefabledgarden，Ihadgoneongreatadventure，pluckedinignorancehedge-fruit，andfeastedtosatiety，laughingatsuchhighfameforhipsandhaws，andscornedtheachievement：thencomeallatonceo’theprizeo’theplace，thethingofperfectgold，theapple’sself：and，scarcemyeyeonthat，was’wareaswellofthesevenfolddragon’swatch。Sirs，Iobeyed。Obediencewastoostrange，——thisnewthingthathadbeenSTRUCKINTOMEBYTHELOOKOFTHELADY，todaredisobeythefirstauthoritativeword。’TwasGod’s。IhadbeenLIFTEDTOTHELEVELOFHER，couldtakesuchsoundsintomysense。
Isaid，`Wetwoarecognizanto’theMasternow；itisshebidsmebowthehead：howtrue，Iamapriest！Iseethefunctionhere；
Ithoughttheotherwayself-sacrifice：thisisthetrue，sealsuptheperfectsum。Ipayit，sitdown，silentlyobey。’”
Numerousandvariedexpressionsoftheideaofconversionsetforthinthispassage，occurinBrowning’spoetry，evidencinghisdeepsenseofthisgreatandindispensableconditionofsoul-life，ofbeingbornanew(orfromabove，asitshouldberenderedintheGospel，a’/nwqen，thatis，throughtheagencyofahigherpersonality)，inordertoseethekingdomofGod——
evidencinghisconvictionthat”thekingdomofGodcomethnotwithobservation：forlo！thekingdomofGodiswithinyou。”
Inthepoementitled`Cristina’，thespeakerismadetosay，——”Oh，we’resunkenoughhere，Godknows！butnotquitesosunkthatmoments，Suretho’seldom，aredeniedus，whenthespirit’strueendowmentsStandoutplainlyfromitsfalseones，andappriseitifpursuingOrtherightwayorthewrongway，toitstriumphorundoing。
Thereareflashesstruckfrommidnights，therearefire-flamesnoon-dayskindle，Wherebypiled-uphonorsperish，wherebyswollenambitionsdwindle，Whilejustthisorthatpoorimpulse，whichforoncehadplayunstifled，Seemsthesoleworkofalife-timethatawaytheresthavetrifled。”
Andagain，whenthePopein`TheRingandtheBook’hascometothedecisiontosignthedeath-warrantofGuidoandhisaccomplices，hesays：”ForthemaincriminalIhavenohopeexceptinsuchaSUDDENNESSOFFATE。IstoodatNaplesonce，anightsodarkIcouldhavescarceconjecturedtherewasearthanywhere，skyorseaorworldatall：butthenight’sblackwasburstthroughbyablaze——
thunderstruckblowonblow，earthgroanedandbore，throughherwholelengthofmountainvisible：therelaythecitythickandplainwithspires，and，likeaghostdisshrouded，whitethesea。SOMAYTHETRUTHBEFLASHEDOUTBYONEBLOW，ANDGUIDOSEE，ONEINSTANT，ANDBESAVED。ElseIavertmyface，norfollowhimintothatsadobscuresequesteredstatewhereGodUNMAKESBUTTOREMAKEthesoulheelsemadefirstinvain；
whichmustnotbe。Enough，forImaydiethisverynight：
andhowshouldIdaredie，thismanletlive?CarrythisforthwithtotheGovernor！”
BrowningisthemostessentiallyChristianoflivingpoets。
Thoughherarelyspeaks`inpropriapersona’inhispoetry，anyonewhohasgoneoveritall，canhavenodoubtastohisownmostvitalbeliefs。WhattheBeauty-lovingSoulinTennyson’s`PalaceofArt’sayofherself，cannotbesuspectedeven，ofBrowning：——”Itakepossessionofman’smindanddeed。
Icarenotwhatthesectsmaybrawl。
IsitasGodholdingnoformofcreed，Butcontemplatingall。”
Religionwithhimis，indeed，theall-in-all；butnotanyparticularformofitasafinality。Thisisnotaworldforfinalitiesofanykind，asheconstantlyteachesus：
itisaworldofbrokenarcs，notofperfectrounds。
Formulationsofsomekindhewould，nodoubt，admittheremustbe，asineverythingelse；butwithhimallformulationsandtabulationsofbeliefs，especiallysuchas”makesquaretoafiniteeyethecircleofinfinity”，*1*are，atthebest，onlyPROVISIONAL，and，attheworst，leadtospiritualstandstill，spiritualtorpor，”aghastlysmoothlife，deadatheart。”*2*TheessentialnatureofChristianityiscontrarytospecialprescription，dothisordothat，believethisorbelievethat。Christgavenorecipes。
ChristianityiswithBrowning，andthishesetsforthagainandagain，aLIFE，quickenedandmotivedandnourishedbythePersonalityofChrist。
AndallthathesaysofthisPersonalitycanbeacceptedbyeveryChristian，whatevertheologicalviewhemayentertainofChrist。
Christ’steachingsheregardsbutasINCIDENTSofthatPersonality，andtherecordswehaveofhissayingsanddoings，butafragment，asomewhatdistortedone，itmaybe，outofwhichwemust，byamysticandplasticsympathy，{*}aidedbytheChristspiritwhichisimmanentintheChristianworld，mouldthePersonality，anddofealtytoit。TheChristianmustendeavortobeabletosay，withthedyingJohn，inBrowning’s`DeathintheDesert’，”Tomethatstory，——ay，thatLifeandDeathofwhichIwrote`itwas’——
tome，itis。”——
*1*`ChristmasEve’。
*2*`EasterDay’。
{*}`plastic’inthe1800’ssenseof`pliable’，not`fake’——A。L——
Thepoementitled`ChristmasEve’containsthefullestandmostexplicitexpression，inBrowning，ofhisideaofthepersonalityofChrist，asbeingtheall-in-allofChristianity。”ThetruthinGod’sbreastLiestracefortraceuponoursimpressed：
ThoughHeissobrightandwesodim，WearemadeinHisimagetowitnessHim：
Andwerenoeyeinustotell，Instructedbynoinnersense，ThelightofHeavenfromthedarkofHell，Thatlightwouldwantitsevidence，——
ThoughJustice，Good，andTruth，werestillDivine，if，bysomedemon’swill，HatredandwronghadbeenproclaimedLawthroughtheworlds，andRightmisnamed，NomereexpositionofmoralityMadeorinpartorintotality，Shouldwinyoutogiveitworship，therefore：
Andifnobetterproofyouwillcarefor，——Whomdoyoucounttheworstmanuponearth?
Besure，heknows，inhisconscience，moreOfwhatRightis，thanarrivesatbirthInthebestman’sactsthatwebowbefore：
AndthenceIconcludethattherealGod-functionIstofurnishamotiveandinjunctionForpractisingwhatweknowalready。
AndsuchaninjunctionandsuchamotiveAstheGodinChrist，doyouwaive，and`heady，High-minded’，hangyourtabletvotiveOutsidethefaneonafinger-post?
Moralitytotheuttermost，SupremeinChristasweallconfess，WhyneedWEprovewouldavailnojotTomakeHimGod，ifGodhewerenot?
WhereisthepointwhereHimselflaysstress?
Doesthepreceptrun`BelieveinGood，InJustice，Truth，nowunderstoodForthefirsttime’?——or`BelieveinME，Wholivedanddied，yetessentiallyAmLordofLife’?*WhoevercantakeThesametohisheartandformerelove’ssakeConceiveofthelove，——thatmanobtainsAnewtruth；noconvictiongainsOfanoldoneonly，madeintenseByafreshappealtohisfadedsense。”
*”Subsistsnolawoflifeoutsideoflife。”
