Thesceneisacottageona”bittercoastofFrance”。
I。`JamesLee’sWifespeaksattheWindow’——Thefirstmisgivingsofherheartareexpressed；andthesemisgivingsarerespondedtobytheouterworld。Summerhasstopped。Willthesummerofherhusband’slovestoptoo，andbesucceededbycheerlesswinter?
Therevoltofherheartagainstsuchathoughtisexpressedinthethirdstanza。
II。`BytheFireside’——Herethefaintlyindefinitemisgivingexpressedinthefirstsoliloquyhasbecomeagloomyforebodingofill；”theheartshrinksandcloses，erethestrokeofdoomhasattainedit。”
Thefireonthehearthisbuiltofshipwreckwood，whichtellsofa”dimdeadwoebefallenthisbittercoastofFrance”，andomenstoherforebodinghearttheshipwreckoftheirhome。
Theruddyshaftoflightfromthecasementmust，shethinks，beseenbysailorswhoenvythewarmsafehouseandhappyfreight。
Butthereareshipsinportwhichgotoruin，”Allthroughwormsi’thewood，whichcrept，Gnawedourheartsoutwhileweslept：
Thatisworse。”
Hermindrevertstotheformeroccupantsoftheirhouse，asifshefeltaninfluenceshedwithinitbysomeunhappywomanwho，likeherself，inLove’svoyage，sawplanksstartandopenhellbeneath。
III。`IntheDoorway’——Asshelooksoutfromthedoorway，everythingtellsofthecomingdesolationofwinter，andreflectsthedesolationwhich，shefeels，iscominguponherself。
Theswallowsarereadytodepart，thewaterisinstripes，black，spottedwhitewiththewailingwind。Thefurledleafofthefig-tree，infrontoftheirhouse，andthewrithingvines，sympathizewithherheartandherspirit：——”Myheartshrivelsupandmyspiritshrinkscurled。”
Butthereistothemtwo，shethinks，norealoutwardwant，thatshouldmartheirpeace，smallasistheirhouse，andpoortheirfield。Whyshouldthechangeinnaturebringchangetothespiritwhichshouldputlifeinthedarknessandcold?”Oh，liveandloveworthily，bearandbebold！
WhomSummermadefriendsof，letWinterestrange。”
IV。`AlongtheBeach’——Itdoesnotappearthatsheanywhereinthepoemaddressesherhusband，facetoface。
Itissoliloquythroughout。Inthissectionitdoesappear，morethanintheothers，thatsheisdirectlyaddressinghim；
butit’sbettertounderstanditasamentalexpostulation。
Hewantedherlove，andgotit，initsfulness；thoughanexpectationofallharvestandnodearthwasnotinvolvedinthatfulnessoflove。
Thoughlovegreatensandevenglorifies，sheknewtherewasmuchinhimwaste，withmanyaweed，andplentyofpassionsruntoseed，butalittlegoodgraintoo。Andsuchashewasshetookhimforhers；andhefoundherhis，towatchtheoliveandwaitthevineofhisnature；andwhenriversofoilandwinecamenot，thefailureonlyprovedthathewasherwholeworld，allthesame。
Buthehasbeenaverseto，andhasresented，thetillageofhisnaturetowhichshehaslovinglydevotedherself，feelingittobeabondage；”And’tisallanoldstory，andmydespairFitsubjectforsomenewsong：”
suchastheonewithwhichsheclosesthissoliloquy，representingalovewhichcaresonlyforoutsidecharms(which，laterinthepoem，welearnshehasnot)andlooksnotdeeper。
V。`OntheCliff’——Leaningonthebarrenturf，whichisdeadtotheroots，andlookingatarock，flatasananvil’sface，andleftdrybythesurf，withnotraceoflivingthingaboutit(Death’saltarbytheloneshore)，sheseesacricketspringgay，withfilmsofblue，upontheparchedturf，andabeautifulbutterflysettleandspreaditstworedfans，ontherock。Andthenthereistoher，whollytakenup，assheis，withtheirbeauty，”Noturf，norock；intheiruglystead，See，wonderfulblueandred！”
andtheysymbolizetoher，Lovesettlingunawaresuponmen，thelevelandlow，theburntandbare，inthemselves(asaretheturfandtherock)。
VI。`ReadingaBook，undertheCliff’——Thefirstsixstanzasofthissectionshereadsfromabook。*——
*TheywerecomposedbyMr。Browningwheninhis23dyear，andpublishedin1836，in`TheMonthlyRepository’，vol。x。，pp。270，271，andentitledsimply`Lines’。Theywererevisedandintroducedintothissectionof`JamesLee’，whichwaspublishedin`DramatisPersonae’
in1864——
HerexperienceshavecarriedherbeyondwhattheseLinesconvey，andshespeaksofthemsomewhatsarcasticallyandironically。
This”youngman”，shethinks，willbewiserintime，”forkindCalmyears，exactingtheiraccomptOfpain，maturethemind：”
andthenthewind，whenitbeginsamongthevines，solow，solow，willhaveforhimanotherlanguage；suchasthis：——”Hereisthechangebeginning，herethelinesCircumscribebeauty，settoblissThelimittimeassigns。”
ThisisthelanguageSHEhaslearned：Wecannotdrawonebeautyintoourhearts’core，andkeepitchangeless。Thisistheoldwoeoftheworld；thetune，towhoseriseandfallweliveanddie。
RISEWITHIT，THEN！REJOICETHATMANISHURLEDFROMCHANGE
TOCHANGEUNCEASINGLY，HISSOUL’SWINGSNEVERFURLED！
Tothisphilosophyoflifehasshebeenbrought。Butshemuststillsadlyreflecthowbitteritisformannottograve，onhissoul，onefair，good，wisethingjustashegraspedit！Forhimselfdeath’swave；whiletimewashes(ah，thesting！)o’erallhe’dsinktosave。
Thisreflectionmustbeunderstood，inherowncase，aspromptedbyherunconquerablewifelylove。Itisthiswhichpointsthesting。
VII。`AmongtheRocks’——Thebrownoldearth，inautumn，whenallthegloriesofsummerarefading，orhavefaded，wearsagoodgiganticsmile，lookingnotbackward，butforward，withhisfeetintheripplesofthesea-wash，andlisteningtothesweettwittersofthe`white-breastedsea-lark’。Theentirestanzahasamysticalmeaningandmustbeinterpretedinitsconnection。
Shehasreached，inthissoliloquy，highground：——”Ifyoulovedonlywhatwereworthyourlove，Lovewerecleargain，andwhollywellforyou：
Makethelownaturebetterbyyourthroes！
GIVEEARTHYOURSELF，GOUPFORGAINABOVE！”
Theversificationofthefirststanzaofthissectionisverylovely，andsubtlyresponsivetothefeeling。Itexhibitsthecompletestinspiration。Nomeremetricalskill，normetricalsensibilityeven，couldhaveproducedit。
VIII。`BesidetheDrawing-Board’——Sheisseatedatherdrawing-board，andhasturnedfromthepoorcoarsehandofsomelittlepeasantgirlshehascalledinasamodel，towork，butwithpoorsuccess，afteraclaycastofahandbyLeonardodaVinci，who”Drewandlearnedandlovedagain，Whilefastthehappymomentsflew，TillbeautymountedintohisbrainAndonthefingerwhichoutviedHisart，heplacedtheringthat’sthere，Stillbyfancy’seyedescried，Intokenofamarriagerare：
Forhimonearthhisart’sdespair，Forhiminheavenhissoul’sfitbride。”
Herefforthastaughtherawholesomelesson：”theworthoffleshandbloodatlast！”There’ssomethingmorethanbeautyinahand。
DaVinciwouldnothaveturnedfromthepoorcoarsehandofthelittlegirlwhohasbeenstandingbyinwonderingpatience。He，greatartistashewas，owedallheachievedtohisfirmgraspupon，andstrugglewith，andfullfaithin，thereal。Sheimagineshimsaying：——”Shallearthandthecrampedmoment-spaceYieldtheheavenlycrowninggrace?
Nowthepartsandthenthewhole！*
WhoartthouwithstintedsoulAndstuntedbody，thustocry`Ilove，——shallthatbelife’sstraitdole?
Imustlivebelovedordie！’
ThispeasanthandthatspinsthewoolAndbakesthebread，whylivesiton，Poorandcoarsewithbeautygone，——
Whatusesurvivesthebeauty?Fool！”——
*”Ontheearththebrokenarcs；intheheaven，aperfectround。”——
AbtVogler。
ShehasbeenbroughttothelaststageofinitiationintothemysteryofLife。But，asisshowninthenextandfinalsectionofthepoem，thewifelyhearthaspreserveditsvitality，has，indeed，growninvitality，andcherishesahopewhichshowsitsundyinglove，andisnotwithoutatouchofpathos。
IX。`OnDeck’——InSectionsV-VIII。thesoliloquiesarenotdirectedtothehusband，astheyareinI-IV。Inthislast，heisagainmentallyaddressed。Sheisonboardthevesselwhichistoconvey，orisconveying，hertoherEnglishhome，orsomewhereelse。Asthereisnothinginherforhimtoremember，nothinginherarteffortshecarestosee，nothingshewasthatdeservesaplaceinhismind，sheleaveshim，setshimfree，ashehaslongshowntoherhehaswishedtobe。She，concedinghisattitudetowardher，askshimtoconcede，inturn，thatsuchathingasmutualloveHASbeen。
There’saslightretaliationhereofthewoundedspirit。
Butherheart，afterall，MUSThaveitsway；anditcherishesthehopethathissoul，whichisnowcabined，cribbed，confined，maybesetfree，throughsomecircumstanceorother，andshemaythenbecometohimwhatheistoher。Andthen，whatwoulditmattertoherthatshewasill-favored?
Allsenseofthiswouldbesunkinthestrangejoythathepossessedherasshehim，inheartandbrain。Hershasbeenalovethatwaslife，andalifethatwaslove。Couldonetouchofsuchloveforhercomeinawordoflookofhis，why，hemightturnintoherill-favoredness，shewouldknownothingofit，beingdeadtojoy。
ATale。
(TheEpilogueto`TheTwoPoetsofCroisic’。)
Thespeakerinthismonologueisthewifeofapoet，andshetellsthestorytoherhusband，ofthelittlecricketthatcametotheaidofthemusicianwhowascontendingforaprize，whenoneofthestringsofhislyresnapped。Sohemadeastatueforhimself，andonthelyreheheldperchedhispartnerintheprize。
Ifherpoet-husbandgainaprizeinpoetry，sheasks，willsometicketwhenhisstatue’sbuilttellthegazer’twasacrickethelpedhiscrippledlyre；thatwhenonestringwhichmade”love”soundsoft，wassnaptintwain，sheperchedupontheplaceleftvacantanddulyuttered，”Love，Love，Love”，whene’erthebassaskedthetrebletoatoneforitssomewhatsombredrone?
Confessions。
Thespeakerisadyingman，whorepliesverydecidedlyinthenegativetothequestionoftheattendantpriestastowhetherheviewstheworldasavaleoftears。Thememoryofapastlove，whichisrunningthroughhismind，stillkeepstheworldbright。
Ofthestoleninterviewswiththegirlhelovedhemakesconfession，usingthephysicbottleswhichstandonatablebythebedsidetoillustratehisstory。
Themonologueisachoicebitofgrotesquehumortouchedwithpathos。
Respectability。
Bythetitleofthepoemismeantrespectabilityaccordingtothestandardofthebeaumonde。
Thespeakerisawoman，asisindicatedinthethirdstanza。
Themonologueisaddressedtoherlover。
Stanza1showsthattheyhavedisregardedtheconventionalitiesofthebeaumonde。Hadtheyconformedtothem，manypreciousmonthsandyearswouldhavepassedbeforetheyfoundouttheworldandwhatitfears。Onecannotwelljudgeofanystateofthingswhileinit。Itmustbelookedatfromtheoutside。
Stanza2。Theideaisrepeatedinamorespecialforminthefirstfourversesofthestanza；andinthelastfourtheirownnon-conventionalandBohemianlifeisindicated。
Stanza3，vv。1-4。Thespeakerknowsthatthisbeaumondedoesnotproscribelove，provideditbeinaccordancewiththeproprietieswhichIThasdetermineduponandestablished。
v。5。”Theworld’sgoodword！”acontemptuousexclamation：
what’stheworld’sgoodwordworth?”theInstitute！”(thereferenceis，ofcourse，totheFrenchInstitute)，theInstitute！withallitsauthoritative，dictatoriallearnedness！v。6。GuizotandMontalembertwerebothmembersoftheInstitute，andbeingthusinthesameboat，GuizotconventionallyreceivesMontalembert。vv。7and8。ThesetwounconventionalBohemianlovers，strollingtogetheratnight，attheirownsweetwill，seedownthecourtalongwhichtheyarestrolling，threelampionsflare，whichindicatesomebigplaceorotherwherethe”respectables”docongregate；andthewomansaystohercompanion，withahumoroussarcasm，”Putforwardyourbestfoot！”thatis，wemustbeverycorrectpassingalonghereinthisbrilliantlight。
BythetwoloversareevidentlymeantGeorgeSand(thespeaker)
andJulesSandeau，withwhomshelivedinParis，aftersheleftherhusband，M。Dudevant。Theytookjustsuchunconventionalnight-strollstogether，inthestreetsofParis。
