as born to." This obstacle of ill-health was
unexpectedly modified by a very mild winter and by the new physical
vigor brought in the train of new happiness. From this point of view the
marriage, though hazardous, was practicable by the end of the summer of
1846. A second obstacle lay in the nature and opinions of Miss Barrett's
father, who governed even his grown-up children by "an incredible system
of patriarchal absolutism." By what was variously termed an obliquity of
the will, an eccentricity, a monomania, he had decided that none of his
children should marry, and on this point he demanded "passive
obedience." It was perfectly clear that Miss Barrett could not gain his
consent to her marriage, and so, after long hesitation and much
unhappiness, she decided to marry Mr. Browning without that consent. In
order to save her family and close friends from the blame sure to fall
upon them for the remotest sanction of her marriage, her plans were kept
an absolute secret. She met Mr. Browning at Marylebone Church on
September 12, 1846, and they were married there, Mrs. Browning returning
at once to her own home, where she remained till a week later, when she
started for Italy with her husband. The wedding was then announced.
Throughout her father's life Mrs. Browning endeavored to placate him,
for she devotedly loved him and she had been his favorite child, but in
vain. He would never see her again, he returned her letters unopened,
and he would not allow her to be spoken of in his presence.

After resting a week in Paris Mr. and Mrs. Browning went on to Pisa,
where they remained nearly seven months. The "miracle" of the Pisa life
was Mrs. Browning's gain in health. "You are not _improved_, you are
_transformed_," was Mrs. Jameson's exclamation. It was at Pisa that Mr.
Browning came to know of the sonnets his wife had written during the
progress of their courtship and engagement. In _Critical Kit-Kats_
(1896) Mr. Gosse tells the story as Mr. Browning gave it to him: "One
day, early in 1847, their breakfast being over, Mrs. Browning went
upstairs, while her husband stood at the window watching the street till
the table could be cleared. He was presently aware of someone behind
him, although the servant had gone. It was Mrs. Browning who held him by
the shoulder to prevent his turning to look at her, and at the same time
pushed a packet of papers into the pocket of his coat. She told him to
read that and to tear it up if he di