An Introduction to the Study of Robert Browning's Poetry by Robert Browning
page 141 of 525 (26%)
page 141 of 525 (26%)
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Conclusions with, unless the fruit of victories
Stay, one and all, stored up and guaranteed its own For ever, by some mode whereby shall be made known The gain of every life. Death reads the title clear -- What each soul for itself conquered from out things here: Since, IN THE SEEING SOUL, ALL WORTH LIES, I ASSERT, -- AND NOUGHT I' THE WORLD, WHICH, SAVE FOR SOUL THAT SEES, INERT WAS, IS, AND WOULD BE EVER, -- STUFF FOR TRANSMUTING -- NULL AND VOID UNTIL MAN'S BREATH EVOKE THE BEAUTIFUL -- BUT, TOUCHED ARIGHT, PROMPT YIELDS EACH PARTICLE, ITS TONGUE OF ELEMENTAL FLAME, -- no matter whence flame sprung From gums and spice, or else from straw and rottenness, So long as soul has power to make them burn, express What lights and warms henceforth, leaves only ash behind, Howe'er the chance: if soul be privileged to find Food so soon that, at first snatch of eye, suck of breath, It shall absorb pure life:" etc. The Flight of the Duchess. In `The Flight of the Duchess' we are presented with a generous soul-life, as exhibited by the sweet, glad Duchess, linked with fossil conventionalism and mediaevalsim, and an inherited authority which brooks no submissiveness, as exhibited by the Duke, her husband, "out of whose veins |
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