my earliest attempt at 'poetry always dramatic in principle, and so many
utterances of so many imaginary persons, not mine,' which I have since
written according to a scheme less extravagant, and scale less
impracticable, than were ventured upon in this crude preliminary
sketch--a sketch that, on reviewal, appears not altogether wide of some
hint of the characteristic features of that particular _dramatis
persona_ it would fain have reproduced: good draughtsmanship, however,
and right handling were far beyond the artist at that time." These be
hard words. No critic will ever adventure upon so severe a censure of
"Pauline": most capable judges agree that, with all its shortcomings, it
is a work of genius, and therefore ever to be held treasurable for its
own sake as well as for its significance.

[Footnote 6: Probably from the fact of "Richmond" having been added to
the date at the end of the preface to "Pauline," have arisen the
frequent misstatements as to the Browning family having moved west from
Camberwell in or shortly before 1832. Mr. R. Barrett Browning tells me
that his father "never lived at Richmond, and that that place was
connected with 'Pauline,' when first printed, as a mystification."]

On the fly-leaf of a copy of this initial work, the poet, six years
after its publication, wrote: "Written in pursuance of a foolish plan I
forget, or have no wish to remember; the world was never to guess that
such an opera, such a comedy, such a speech proceeded from the same
notable person.... Only this crab remains of the shapely Tree of Life in
my fool's Paradise." It was in conformity with this plan that he not
only issued "Pauline" anonymously, but enjoined secrecy upon those to
whom he communicated the fact of his authorship.

When he read the poem to his parents, upon its conclusion, both were