t of humor. Through his deep seriousness play the lighter faculties.
The whole man presses into this small volume."

"Halbert and Hob" belongs here merely for its wild North of England
setting. We may imagine, if we choose, that this wild father and son
dwelt in the beautiful country of Northumberland, in the North of
England, but descriptions of the scenery could add nothing to the
atmosphere of the poem, for Northumberland is surpassingly lovely.
Doubtless, human beings of this type have existed in all parts of the
globe. At any rate, these particular human beings were transported by
Browning from Aristotle's "Ethics" to the North of England. The incident
is told by Aristotle in illustration of the contention that anger and
asperity are more natural than excessive and unnecessary desires. "Thus
one who was accused of striking his father said, as an apology for it,
that his own father, and even his grandfather, had struck his; 'and he
also (pointing to his child) will strike me, when he becomes a man; for
it runs in our family.' A certain person, also, being dragged by his
son, bid him stop at the door, for he himself had dragged his father as
far as that." The dryness of "Aristotle's cheeks" is as usual so
enlivened by Browning that the fate of Halbert and Hob grows pathetic
and comes close to our sympathies.

HALBERT AND HOB

Here is a thing that happened. Like wild beasts whelped, for den,
In a wild part of North England, there lived once two wild men
Inhabiting one homestead, neither a hovel nor hut,
Time out of mind their birthright: father and son, these--but--
Such a son, such a father! Most wildness by degrees
Softens away: yet, last of their line, the wildest and worst were
these.

Criminals, then? Why, no: they did not murder and rob;
But, give them a word, they returned a blow--old Halbert as young Hob:
Harsh and fierce of word, rough and savage of deed,
Hated or feared the more--who knows?--the genuine wild-beast breed.

Thus were they found by the few sparse folk of the countryside;
But how fared each with other? E'en beasts couch, hide by hide,
In a growling, grudged agreement: so, father and son aye curled
The closelier up in their den because the last of their kind in the
world.

Still, beast irks beast on occasion. One Christmas night of snow,
Came father and son to words--such words! more cruel because the