Life and Letters of Robert Browning (Volume 1) (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1891. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XI. 1852-1855. M. Joseph Milsand. -- His close Friendship with Mr. Browning; Mrs. Browning's Impression of him. -- New Edition of Mr. Browning's Poems. -- " Christmas Eve and Easter Day."--"Essay" on Shelley. -- Summer in London. Dante Gabriel Rossetti. -- Florence; secluded Life. -- Letters from Mr. and Mrs. Browning. -- " Colombe's Birthday." -- Baths of Lucca. -- Mrs. Browning's Letters. -- Winter in Rome. -- Mr. and Mrs. Story. -- Mrs. Sartoris. -- Mrs. Fanny Kemble. -- Summer in London. -- Tennyson. -- Ruskin. It was during this winter in Paris that Mr. Browning became acquainted with M. Joseph Milsand, the second Frenchman with whom he was to be united by ties of deep friendship and affection. M. Milsand was at that time, and for long afterwards, a frequent contributor to the " Revue des Deux Mondes;" his range of subjects being enlarged by his, for a Frenchman, exceptional knowledge of M. JOSEPH MILSAND. 261 English life, language, and literature. He wrote an article on Quakerism, which was much approved by Mr. William Forster, and a little volume on Ruskin called "L'Esthe-tique Anglaise," which was published in the "Bibliotheque de Philosophic Contemporaine."1 Shortly before the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Browning in Paris, he had accidentally seen an extract from "Paracelsus." This struck him so much that he procured the two volumes of the works and " Christmas Eve," and discussed the whole in the "Revue" as the second part of an essay entitled "La Poesie Anglaise depuis Byron." Mr. Browning saw the article, and was naturally touched at finding his poems the object of serious study in a foreign country, while still so little regarded in his own. It was no less natural that this should lead to a friendship which, the opening once given, would have grown up unassisted...