| | Page |
| [CHAPTER I] |
| 1812-1833 |
| The Most Exquisite Romance of Modern Life—Ancestry and Youth of Robert Browning—Love of Music—FormativeInfluences—The Fascination of Byron—A Home “Crammed with Books”—The Spell of Shelley—“Incondita”—Poetic Vocation DefinitelyChosen—“Pauline” | [1] |
| |
| [CHAPTER II] |
| 1806-1832 |
| Childhood and Early Youth of Elizabeth Barrett—Hope End—“Summer Snow of Apple-Blossoms”—HerBower of White Roses—“Living with Visions”—The Malvern Hills—Hugh Stuart Boyd—Love ofLearning—“Juvenilia”—Impassioned Devotion to Poetry | [16] |
| |
| [CHAPTER III] |
| 1833-1841 |
| Browning Visits Russia—“Paracelsus”—Recognition of Wordsworth and Landor—“Strafford”—FirstVisit to Italy—Mrs. Carlyle’s Baffled Reading of “Sordello”—Lofty Motif of the Poem—The UniversalProblem of Life—Enthusiasm for Italy—The Sibylline Leaves Yet to Unfold | [26] |
|
| |
| [CHAPTER IV] |
| 1833-1841 |
| Elizabeth Barrett’s Love for the Greek Poets—Lyrical Work—Serious Entrance on Professional Literature—NobleIdeal of Poetry—London Life—Kenyon—First Knowledge of Robert Browning | [44] |
| |
| [CHAPTER V] |
| 1841-1846 |
| “Bells and Pomegranates”—Arnould and Domett—“A Blot in the ’Scutcheon”—Macready—Second Visitto Italy—Miss Barrett’s Poetic Work—“Colombe’s Birthday”—“Lady Geraldine’s Courtship”—“Romancesand Lyrics”—Browning’s First Letter to MissBarrett—The Poets Meet—Letters of Robert Browningand Elizabeth Barrett—“Loves of the Poets”—Vita Nuova | [67] |
| |
| [CHAPTER VI] |
| 1846-1850 |
| Marriage and Italy—“In That New World”—The Haunts of Petrarca—The Magic Land—In Pisa—Vallombrosa—“UnBel Giro”—Guercino’s Angel—Casa Guidi—Birth of Robert Barrett Browning—Bagnidi Lucca—“Sonnets from the Portuguese”—The Enchantment of Italy | [92] |
| |
| [CHAPTER VII] |
| 1850-1855 |
| “Casa Guidi Windows”—Society in Florence—Marchesa d’Ossoli—Browning’s Poetic Creed—Villeggiaturain Siena—Venice—Brilliant Life in London—Parisand Milsand—Browning on Shelley—In Florence—Idyllic Days in Bagni di Lucca—Mrs. Browning’sSpiritual Outlook—Delightful Winter in Rome—A Poetic Pilgrimage—Harriet Hosmer—Characteristicsof Mrs. Browning | [115] |
| |
| [CHAPTER VIII] |
| 1855-1861 |
| London Life—An Interlude in Paris—“Aurora Leigh”—Florentine Days—“Men and Women”—TheHawthornes—“The Old Yellow Book”—A Summer in Normandy—The Eternal City—TheStorys and Other Friends—Lilies of Florence—“It Is Beautiful!” | [163] |
| |
| [CHAPTER IX] |
| 1861-1869 |
| The Completed Cycle—Letters to Friends—Browning’s Devotion to His Son—Warwick Crescent—“DramatisPersonæ”—London Life—Death of the Poet’s Father—Sarianna Browning—Oxford Honors thePoet—Death of Arabel Barrett—Audierne—“The Ring and the Book” | [199] |
| |
| [CHAPTER X] |
| 1869-1880 |
| In Scotland with the Storys—Browning’s Conversation—An Amusing Incident—With Milsand at St. Aubin’s—“TheRed Cotton Night-cap Country”—Robert Barrett Browning’s Gift for Art—Alfred Domett (“Waring”)—“Balaustion’sAdventure”—Browning and Tennyson—“Pacchiarotto”—Visits Jowett at Oxford—DeclinesLord Rectorship of St. Andrews—“La Saisiaz”—Italy Revisited—The Dream of Asolo—“Ivanovitch”—Pridein His Son’s Success—“Dramatic Idylls” | [221] |
|
| |
| [CHAPTER XI] |
| 1880-1888 |
| “Les Charmettes”—Venetian Days—Dr. Hiram Corson—The Browning Society—Oxford Honors Browning—KatherineDeKay Bronson—Honors from Edinburgh—Visit to Professor Masson—Italian Recognition—Nancioni—TheGoldoni Sonnet—At St. Moritz—In Palazzo Giustiniani—“Ferishtah’s Fancies”—Companionshipwith His Son—Death of Milsand—Letters to Mrs. Bronson—DeVere Gardens—PalazzoRezzonico—Sunsets from the Lido—Robert Barrett Browning’s Gift in Portraiture | [238] |
| |
| [CHAPTER XII] |
| 1888-1889 |
| “Asolando”—Last Days in DeVere Gardens—Letters of Browning and Tennyson—Venetian Lingerings andFriends—Mrs. Bronson’s Choice Circle—Browning’s Letters to Mrs. Bronson—Asolo—“In Ruby, Emerald,Chrysopras”—Last Meeting of Browning and Story—In Palazzo Rezzonico—Last Meeting withDr. Corson—Honored by Westminster Abbey—A Cross of Violets—Choral Music to Mrs. Browning’sPoem, “The Sleep”—“And with God Be the Rest!” | [269] |
| |
| [Index] | [297] |