”TheChristhimselfhadbeennoLawgiver，UnlesshehadgiventheLIFE，too，withthelaw。” Mrs。Browning’s`AuroraLeigh’——
IfallChristendomcouldtakethisremarkablepoemof`ChristmasEve’
toitsheart，itstolerance，itsCatholicspirit，and，morethanall，thefealtyitexhibitstothePersonalitywhoessentiallyisLordofLife，whatarevolutionitwouldundergo！andwhatamassofdogmaticandpolemictheologywouldbecomeutterlyobsolete！
Themostremarkablething，perhaps，aboutthevastbodyofChristiantheologywhichhasbeendevelopedduringtheeighteencenturieswhichhaveelapsedsinceChristwasintheflesh，is，thatitisoccupiedsolargely，itmightalmostbesaid，exclusively，withwhatChristandhisdisciplesTAUGHT，andwithfiercediscussionsaboutthemanifoldmeaningswhichhavebeeningeniouslyextortedfromtheimperfectRECORDofwhathetaught。
BritishmuseumlibrariesofpolemicshavebeenwrittenindefenceofwhatChristhimselfwouldhavebeenindifferentto，andwrittenwithananimositytowardsopponentswhichhasbeencrystallizedinaphrasenowappliedinageneralwaytoanyintensehate——ODIUMTHEOLOGICUM。
IfthesignificanceofChrist’smission，oralargepartofit，istobeestimatedbyhisteachings，fromthoseteachingsimportantdeductionsmustbemade，asmanyofthemhadbeendeliveredlongbeforehistime。
Browninghassomethingtosayonthispoint，inthissamepoemof`ChristmasEve’：——”Truth’satmospheremaygrowmephiticWhenPapiststruggleswithDissenter，Impregnatingitspristineclarity，——One，byhisdailyfare’svulgarity，Itsgustofbrokenmeatandgarlic；——
One，byhissoul’stoo-muchpresumingToturnthefrankincense’sfumingAnvaporsofthecandlestarlikeIntothecloudherwingsshebuoyson。
Eachthatthussetsthepureairseething，Maypoisonitforhealthybreathing——
ButtheCriticleavesnoairtopoison；
PumpsoutbyaruthlessingenuityAtombyatom，andleavesyou——vacuity。
ThusmuchofChrist，doeshereject?
Andwhatretain?Hisintellect?
WhatisitImustreverenceduly?
Poorintellectforworship，truly，Whichtellsmesimplywhatwastold(Ifmeremorality，bereftOftheGodinChrist，beallthat’sleft)
Elsewherebyvoicesmanifold；
Withthisadvantage，thatthestaterMadenowisetheimportantstumbleOfadding，he，thesageandhumble，WasalsoonewiththeCreator。”
Browning’spoetryisinstinctwiththeessenceofChristianity——
theLIFEofChrist。Thereisnootherpoetry，thereisnowritingofanyform，inthisage，whichsoemphasizesthefact(andit’sthemostconsolingofallfactsconnectedwiththeChristianreligion)，thatthePersonality，JesusChrist，istheimpregnablefortressofChristianity。WhateverassaultsandinroadsmaybemadeupontheoriginalrecordsbyGoettingenprofessors，upontheaugustfabricoftheChurch，withitscreedsanddogmas，andformularies，andparaphernalia，thisfortresswillstandforever，andmankindwillforeverseekandfindrefugeinit。
Thepoementitled`Cleon’bearstheintimation(there’snothingdirectlyexpressedthereupon)，thatChristianityissomethingdistinctfrom，andbeyond，whateverthehighestcivilizationoftheworld，thecivilizationofGreece，attainedtobeforeChrist。
Throughhimtheworldobtained”anewtruth——noconvictiongainedofanoldonemerely，madeintensebyafreshappealtothefadedsense。”
Cleon，thepoet，writestoProtosinhisTyranny(thatis，intheGreeksense，Sovereignty)。Cleonmustbeunderstoodasrepresentingtheripe，compositeresult，asanindividual，ofwhatconstitutedthegloryofGreece——herpoetry，sculpture，architecture，painting，andmusic，andalsoherphilosophy。
HeacknowledgesthegiftswhichtheKinghaslavisheduponhim。
Bythesegiftswearetounderstandthemunificentnationalpatronageaccordedtothearts。”Themasterofthygalleystillunladesgiftaftergift；theyblockmycourtatlastandpilethemselvesalongitsporticoroyalwithsunset，likeathoughtofthee。”
BytheslavewomenthatareamongthegiftssenttoCleon，seemstobeindicatedthedegradationofthespiritualbyitssubjectiontoearthlyideals，asweretheidealsofGreekart。
Thisismoreparticularlyindicatedbytheonewhiteshe-slave，thelyricwoman，whomfurtheroninhisletter，CleonpromisestotheKinghewillmakenarrate(inlyricsongwemustsuppose)
hisfortunes，speakhisgreatwords，anddescribehisroyalface。
Hecontinues，thatinsuchanactoflove，——thebestowalofprincelygiftsuponhimwhosesonggiveslifeitsjoy，——
menshallremarktheKing’srecognitionoftheuseoflife——
thathisspiritisequaltomorethanmerelytohelponlifeinstraightways，broadenoughforvulgarsouls，byrulingandtherest。
HeascribestotheKing，inthebuildingofhistower(andbythismustbeunderstoodthebuildingupofhisownselfhood)，ahighermotivethanworkformerework’ssake，——
thathighermotivebeing，theluringhopeofsomeEVENTUALREST
atopofit(thetower)，whence，allthetumultofthebuildinghushed，thefirstofmenmaylookouttotheeast。*——
*Tennysonusesasimilarfigurein`TheTwoVoices’。Thespeaker，whoismeditatingwhether”tobeornottobe”，says：——”Werethisnotwell，tobideminehour，ThoughwatchingfromaruinedtowerHowgrowsthedayofhumanpower。”
Theruinedtowerishisowndilapidatedselfhood，whencehetakeshisoutlookupontheworld——
Bytheeventualrestatopofthetower，isindicatedtheaimoftheGreekcivilization，toreachacalmwithinthefinite，whilethesoulisconstitutedanddestinedtogravitateforevertowardstheinfinite——to”forceourstraitenedsphere……
displaycompletelyherethemasteryanotherlifeshouldlearn。”
(`Sordello’。)TheeventualrestinthisworldisnottheChristianideal。Earth-life，whateveritsreach，andwhateveritsgrasp，istotheChristianabrokenarc，notaperfectround。
Cleongoesontorecounthisaccomplishmentsinthearts，andwhathehasdoneinphilosophy，inreplytothefirstrequirementofProtos’sletter，Protos，asitappears，havingheardof，andwonderinglyenumerated，thegreatthingsCleonhaseffected；
andhehaswrittentoknowthetruthofthereport。Cleonreplies，thattheeposontheKing’shundredplatesofgoldishis，andhisthelittlechauntsosuretorisefromeveryfishing-barkwhen，lightsatprow，theseamenhaultheirnets；thattheimageofthesun-godonthelight-housementurnfromthesun’sselftosee，ishis；thatthePoecile，o’erstorieditswholelengthwithpainting，ishis，too；thatheknowsthetrueproportionsofamanandwoman，notobservedbefore；thathehaswrittenthreebooksonthesoul，provingabsurdallwrittenhitherto，andputtingustoignoranceagain；
thatinmusichehascombinedthemoods，inventingone；that，inbrief，allartsarehis，andsoknownandrecognized。AtthishewritestheKingtomarvelnot。Weoftheselatterdays，hesays，beingmoreCOMPOSITE，appearnotsogreatasourforerunnerswho，intheirsimpleway，weregreaterinacertainsingledirection，thanwe；butourcompositewayisgreater。Thislifeofmenonearth，thissequenceofthesoul’sachievementshere，hefindsreasontobelieve，wasintendedtobeviewedeventuallyasagreatwhole，theindividualsoulbeingonlyafactortowardtherealizationofthisgreatwhole——towardspellingout，sotospeak，Zeus’sideaintherace。Thosedivinemenofold，hegoesontosay，reachedeachatonepoint，theoutsidevergethatroundsourfaculty，andwheretheyreached，whocoulddomorethanreach?
Ihavenotchaunted，hesays，verselikeHomer’s，norsweptstringlikeTerpander，norcarvedandpaintedmenlikePhidiasandhisfriend；
Iamnotgreatastheyare，pointbypoint；butIhaveenteredintosympathywiththesefour，runningtheseintoonesoul，who，separate，ignoredeachother’sarts。Thewildflowerwasthelarger——
Ihavedashedrose-blooduponitspetals，prickeditscup’shoneywithwine，anddrivenitsseedtofruit，andshowabetterflower，ifnotsolarge。
AndnowhecomestotheimportantquestionsintheKing’sletter——
whetherhe，thepoet，hissoulthusinmen’shearts，hasnotattainedtheverycrownandproperendoflife——whether，nowlifeclosethup，hefacesdeathwithsuccessinhisrighthand，——whetherhefearsdeathlessthanhe，theKing，doeshimself，thefortunateofmen，whoassignsthereasonforthinkingthathedoes，thathe，thepoet，leavesmuchbehind，hislifestaysinthepoemsmenshallsing，thepicturesmenshallstudy；whiletheKing’slife，completeandwholenowinitspowerandjoy，diesaltogetherwithhisbrainandarm，asHEleavesnotbehind，asthepoetdoes，worksofartembodyingtheessenceofhislifewhich，throughthoseworks，willpassintothelivesofmenofallsucceedingtimes。
Cleonrepliesthatifinthemorningofphilosophy，theKing，withthelightnowinhim，couldhavelookedonallearth’stenantry，fromwormtobird，eremanappeared，andifZeushadquestionedhimwhetherhewouldimproveonit，domoreforvisiblecreaturesthanwasdone，hewouldhaveanswered，”Ay，bymakingeachgrowconsciousinhimself：all’sperfectelse，life’smechanicscannofurthergo，andallthisjoyinnaturallifeisput，likefirefromoffthyfingersintoeach，soexquisitelyperfectisthesame。But’tispurefire——andtheymerematterare；
ithasTHEM，nottheyIT：andsoIchoose，forman，thatathirdthingshallstandapartfromboth，aqualityarisewithinthesoul，which，intro-active，madetosuperviseandfeeltheforceithas，mayviewitselfandsobehappy。”Butitisthisquality，Cleoncontinues，whichmakesmanafailure。
Thissenseofsense，thisspiritconsciousness，grewtheonlylifeworthcallinglife，thepleasure-house，watch-tower，andtreasure-fortressofthesoul，whichwholesurroundingflatsofnaturallifeseemedonlyfittoyieldsubsistenceto；
atowerthatcrownsacountry。Butalas！thesoulnowclimbsitjusttoperishthere，forthencewehavediscoveredthatthere’saworldofcapabilityforjoy，spreadroundaboutus，meantforus，invitingus；andstillthesoulcravesall，andstillthefleshreplies，”Takenojotmorethanereyouclimbedthetowertolookabroad！Nay，somuchless，asthatfatiguehasbroughtdeductiontoit。”Afterexpatiatingonthissadstateofman，hearrivesatthesameconclusionastheKinginhisletter：”Iagreeinsum，OKing，withthyprofounddiscouragement，whoseestthewiderbuttosighthemore。Mostprogressismostfailure！thousayestwell。”
AndnowhetakesupthelastpointoftheKing’sletter，thathe，theKing，holdsjoynotimpossibletoonewithartist-gifts，wholeavesbehindlivingworks。Lookingoverthesea，ashewrites，hesays，”Yonrowerwiththemouldedmusclesthere，loweringthesail，isneareritthatI。”Hepresentswithclearness，andwithrigidlogic，theDILEMMAofthegrowingsoul；showsthevanityoflivinginworksleftbehind，andinthememoryofposterity，whilehe，thefeeling，thinking，actingman，shallsleepinhisurn。
Thehorrorofthethoughtmakeshimdareimagineattimessomefuturestateunlimitedincapabilityforjoy，asthisisinDESIREforjoy。Butno！Zeushadnotyetrevealedsuchastate；
andalas！hemusthavedonesowereitpossible！
Heconcludes，”Livelongandhappy，andinthatthoughtdie，gladforwhatwas！Farewell。”Andthen，asamatterofminorimportance，heinformstheKing，inapostscript，thathecannottellhismessengerarightwheretodeliverwhathebearstoonecalledPaulus。Protos，itmustbeunderstood，havingheardofthefameofPaul，andbeingperplexedintheextreme，haswrittenthegreatapostletoknowofhisdoctrine。
ButCleonwritesthatitisvaintosupposethatamerebarbarianJew，onecircumcised，hathaccesstoasecretwhichisshutfromthem，andthattheKingwrongstheirphilosophyinstoopingtoinquireofsuchanone。”Oh，hefindsadherents，whodoesnot。
Certainslaveswhotouchedonthissameisle，preachedhimandChrist，and，ashegatheredfromabystander，theirdoctrinescouldbeheldbynosaneman。”
Thereisaquietbeautyaboutthispoemwhichmustinsinuateitselfintothefeelingsofeveryreader。Intoneitresemblesthe`EpistleofKarshish，theArabPhysician’。Theverseofbothpoemsisverybeautiful。Noonecanreadthesetwopoems，and`BishopBlougram’sApology’，and`TheBishopordershisTombatSt。Praxed’sChurch’，andnotadmitthatBrowningisamasterofblankverseinitsmostdifficultform——aformfarmoredifficultthanthatoftheepicblankverseofMilton，ortheIdyllicblankverseofTennyson，argumentativeandfreightedwiththought，and，atthesametime，almostchatty，asitis，andbearinginitscourseexquisitelypoeticalconceptions。Thesamemaybesaidofmuchoftheverseof`TheRingandtheBook’，especiallythatofthemonologuesoftheCanonCaponsacchi，Pompilia，thePope，andCountGuidoFranceschini。Butthisbytheway。
’Cleon’belongstoagrandgroupofpoems，inwhichBrowningshowshimselftobe，asI’vesaid，themostessentiallyChristianoflivingpoets——thepoetwho，moreemphaticallythananyofhiscontemporarieshavedone，hasenforcedtheimportance，theindispensablenessofanewbirth，thebeingbornfromabove(a’/nwqen)astheconditionnotonlyofsoulvitalityandprogress，butalsoofintellectualrectitude。Inthisgroupofpoemsareembodiedtheprofoundestprinciplesofeducation
