Neither the heights of bliss
Nor the depths of evil done,
Unshadowed by Death’s wing.”
He soon found that it was impossible to write the monograph in London—with its ceaseless demands and distractions. Under the pressure of much work he became so unwell that we realised he could not finish the book under existing conditions, therefore arranged that he should leave me in charge of work at home and he should go to Hastings and devote himself mainly to his Browning. On the 18th he records, from rooms overlooking the sea “Blew a gale at night. The noise of the sea like a vast tide in a hollow echoing cavern: and a shrill screaming wail in the wind. Began my Life of Browning. To bed at 12.”
Then follows a record of the work done day by day: on the 19th, twelve printed pages: on the 20th ten pages: on the 21st four only because he lunched with Coventry Patmore who was then residing at Hastings. On the 22nd, thirteen pages; on the 23rd, eleven pages, and five letters.
Jan. 26th has this note: “We can no more predict Browning’s place in literature as it will be esteemed by posterity than we can specify the fauna and flora of a planet whose fires have not yet sufficiently cooled to enable vegetation to grow.”
His stay at Hastings was rendered pleasant by the neighbourliness of Coventry Patmore with whom he had many long talks, and by occasional visits to Miss Betham Edwards who had a house on the hill beyond the old castle.
He returned to town at the beginning of February.
On the 4th he wrote “the first scene of a Play (to be called either “The Lover’s Tragedy,” or “The Tower of Silence”) which was afterward rewritten and published in Vistas as “A Northern Night.”
The Diary continues:
“8th February. Began about 10.30. (1) Wrote the rest of Imaginary Journal (Piero di Cosimo) i. e. about 2,000 words. In evening posted it to Mavor for March issue of The Art Review. (2) Wrote long London Letter for G. H. (2,000 words). (3) Began at 9.30 to do Browning. Including quotations did 10 printed pages. Re-read the early books of ‘The Ring and the Book.’ To bed at 2.30. Tired somewhat after writing to-day, in all, about 7,000 words (less Browning’s quotations).