Theforestshaddoneit；theretheystood；
Wecaughtforamomentthepowersatplay：
Theyhadmingledusso，foronceandgood，Theirworkwasdone——wemightgoorstay，Theyrelapsedtotheirancientmood。
49。
Howtheworldismadeforeachofus！
HowallweperceiveandknowinitTendstosomemoment’sproductthus，Whenasouldeclaresitself——towit，Byitsfruit，thethingitdoes！——
St。49。”ThoseperiodsoflifewhichappearmostfullofmoralpurposetoMr。Tennyson，areperiodsofprotractedself-control，andthosemomentsstandeminentinlifeinwhichthespirithasstruggledvictoriouslyinthecauseofconscienceagainstimpulseanddesire。WithMr。Browningthemomentsaremostgloriousinwhichtheobscuretendencyofmanyyearshasbeenrevealedbythelightningofsuddenpassion，orinwhicharesolutionthatchangesthecurrentoflifehasbeentakeninrelianceuponthatinsightwhichvividemotionbestows；andthoseperiodsofourhistoryarechargedmostfullywithmoralpurpose，whichtaketheirdirectionfrommomentssuchasthese……Insuchamomentthesomewhatdullyouthof`TheInnAlbum’risesintothejusticiaryoftheHighest；
insuchamomentPolyxenawithherrightwoman’s-manliness，discoverstoCharleshisregalduty，andinfusesintoherweakerhusband，herowncourageofheart[`KingVictorandKingCharles’]；andrejoicingintheremembranceofamomentofhighdevotionwhichdeterminedtheissuesofalife，thespeakerof`BytheFireside’exclaims，——
`Howtheworldismadeforeachofus！’”etc——EdwardDowden。
50。
Behatethatfruit，orlovethatfruit，Itforwardsthegeneraldeedofman，AndeachoftheManyhelpstorecruitThelifeoftheracebyageneralplan；
Eachlivinghisown，toboot。
51。
Iamnamedandknownbythatmoment’sfeat；
Theretookmystationanddegree；
Sogrewmyownsmalllifecomplete，Asnatureobtainedherbestofme——
Oneborntoloveyou，sweet！
52。
AndtowatchyousinkbythefiresidenowBackagain，asyoumutelysitMusingbyfire-light，thatgreatbrowAndthespirit-smallhandproppingit，Yonder，myheartknowshow！
53。
So，earthhasgainedbyonemanthemore，Andthegainofearthmustbeheaven’sgaintoo；
Andthewholeiswellworththinkingo’erWhenautumncomes：whichImeantodoOneday，asIsaidbefore。
Prospice——
*`Prospice’(lookforward)isachallengetospiritualconflict，exultantwiththecertaintyofvictory，glowingwiththeprospectivejoyofreunionwithonewhomdeathhassentbefore——Mrs。Orr——
Feardeath?——tofeelthefoginmythroat，Themistinmyface，Whenthesnowsbegin，andtheblastsdenoteIamnearingtheplace，Thepowerofthenight，thepressofthestorm，Thepostofthefoe；
Wherehestands，theArchFearinavisibleform，Yetthestrongmanmustgo：
Forthejourneyisdoneandthesummitattained，Andthebarriersfall，[10]
Thoughabattle’stofighteretheguerdonbegained，Therewardofitall。
Iwaseverafighter，so——onefightmore，Thebestandthelast！
Iwouldhatethatdeathbandagedmyeyes，andforbore，Andbademecreeppast。
No！letmetastethewholeofit，farelikemypeersTheheroesofold，Bearthebrunt，inaminutepaygladlife’sarrearsOfpain，darkness，andcold。[20]
Forsuddentheworstturnsthebesttothebrave，Theblackminute’satend，Andtheelements’rage，thefiend-voicesthatrave，Shalldwindle，shallblend，Shallchange，shallbecomefirstapeaceoutofpain，Thenalight，thenthybreast，Othousoulofmysoul！Ishallclasptheeagain，AndwithGodbetherest！——
25。firstapeaceoutofpain：originalreading，”firstapeace，thenajoy”。
Amphibian。
1。
ThefancyIhadto-day，Fancywhichturnedafear！
Iswamfaroutinthebay，Sincewaveslaughedwarmandclear。
2。
Ilayandlookedatthesun，Thenoon-sunlookedatme：
Betweenustwo，nooneLivecreature，thatIcouldsee。
3。
Yes！TherecamefloatingbyMe，wholayfloatingtoo，Suchastrangebutterfly！
Creatureasdearasnew：
4。
BecausethemembranedwingsSowonderful，sowide，Sosun-suffused，werethingsLikesoulandnaughtbeside。
5。
Ahandbreadthoverhead！
Alloftheseamyown，Itownedtheskyinstead；
Bothofuswerealone。
6。
Inevershalljoinitsflight，Fornaughtbuoysfleshinair。
Ifittouchthesea——goodnight！
Deathsureandswiftwaitsthere。
7。
CantheinsectfeelthebetterForwatchingtheuncouthplayOflimbsthatslipthefetter，Pretendastheywerenotclay?
8。
UndoubtedlyIrejoiceThattheaircomportssowellWithacreaturewhichhadthechoiceOfthelandonce。Whocantell?
9。
WhatifacertainsoulWhichearlyslippeditssheath，AndhasforitshomethewholeOfheaven，thuslookbeneath，10。
Thuswatchonewho，intheworld，Bothlivesandlikeslife’sway，NorwishesthewingsunfurledThatsleepintheworm，theysay?
11。
ButsometimeswhentheweatherIsblue，andwarmwavestemptTofreeone’sselfoftether，Andtryalifeexempt12。
Fromworldlynoiseanddust，InthespherewhichoverbrimsWithpassionandthought，——why，justUnabletofly，oneswims！
13。
Bypassionandthoughtupborne，Onesmilestoone’sself——”TheyfareScarcebetter，theyneednotscornOursea，wholiveintheair！”
14。
EmancipatethroughpassionAndthought，withseaforsky，Wesubstitute，inafashion，Forheaven——poetry：——
St。14。for：insteadof。
15。
Whichsea，toallintent，Givesfleshsuchnoon-disportAsafinerelementAffordsthespirit-sort。
16。
Whatevertheyare，weseem：
Imaginethethingtheyknow；
Alldeedstheydo，wedream；
Canheavenbeelsebutso?
17。
Andmeantime，yonderstreakMeetsthehorizon’sverge；
Thatistheland，toseekIfwetireordreadthesurge：——
St。17。Wecanreturnfromtheseaofpassionandthought，thatis，poetry，oradeepspiritualstate，tothesolidlandagain，ofmaterialfact。
18。
Landthesolidandsafe——
Towelcomeagain(confess！)
When，highanddry，wechafeThebody，anddonthedress——
St。18。Man，inhisearthlife，cannotalwaysbe”highcontemplative”，andindulgein”bravetranslunarythings”；hemustwelcomeagain，itmustbeconfessed，”landthesolidandsafe”。”Otherheightsinotherlives，Godwilling”(`OneWordMore’)。
19。
Doesshelook，pity，wonderAtonewhomimicsflight，Swims——heavenabove，seaunder，Yetalwaysearthinsight?——
St。19。doesshe：the”certainsoul”in9thSt。，”whichearlyslippeditssheath”。
JamesLee’sWife。
I。JamesLee’sWifespeaksattheWindow——
*Intheoriginaled。，1864，theheadingtothissectionwas`AttheWindow’；changedined。of1868——
1。
Ah，Love，butaday，Andtheworldhaschanged！
Thesun’saway，Andthebirdestranged；
Thewindhasdropped，Andthesky’sderanged：
Summerhasstopped——
St。1。Ah，Love，butaday：Rev。H。J。Bulkeley，inhispaperon`JamesLee’sWife’(`BrowningSoc。Papers’，iv。，p。457)，explains，”Oneday’sabsencefromhimhascausedtheworldtochange。”
It’sbettertounderstandthatsomethinghasoccurredtocausetheworldtochangeinasingleday；thatJamesLeehasmadesomenewrevelationofhimself，whichcausesthewife’shearttohavemisgivings，andwiththesemisgivingscomestheeagerdesireexpressedinSt。3，toshowherlove，whenhereturns，morestronglythanever。
2。
Lookinmyeyes！
Wiltthouchangetoo?
ShouldIfearsurprise?
ShallIfindaughtnewIntheoldanddear，Inthegoodandtrue，Withthechangingyear?
3。
Thouartaman，ButIamthylove。
Forthelake，itsswan；
Forthedell，itsdove；
Andforthee——(oh，haste！)
Me，tobendabove，Me，toholdembraced。
II。BytheFireside。
1。
Isallourfireofshipwreckwood，Oakandpine?
Oh，fortheillshalf-understood，ThedimdeadwoeLongagoBefallenthisbittercoastofFrance！
Well，poorsailorstooktheirchance；
Itakemine。
2。
AruddyshaftourfiremustshootO’erthesea；
Dosailorseyethecasement——muteDrenchedandstark，Fromtheirbark——
Andenvy，gnashtheirteethforhateO’thewarmsafehouseandhappyfreight——Theeandme?
3。
Godhelpyou，sailors，atyourneed！
Sparethecurse！
Forsomeships，safeinportindeed，Rotandrust，Runtodust，Allthroughwormsi’thewood，whichcrept，Gnawedourheartsoutwhileweslept：
Thatisworse。
