Home-ThoughtsfromAbroad。
AnEnglishman，insomeforeignland，longsforEngland，nowthatApril’sthere，withitspeculiarEnglishcharms；
andthenwillcomeMay，withthewhite-throatandtheswallows，and，mostdelightfulofall，thethrush，withitsrapturoussong！
Andthebuttercups，farbrighterthanthegaudymelon-flowerhehasbeforehim！
Home-ThoughtsfromtheSea。
Apaean，inspiredbythesight，fromthesea，ofCapeTrafalgarandGibraltar，bothobjectsofpatrioticpridetoanEnglishman；
theoneassociatedwiththenavalvictorygainedbytheEnglishfleet，underNelson，overthecombinedFrenchandSpanishfleets；theother，England’sgreateststronghold。
ThefirstfourversesmakeacharacteristicTurnerpicture。
OldPicturesinFlorence。
ThespeakerinthemonologueislookingdownuponFlorence，inthevalleybeneath，fromavillaononeofthesurroundingheights。
Thestartlingbell-towerGiottoraisedmorethanstartleshim。
(Foranexplanationofthis，seenoteunderStanza2。)
AlthoughthepoempresentsageneralsurveyoftheoldFlorentinemasters，theTHEMEofthepoemisreallyGiotto，whoreceivedtheaffectionatehomageoftheFlorentines，inhisownday，andforwhomthespeakerhasaspeciallove。
ThepoemleadsuptotheprophesiedrestorationofFreedomtoFlorence，thereturnofArt，thatdepartedwithher，andthecompletionoftheCampanile，whichwillvindicateGiottoandFlorencetogether，andcrowntherestorationoffreedomtothecity，anditsliberationfromthehatedAustrianrule。
Mrs。Browning’s`CasaGuidiWindows’shouldbereadinconnectionwiththismonologue。Thestrongsympathywhichisexpressedinthelastfewstanzasofthemonologue，withItalianliberty，isexpressedin`CasaGuidiWindows’atawhiteheat。”Wefind，”saysProfessorDowden，”afullconfessionofMr。Browning’screedwithrespecttoartinthepoementitled`OldPicturesinFlorence’。HeseestheghostsoftheearlyChristianmasters，whoseworkhasneverbeendulyappreciated，standingsadlybyeachmoulderingItalianFresco；andwhenanimaginedinterlocutorinquireswhatisadmirableinsuchworkasthis，thepoetanswersthatthegloryofChristianartliesinitsrejectingalimitedperfection，suchasthatoftheartofancientGreece，thesubjectofwhichwasfinite，andthelessontaughtbywhichwassubmission，andinitsdaringtobeincomplete，andfaulty，faultybecauseitssubjectwasgreatwithinfinitefearsandhopes，andbecauseitmustneedsteachmannottosubmitbuttoaspire。”
PictorIgnotus。
[Florence，15。]
Anunknownpainterreflects，butwithoutenvy，uponthepraisewhichhasbeenbestowedonayouthfulartist，——whatthatpraiseinvolves。
Hehimselfwasconsciousofallthepower，andmore，whichtheyouthhasshown；nobarstayed，norfateforbid，toexerciseit，norwouldfleshhaveshrunkfromsecondinghissoul。
Allhesawhecouldhaveputuponcanvas；”Eachfaceobedienttoitspassion’slaw，Eachpassionclearproclaimedwithoutatongue。”
Andwhenhethoughthowsweetwouldbetheearthlyfamewhichhisworkwouldbringhim，”thethoughtgrewfrightful，’twassowildlydear！”
Butavisionflashedbeforehimandchangedthatthought。Alongwiththeloving，trustingoneswerecoldfaces，thatbeguntopressonhimandjudgehim。Suchasthesewouldbuyandsellhispicturesforgarnitureandhousehold-stuff。Hispictures，sosacredtohissoul，wouldbethesubjectoftheirprate，”ThisIlove，orthisIhate，thislikesmemore，andthisaffectsmeless！”Toavoidsuchsacrilege，hehaschosenhisportion。Andifhisheartsometimessinks，whileathismonotonousworkofpaintingendlesscloistersandeternalaisles，withthesameseries，Virgin，Babe，andSaint，withthesamecold，calm，beautifulregard，atleastnomerchanttrafficsinhisheart。Guardedbythesanctuary’sgloom，fromvaintongues，hispicturesmaydie，surely，gentlydie。”Oyouth，menpraiseso，——holdstheirpraiseitsworth?
Tastessweetthewaterwithsuchspecksofearth?”
AndreadelSarto。
(Called”TheFaultlessPainter”。)
Inthismonologue，”thefaultlesspainter”(AndreaSenzaErrori，ashewassurnamedbytheItalians)isthespeaker。
Headdresseshisworthlesswife，Lucrezia，uponwhomheweaklydotes，andforwhomhehasbrokenfaithwithhisroyalpatron，FrancisI。ofFrance，inorderthathemightmeetherdemandsformoney，tobespentuponherpleasures。Helamentsthathehasfallenbelowhimselfasanartist，thathehasnotrealizedthepossibilitiesofhisgenius，halfaccusing，fromthebettersideofhisnature，andhalfexcusing，inhisuxoriousness，thewomanwhohashadnosympathywithhiminthehighidealswhich，withhersupport，hemighthaverealized，andthushaveplacedhimselfbesideAngeloandRafael。”Hadthemouththenurged`Godandtheglory！nevercareforgain。Thepresentbythefuture，whatisthat?Liveforfame，sidebysidewithAngelo——
Rafaeliswaiting。UptoGodallthree！’Imighthavedoneitforyou。”
Inhis`ComparativeStudyofTennysonandBrowning’*，ProfessorEdwardDowden，settingforthBrowning’sdoctrinesonthesubjectofArt，remarks：——
*Originallyalecture，deliveredin1868，andpublishedin`AfternoonLecturesonLiteratureandArt’(Dublin)，5thseries，1869；
afterwardsrevised，andincludedintheauthor’s`StudiesinLiterature，1789-1877’。ItisoneofthebestcriticismsofBrowning’spoetrythathaveyetbeenproduced。EveryBrowningstudentshouldmakeacarefulstudyofit——”Thetruegloryofartis，thatinitscreationtherearisedesiresandaspirationsnevertobesatisfiedonearth，butgeneratingnewdesiresandnewaspirations，bywhichthespiritofmanmountstoGodHimself。Theartist(Mr。Browninglovestoinsistonthispoint)whocanrealizeinmarbleorincolor，orinmusic，hisideal，hastherebymissedthehighestgainofart。
In`PippaPasses’theregenerationoftheyoungsculptor’sworkturnsonhisfindingthatintheveryperfectionwhichhehadattainedliesultimatefailure。Andoneentirepoem，`AndreadelSarto’，hasbeendevotedtotheexpositionofthisthought。
Andreais`thefaultlesspainter’；nolineofhisdrawingevergoesastray；
hishandexpressedadequatelyandaccuratelyallthathismindconceives；
butforthisveryreason，preciselybecauseheis`thefaultlesspainter’，hisworklacksthehighestqualitiesofart：——”`Aman’sreachshouldexceedhisgrasp，Orwhat’saHeavenfor?allissilver-grey，Placidandperfectwithmyart——theworse。’”AndintheyouthfulRaphael，whosetechnicalexecutionfellsofarbelowhisown，Andrearecognizesthetruemaster：——”`Yonder’sawork，now，ofthatfamousyouth’，etc。”InAndreadelSarto，”saysVasari，”artandnaturecombinedtoshowallthatmaybedoneinpainting，wheredesign，coloring，andinventionuniteinoneandthesameperson。Hadthismasterpossessedasomewhatbolderandmoreelevatedmind，hadhebeenasmuchdistinguishedforhigherqualificationsashewasforgeniusanddepthofjudgmentinthearthepractised，hewould，beyondalldoubt，havebeenwithoutanequal。Buttherewasacertaintimidityofmind，asortofdiffidenceandwantofforceinhisnature，whichrendereditimpossiblethatthoseevidencesofardorandanimationwhicharepropertothemoreexaltedcharacter，shouldeverappearinhim；nordidheatanytimedisplayoneparticleofthatelevationwhich，coulditbuthavebeenaddedtotheadvantageswherewithhewasendowed，wouldhaverenderedhimatrulydivinepainter：whereforetheworksofAndreaarewantinginthoseornamentsofgrandeur，richness，andforce，whichappearsoconspicuouslyinthoseofmanyothermasters。
Hisfiguresare，nevertheless，welldrawn，theyareentirelyfreefromerrors，andperfectinalltheirproportions，andareforthemostpartsimpleandchaste：theexpressionofhisheadsisnaturalandgracefulinwomenandchildren，whileinyouthsandoldmenitisfulloflifeandanimation。
Thedraperiesofthismasterarebeautifultoamarvel，andthenudefiguresareadmirablyexecuted，thedrawingissimple，thecoloringismostexquisite，nay，itistrulydivine。”
Mr。ErnestRadford，quotingthispassage，intheBrowningSociety’s`IllustrationstoBrowning’sPoems’，remarksthat”nearlythewholePOEMof`AndreadelSarto’isameretranslationintotheSUBJECTIVEMood(ifImaysosay)ofthispassageinwhichthepainter’sworkiscriticisedfromanexternalstandpoint……”RecentresearchesintoAndrea’slifethrowdoubtuponagooddealthatVasarihaswrittenconcerningtheunhappinessofhismarriageandthemannerofhisdeath。Andthebiographerhimselfmodifies，inhissecondedition，theaccounthehadgivenofthefairLucrezia。
Vasari，itshouldbesaid，wasapupilofAndrea，andthereforemust，inthisinstance，havehadspecialopportunitiesofknowledge，thoughhemay，onthesameaccount，havehadsomespecial`animus’
whenhewrote。Forthepurposesofhispoem，Browningiscontenttotakethetraditionalaccountofthematter，which，afterall，seemstosubstantiallyaccurate。Thefollowingisfromthefirstedition：——”AtthattimetherewasamostbeautifulgirlinViadiSanGallo，whowasmarriedtoacap-maker，andwho，thoughbornofapoorandviciousfather，carriedaboutherasmuchprideandhaughtiness，asbeautyandfascination。Shedelightedintrappingtheheartsofmen，andamongstothersensnaredtheunluckyAndrea，whoseimmoderateloveforhersooncausedhimtoneglectthestudiesdemandedbyhisart，andingreatmeasuretodiscontinuetheassistancewhichhehadgiventohisparents。”CertainpicturesofAndrea’swhichhadbeenpaintedfortheKingofFrancewerereceivedwithmuchfavor，andaninvitationtoAndreasoonfollowedtheirdelivery，to`goandpaintattheFrenchCourt’。Hewentaccordingly，and`paintedproudly’，asBrowningrelates，andprosperedeveryway。Butoneday，beingemployedonthefigureofaSt。Jeromedoingpenance，whichhewaspaintingforthemotheroftheKing，therecametohimcertainlettersfromFlorence；thesewerewrittenhimbyhiswife；
andfromthattime(whatevermayhavebeenthecause)hebegantothinkofleavingFrance。HeaskedpermissiontothateffectfromtheFrenchKingaccordingly，sayingthathedesiredtoreturntoFlorence，butthat，whenhehadarrangedhisaffairsinthatcity，hewouldreturnwithoutfailtohisMajesty；headded，thatwhenhecameback，hiswifeshouldaccompanyhim，totheendthathemightremaininFrancethemorequietly；andthathewouldbringwithhimpicturesandsculpturesofgreatvalue。TheKing，confidinginthesepromises，gavehimmoneyforthepurchaseofthosepicturesandsculptures，Andreatakinganoathonthegospelstoreturnwithinthespaceofafewmonths，andthatdonehedepartedtohisnativecity。”HearrivedsafelyinFlorence，enjoyingthesocietyofhisbeautifulwife，andthatofhisfriends，withthesightofhisnativecity，duringseveralmonths；butwhentheperiodspecifiedbytheKing，andthatatwhichheoughttohavereturned，hadcomeandpassed，hefoundhimselfattheend，notonlyofhisownmoney，but，whatwithbuilding”(the”melancholylittlehousetheybuilttobesogaywith”)”indulginghimselfwithvariouspleasures，anddoingnowork，ofthatbelongingtotheFrenchmonarchalso，thewholeofwhichhehadconsumed。
Hewas，nevertheless，determinedtoreturntoFrance，buttheprayersandtearsofhiswifehadmorepowerthanhisownnecessities，orthefaithwhichhehadpledgedtotheKing。””Andsoforaprettywoman’ssake，wasagreatnaturedegraded。
Andoutofsympathywithitsimpulses，broad，anddeep，andtenderasonlythegreatestcanshow，`AndreadelSarto’，ourgreat，sadpoem，waswritten。”
Themonologueexhibitsgreatperfectionoffinish。Itscompositionwasoccasioned，asMr。Furnivalllearnedfromthepoethimself(see`BrowningSociety’sPapers’，PartII。，p。161)，bytheportraitofAndreadelSartoandhiswife，paintedbyhimself，andnowinthePittiPalace，inFlorence。Mr。Browning’sfriend，andhiswife’sfriend，Mr。JohnKenyon(thesametowhomMrs。Browningdedicated`AuroraLeigh’)，hadaskedthepoettobuyhimacopyofAndreadelSarto’spicture。Nonecouldbegot，andsoMr。Browningputintoapoemwhatthepicturehadsaidtohimself，andsentittoMr。Kenyon。Itwascertainlyaworthysubstitute。
FraLippoLippi。
TheItalianartist，Lippi，isthespeaker。Lippiwasoneoftherepresentativesoftheprotestmadeinthefifteenthcenturyagainsttheconventionalspiritualizationintheartofhistime。
Inthemonologuehegivesexpressiontohisfaithinthereal，intheabsolutespiritualsignificanceofthelineamentsofthehumanface，andintheformsofnature。Thecircumstancesunderwhichthisfaithisexpressed，aresomewhatdroll。
Lippiwasawildfellowandgiventoexcessesofvariouskinds。
WhenaboyhetookrefugeagainststarvationintheconventoftheCarmelites，inFlorence，andbecameamonk；butheprovedunfaithfultohisreligiousvows，and，impelledbyhisgeniusforart，madehisescapefromtheconvent，havingfirstprofitedbytheworkofMasaccio，anddevotedhimselftopainting。Aftermanyromanticexperiences，andhavingrisentodistinctioninhisart，hereturnedtoFlorenceandbecameknowntoCosimode’Medici，inwhoseemployheisatthetimeheispresentedtousinthemonologue。Itappearshehadbeenshutupbyhispatron，forthreeweeks，inordertobekeptatwork，”a-paintingforthegreatman，saintsandsaintsandsaintsagain。Icouldnotpaintallnight——Ouf！Ileanedoutofwindowforfreshair。
Therecameahurryoffeet，andlittlefeet，asweepoflutestrings，laughs，andwhiftsofsong，”——etc。Inhiseagernesstojoininthefun，hetearsintoshredscurtain，andcounterpane，andcoverlet，makesarope，descends，andcomesupwiththefunhardbySaintLaurence，hailfellow，wellmet。Onhiswaybacktowarddaybreak，heisthrottledbythepolice，anditistothemthemonologueisaddressed。Heingratiateshimselfwiththembytellinghishistory，andbyhistalkonart，andamostinterestinganddeeplysignificanttalkitis，thegistofitbeingwellexpressedinapassageofMrs。Browning’s`AuroraLeigh’，”paintabodywell，youpaintasoulbyimplication，likethegrandfirstMaster。
