May and Death (425) 271
Prospice (425) 272
A Face (425) 273
O Lyric Love (425) 274
Prologue to Pacchiarotto (425) 275
House (426) 276
Shop (426) 278
Herve Riel (426) 282
Good to Forgive (427) 289
"Such a Starved Bank of Moss" (427) 290
Epilogue to the Two Poets of Croisic (427) 290
Pheidippides (427) 295
Muleykeh (428) 302
Wanting Is--What? (428) 309
Never the Time and the Place (428) 310
The Patriot (429) 311
Instans Tyrannus (429) 312
The Italian in England (430) 315
"Round Us the Wild Creatures" (431) 321
Prologue to Asolando (431) 321
Summum Bonum (431) 323
Epilogue to Asolando (431) 324
Pippa Passes (431) 325

NOTES 389

INTRODUCTION

THE LIFE OF BROWNING

Robert Browning, the poet, was the third of that name. The first Robert
Browning, a man of energy and ability, held an important post in the
Bank of England. His wife, Margaret Tittle, was a Creole from the West
Indies, and at the time of her marriage her property was still in the
estates owned by her father near St. Kitts. When their son, the second
Robert, was seven years of age, his mother died, and his father
afterwards married again. The second wife's ascendency over her husband
was unfortunately exerted against the best interests of the son. His
desire to become an artist, his wish for a university training, were
disregarded, and he was sent instead