The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mark Twain, A Biography, Vol. 2, Part 2,
1886-1900, by Albert Bigelow Paine
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Title: Mark Twain, A Biography, Vol. 2, Part 2, 1886-1900
The Personal And Literary Life Of Samuel Langhorne Clemens
Author: Albert Bigelow Paine
Release Date: August 21, 2006 [EBook #2985]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARK TWAIN, A BIOGRAPHY, ***
Produced by David Widger
MARK TWAIN, A BIOGRAPHY
By Albert Bigelow Paine
VOLUME II, Part 2: 1886-1900
CLXII
BROWNING, MEREDITH, AND MEISTERSCHAFT
The Browning readings must have begun about this time. Just what kindled
Mark Twain's interest in the poetry of Robert Browning is not remembered,
but very likely his earlier associations with the poet had something to
do with it. Whatever the beginning, we find him, during the winter of
1886 and 1887, studiously, even violently, interested in Browning's
verses, entertaining a sort of club or class who gathered to hear his
rich, sympathetic, and luminous reading of the Payleyings--"With Bernard
de Mandeville," "Daniel Bartoli," or "Christopher Smart." Members of the
Saturday Morning Club were among his listeners and others-friends of the
family. They were rather remarkable gatherings, and no one of that group
but always vividly remembered the marvelously clear insight which Mark
Twain's vocal personality gave to those somewhat obscure measures. They
did not all of them realize that before reading a poem he studied it line
by line, even word by word; dug out its last syllable of meaning, so far
as lay within human possibility, and indicated with pencil every shade of
emphasis which would help to reveal the poet's purpose. No student of
Browning ever more devoutly persisted in trying to compass a master's
intent--in such poems as "Sordello," for instance--than Mark Twain. Just
what permanent benefit he received from this particular passion it is
difficult to know. Once, at a class-meeting, after finishing "Easter
Day," he made a remark which the class requested him to "write down." It
is recorded on the fly-leaf of Dramatis Personae as follows:
One's glim
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