ItisthisharpingondeathIdespisesomuch，“heremarkedwithemphasisofgestureaswellasofspeechtheinclinedheadandbody，therighthandlightlyplaceduponthelistener’sknee，theabruptchangeintheinflectionofthevoice，allsocharacteristicofhim
　　“thisidleandoftencowardlyaswellasignorantharping!
　　Whyshouldwenotchangelikeeverythingelse？Infiction，inpoetry，insomuchofboth，FrenchaswellasEnglish，and，Iamtold，inAmericanartandliterature，theshadowofdeathcallitwhatyouwill，despair，negation，indifferenceisuponus。Butwhatfoolswhotalkthus!
　　Why，`amicomio’，youknowaswellasIthatdeathislife，justasourdaily，ourmomentarilydyingbodyisnonethelessaliveandeverrecruitingnewforcesofexistence。Withoutdeath，whichisourcrapelikechurchyardywordforchange，forgrowth，therecouldbenoprolongationofthatwhichwecalllife。
　　Pshaw!itisfoolishtoargueuponsuchathingeven。Formyself，Idenydeathasanendofeverything。NeversayofmethatIamdead!“
　　OntheeveningofThursday，the12thofDecember1889，hewasinbed，withexceedingweakness。Inthecentreoftheloftyceilingoftheroominwhichhelay，andwhereithadbeenhiswonttowork，thereisapaintingbyhisson。Itdepictsaneaglestrugglingwithaserpent，andisillustrativeofasuperbpassageinShelley’s“RevoltofIslam“。Whatmemories，whatdeepthoughts，itmusthavesuggested；howsignificant，tous，thecircumstance!
　　Butweakasthepoetwas，heyetdidnotseetheshadowwhichhadbeguntochilltheheartsofthewatchers。
　　ShortlybeforethegreatbellofSanMarcostruckten，heturnedandaskedifanynewshadcomeconcerning“Asolando“，publishedthatday。Hissonreadhimatelegramfromthepublishers，tellinghowgreatthedemandwasandhowfavourableweretheadvance-articlesintheleadingpapers。Thedyingpoetsmiledandmuttered，“Howgratifying!“
　　WhenthelasttollofSt。Mark’shadleftadeeperstillnessthanbefore，thosebythebedsidesawayetprofoundersilenceonthefaceofhimwhomtheyloved。
　　Itisneedlesstodwelluponthegriefeverywherefeltandexpressedfortheirreparableloss。ThemagnificentclosinglinesofShelley’s“Alastor“
　　musthaveoccurredtomanyamourner；forgone，indeed，was“asurpassingSpirit“。ThesuperbpompoftheVenetianfuneral，thesolemngrandeuroftheintermentinWestminsterAbbey，donotseemworthrecording：soinsignificantarealltheseaccidentsofdeathmadebythesupremefactitself。YetitisfittingtoknowthatVenicehasneverinmoderntimesaffordedamoreimpressivesight，thanthosecrapedprocessionalgondolasfollowingthehighflower-strewnfuneral-bargethroughthethrongedwaterwaysandoutacrossthelagoontothedesolateIsleoftheDead：thatLondonhasrarelyseenaughtmoresolemnthanthefog-duskedCathedralspaces，echoingatfirstwiththeslowtrampofthepall-bearers，andthenwiththesweetaerialmusicswayingupwardthelovedfamiliarwordsofthe`LyricVoice’hushedsolongbefore。
　　Yetthepoetwasasmuchhonouredbythosehumblefriends，Lambethartisansandafewpoorworking-women，whothrewspraysoflaurelbeforethehearsebythatdesolate，starving，woe-wearygentleman，shiveringinhisthreadbareclothes，whoseemedtransfixedwithaheart-wrungthoughsilentemotion，erehehurriedlydrewfromhissleevealargewhitechrysanthemum，andthrowingitbeneaththecoffinasitwasliftedinward，disappearedinthecrowd，whichclosedagainliketheseauponthislostwanderingwave。
　　Whowouldnothonourthismightydead？Allwhocouldbepresentwerethere，somewhereintheancientAbbey。Oneofthegreatest，lovedandadmiredbythedeadpoet，hadalreadyputthemourningofmanyintotheloftydignityofhisverse：
　　“Nowdumbishewhowakedtheworldtospeak，Andvoicelesshandstheworldbesidehisbier，Ourwordsaresobs，ourcryofpraiseatear：
　　Wearethesmittenmortal，wetheweak。
　　WeseeaspiritonEarth’sloftiestpeakShine，andwinghencethewayhemakesmoreclear：
　　SeeagreatTreeofLifethatneversereDroppedleafforaughtthatageorstormsmightwreak：
　　SuchendingisnotDeath：suchlivingshowsWhatwideilluminationbrightnessshedsFromonebighearttoconquerman’soldfoes：
　　Thecoward，andthetyrant，andtheforceOfallthoseweedymonstersraisingheadsWhenSongismurkfromspringsofturbidsource。“*
　　*GeorgeMeredith。
　　Onewordmoreof“lightandfleetingshadow“。InthegreatnessofhisnaturehemustberankedwithMilton，Defoe，andScott。Hisveryshortcomings，suchastheywere，wereneverbanefulgrowths，butmereweeds，withacertainpleasantthoughpungentsavourmoreover，growinguponarich，anexuberantsoil。Pluckoneoftheleastlovely
　　rathercallittheunworthyarrowshotatthebodyofadeadcomrade，soinnocentofillintent：yetittoohasabeautyofitsown，fortheshaftwasaflamefromthefulnessofaheartwhoselovehadwithstoodthechillpassageoftheyears。
　　OnthenightofBrowning’sdeathanewstarsuddenlyappearedinOrion。*
　　Thecoincidenceissuggestiveifweliketoindulgeinthefancythatinthatconstellation
　　“NomoresubjectedtothechangeorchanceOftheunsteadyplanets“
　　gleamthoseother“abodeswheretheImmortalsare。“Certainly，awanderingfirehaspassedawayfromus。Whitherhasitgone？
　　TothatnewstarinOrion：orwhirledtoremotesilencesinthetrailoflostmeteors？Whence，andforhowlong，willitsraysreachourstormandgloom-beleagueredearth？
　　*Mrs。Orrdisputesthisstatement。A。L。，1996。
　　“TheallegedfactisdisprovedbythestatementoftheAstronomerRoyal，towhomithasbeensubmitted；butitwouldhavebeenabeautifulsymboloftranslation，suchasaffectionatefancymightgladlycherishifitweretrue。“Mrs。SutherlandOrr，“LifeandLettersofRobertBrowning“1891。
　　Suchquestionscannotmeanwhilebesolved。Oureyesarestillconfusedwiththelight，withthatardentflame，asweknewithere。
　　Butthisweknow，itwasindeed“acentralfiredescendinguponmanyaltars。“
　　These，thoughtouchedwithbutasparkoftheimmortalprinciple，bearenduringtestimony。Andwhattestimony!Howheartfelt：
　　happilyalsohowwidespread，howelectricallystimulative!
　　Butthetimemustcomewhenthepoet’spersonalitywillhavetheremotenessoftradition：whenourperplexedjudgmentswillbeasataleofsoundandfury，signifyingnothing。
　　Itisimpossibleforanystudentofliterature，foranyinterestedreader，nottoindulgeinsomeforecastastowhatrankinthepoetichierarchyRobertBrowningwillultimatelyoccupy。Thecommonplaceastotheimpossibilityofprognosticatingtheultimateslowdecadence，orslowerrise，or，itmaybe，sustainedsuspension，ofapoet’sfame，isofteninsincere，andbutanexcuseofindolence。
　　Todogmatiseweretheheightofpresumptionaswellasoffolly：
　　buttoforegospeculation，baseduponcompletepresentknowledge，foranidlecontentmentwithnarrowhorizons，wereperhapsfoolisherstill。
　　Butassuredlyeachmustperforcebecontentwithhisownprevision。
　　Nonecanansweryetforthegenerality，whosedecisivefranchisewillelectafitarbiterinduetime。
　　So，formyself，letmesummarisewhatIhavealreadywritteninseveralsectionsofthisbook，andparticularlyintheclosingpagesofChapter6。There，itwillberememberedafterhavingfoundthatBrowning’shighestachievementisinhissecondperiod
　　emphasiswaslaidontheprimaryimportanceofhislife-workinitshavingcompelledustotheassumptionofafreshcriticalstandpointinvolvingtheconstructionofanewdefinition。InthelightofthisnewdefinitionIthinkBrowningwillultimatelybejudged。Asthesculptorin“PippaPasses“
　　wasthepredestinatednovelthinkerinmarble，soBrowninghimselfappearsasthepredestinatednovelthinkerinverse；thenovelthinker，however，indegree，notinkind。ButIdonotforamomentbelievethathisgreatnessisinhisstatusasathinker：evenless，thatthepoetandthethinkerareindissociable。ManyyearsagoSainte-Beuvedestroyedthisshallowartificeofpseudo-criticism：
　　“Venirnousdirequetoutpoe“tedetalentest，paressence，ungrandPENSEUR，etquetoutvraiPENSEURestne/cessairementartisteetpoe“te，c’estunepre/tentioninsoutenableetquede/menta\chaqueinstantlare/alite/。“
　　WhenBrowning’senormousinfluenceuponthespiritualandmentallifeofourdayaninfluenceevershapingitselftowiseandbeautifulissues
　　shallhavelostmuchofitsimmediateimport，therewillstillsurelybediscernedinhisworkaformativeenergywhoseresultantispurepoeticgain。
　　Itisasthepoethewilllive：notmerelyasthe“novelthinkerinverse“。
　　Logically，hisattitudeas`thinker’isunimpressive。Itistheattitude，asIthinksomeonehaspointedout，ofacquiescencewithcodifiedmorality。