845。Ihaveseen：i。e。，inimagination，whiletellingthestory。
864。morion：asortofhelmet。
884。WhatagehadMethusalem：theoldmanforgetshisBible。
906。Healsomustbesuchalady’sscorner：hewhoissuchapoorjudgeofhorsesandwines。
910。Orsonthewood-knight(Fr。`ourson’，asmallbear)：
twin-brotherofValentine，andsonofBellisant。ThebrotherswereborninawoodnearOrleans，andOrsonwascarriedoffbyabear，whichsuckledhimwithhercubs。Whenhegrewup，hebecametheterrorofFrance，andwascalled”TheWildManoftheForest”。
UltimatelyhewasreclaimedbyhisbrotherValentine，overthrewtheGreenKnight，hisrivalinlove，andmarriedFezon，daughterofthedukeofSavary，inAquitaine——`RomanceofValentineandOrson’(15thcent。)。Brewer’s`Reader’sHandbook’
and`DictionaryofPhraseandFable’。
TheLastRideTogether。
1。
Isaid——Then，dearest，since’tisso，SincenowatlengthmyfateIknow，Sincenothingallmyloveavails，Sinceall，mylifeseemedmeantfor，fails，Sincethiswaswrittenandneedsmustbe——
MywholeheartrisesuptoblessYournameinprideandthankfulness！
Takebackthehopeyougave，——IclaimOnlyamemoryofthesame，——Andthisbeside，ifyouwillnotblame，Yourleaveforonemorelastridewithme——
St。1。Browninghasnomopingmelancholylovers。Hisloversgenerallyreflecthisownmanliness；andwhentheirpassionisunrequited，theyacknowledgetheabsolutevalueoflovetotheirownsouls。
AsMr。JamesThomson，inhis`NotesontheGeniusofRobertBrowning’，remarks(`B。Soc。Papers’，PartII。，p。246)，”Browning’spassionisasintense，noble，andmanlyashisintellectisprofoundandsubtle，andthereforeoriginal。Iwouldespeciallyinsistonitsmanliness，becauseourpresentliteratureaboundsinso-calledpassionwhichisbuthalf-sincereorwhollyinsinceresentimentalism，ifitbenotthinlydisguisedprurientlust，andinso-calledpathoswhichismaudlintonauseousness。Thegreatunappreciatedpoetlastcited[GeorgeMeredith]hasdefinedpassionas`noblestrengthonfire’；andthisisthetruepassionofgreatnaturesandgreatpoets；
whilesentimentalismisignobleweaknessdallyingwithfire；……
Browning’spassionisofutterself-sacrifice，self-annihilation，self-vindicatedbyitsirresistibleintensity。Sowereaditin`Time’sRevenges’，sointhescornfulcondemnationoftheweakloversin`TheStatueandtheBust’，soin`InaBalcony’，and`TwointheCampagna’，withits”`InfinitepassionandthepainOffiniteheartsthatyearn。’
Istheloverejected，unreturned?Noweakandmeanupbraidingsofthebeloved，nofutilecomplaints；asolemnresignationtoimmitigableFate；intensegratitudeforinspiringlovetotheunlovingbeloved。Soin`ASerenadeattheVilla’；
soin`OneWayofLove’，withits”`MywholelifelongIlearnedtolove。
ThishourmyutmostartIproveAndspeakmypassion——HeavenorHell?
ShewillnotgivemeHeaven?’Tiswell！
Losewhomay——Istillcansay，ThosewhowinHeaven，blestarethey！’
Soin`TheLastRideTogether’，withits”`Isaid——Then，dearest，since’tisso，’”etc。
2。
Mymistressbentthatbrowofhers；
ThosedeepdarkeyeswherepridedemursWhenpitywouldbesofteningthrough，Fixedmeabreathing-whileortwoWithlifeordeathinthebalance：right！
Thebloodreplenishedmeagain；
Mylastthoughtwasatleastnotvain：
Iandmymistress，sidebyside，Shallbetogether，breatheandride，So，onedaymoreamIdeified。
Whoknowsbuttheworldmayendto-night?
3。
Hush！ifyousawsomewesterncloudAllbillowy-bosomed，over-bowedBymanybenedictions——sun’sAndmoon’sandevening-star’satonce——
Andso，you，lookingandlovingbest，Consciousgrew，yourpassiondrewCloud，sunset，moonrise，star-shinetoo，Downonyou，nearandyetmorenear，Tillfleshmustfadeforheavenwashere！——
Thusleantsheandlingered——joyandfearThuslaysheamomentonmybreast。
4。
Thenwebegantoride。MysoulSmootheditselfout，along-crampedscrollFresheningandflutteringinthewind。
Pasthopesalreadylaybehind。
Whatneedtostrivewithalifeawry?
HadIsaidthat，hadIdonethis，SomightIgain，somightImiss。
Mightshehavelovedme?justaswellShemighthavehated，whocantell！
WherehadIbeennowiftheworstbefell?
Andhereweareriding，sheandI。
5。
FailIalone，inwordsanddeeds?
Why，allmenstriveandwhosucceeds?
Werode；itseemedmyspiritflew，Sawotherregions，citiesnew，Astheworldrushedbyoneitherside。
Ithought，——Alllabor，yetnolessBearupbeneaththeirunsuccess。
Lookattheendofwork，contrastThepettydone，theundonevast，Thispresentoftheirswiththehopefulpast！
Ihopedshewouldloveme：hereweride。
6。
Whathandandbrainwenteverpaired?
Whatheartalikeconceivedanddared?
Whatactprovedallitsthoughthadbeen?
Whatwillbutfeltthefleshyscreen?
WerideandIseeherbosomheave。
There’smanyacrownforwhocanreach。
Tenlines，astatesman’slifeineach！
Theflagstuckonaheapofbones，Asoldier’sdoing！whatatones?
TheyscratchhisnameontheAbbey-stones。
Myridingisbetter，bytheirleave。
7。
Whatdoesitallmean，poet?Well，Yourbrainsbeatintorhythm，youtellWhatwefeltonly；youexpressedYouholdthingsbeautifulthebest，Andpacetheminrhymeso，sidebyside。
’Tissomething，nay’tismuch：butthen，Haveyouyourselfwhat’sbestformen?
Areyou——poor，sick，oldereyourtime——
NeareronewhityourownsublimeThanwewhohaveneverturnedarhyme?
Sing，riding’sajoy！Forme，Iride。
8。
Andyou，greatsculptor——so，yougaveAscoreofyearstoArt，herslave，Andthat’syourVenus，whenceweturnToyondergirlthatfordstheburn！
Youacquiesce，andshallIrepine?
What，manofmusic，yougrowngrayWithnotesandnothingelsetosay，Isthisyoursolepraisefromafriend，”Greatlyhisopera’sstrainsintend，Butinmusicweknowhowfashionsend！”
Igavemyyouth；butweride，infine。
9。
Whoknowswhat’sfitforus?HadfateProposedblisshereshouldsublimateMybeing——hadIsignedthebond——
Stillonemustleadsomelifebeyond，Haveablisstodiewith，dim-descried。
Thisfootonceplantedonthegoal，Thisglory-garlandroundmysoul，CouldIdescrysuch?Tryandtest！
Isinkbackshudderingfromthequest。
Earthbeingsogood，wouldheavenseembest?
Now，heavenandshearebeyondthisride。
10。
Andyet——shehasnotspokesolong！
Whatifheavenbethat，fairandstrongAtlife’sbest，withoureyesupturnedWhitherlife’sflowerisfirstdiscerned，We，fixedso，evershouldsoabide?
Whatifwestillrideon，wetwo，Withlifeforeveroldyetnew，Changednotinkindbutindegree，Theinstantmadeeternity，——
AndheavenjustprovethatIandsheRide，ridetogether，foreverride?
BytheFireside。
1。
HowwellIknowwhatImeantodoWhenthelongdarkautumneveningscome；
Andwhere，mysoul，isthypleasanthue?
Withthemusicofallthyvoices，dumbInlife’sNovembertoo！——
St。1，v。3。is：presentusedforthefuture，shallthenbe。
2。
Ishallbefoundbythefire，suppose，O’eragreatwisebook，asbeseemethage；
Whiletheshuttersflapasthecross-windblows，AndIturnthepage，andIturnthepage，Notversenow，onlyprose！——
St。2。Notversenow，onlyprose：heshallhavereachedthe”yearswhichbringthephilosophicmind”。
3。
Tilltheyoungoneswhisper，fingeronlip，”Thereheisatit，deepinGreek：
Nowthen，ornever，outweslipTocutfromthehazelsbythecreekAmainmastforourship！”
4。
Ishallbeatitindeed，myfriends！
GreekputsalreadyoneithersideSuchabranch-workforthassoonextendsToavistaopeningfarandwide，AndIpassoutwhereitends——
St。4。Greekputsalreadysuchabranch-workforthaswillsoonextendtoavistaopeningfarandwide，andhewillpassoutwhereitendsandretracethepathshehastrodthroughlife’spleasantwood。
5。
Theoutsideframe，likeyourhazel-trees——
Buttheinside-archwaywidensfast，Andararersortsucceedstothese，AndweslopetoItalyatlastAndyouth，bygreendegrees。
6。
IfollowwhereverIamled，Knowingsowelltheleader’shand：
Ohwoman-country，wooednotwed，Lovedallthemorebyearth’smale-lands，Laidtotheirheartsinstead！——
St。5，6。Hewillpassfirstthroughhischildhood，inEngland，representedbythehazels，andon，bygreendegrees，toyouthandItaly，where，knowingsowelltheleader’shand，andassuredastowhithershewillconducthim，hewillfollowwhereverheisled。
7。
LookattheruinedchapelagainHalf-wayupintheAlpinegorge！
Isthatatower，Ipointyouplain，Orisitamill，oranironforgeBreakssolitudeinvain?——
St。7。Look：tobeconstruedwith”follow”。
8。
Aturn，andwestandintheheartofthings；
Thewoodsareroundus，heapedanddim；
Fromslabtoslabhowitslipsandsprings，Thethreadofwatersingleandslim，Throughtheravagesometorrentbrings！
9。
Doesitfeedthelittlelakebelow?
ThatspeckofwhitejustonitsmargeIsPella；see，intheevening-glow，Howsharpthesilverspear-headschargeWhenAlpmeetsheaveninsnow！
10。
Onourothersideisthestraight-uprock；
Andapathiskept’twixtthegorgeanditBybowlder-stones，wherelichensmockThemarksonamoth，andsmallfernsfitTheirteethtothepolishedblock。
11。
Ohthesenseoftheyellowmountain-flowers，Andthornyballs，eachthreeinone，Thechestnutsthrowonourpathinshowers！
Forthedropofthewoodlandfruit’sbegun，TheseearlyNovemberhours，12。
Thatcrimsonthecreeper’sleafacrossLikeasplashofblood，intense，abrupt，O’erashieldelsegoldfromrimtoboss，Andlayitforshowonthefairy-cuppedElf-needledmatofmoss，13。
Bytherose-fleshmushrooms，undivulgedLastevening——nay，into-day’sfirstdewYonsuddencoralnipplebulged，Whereafreakedfawn-coloredflakycrewOftoad-stoolspeepindulged。
