Reviews

E600324E. Poems Before Congress.

Bell’s Weekly Messenger, 24 March 1860, p. 6.

As reprinted in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 27, 361.

A new volume of poems from the fertile imagination of Mrs. Browning must always be considered as an important event in the history of the literary world. Nevertheless, we cannot but confess to a feeling of disappointment with this collection of original thought and strong passion, more on account of the subjects that are illustrated, which are unworthy of true genius, than from any deficiency of power or pathos. We are inclined to give a decided preference to the first stanzas of the volume, “Napoleon III. in Italy;” although we think, since it was written, Mrs. Browning has had abundant cause to change her note as to Louis Napoleon being one

Who cannot palter nor prate,

Though many around him and under,

With intellects trained to the curve(!)

Distrust him in spirit and nerve

Because his meaning is straight;

and to believe that, although she might once

Measure him ere he depart

With those who have governed and led:

Larger so much by the heart,

Larger so much by the head.

Emperor

Evermore!

she was labouring under a strange delusion when she penned such bombastic fawning lines. When, however, Mrs. Browning wrote this poem she thought, as the last words assert—

He came to deliver Italy,

Emperor

Evermore!

Alas! how immense has been this good lady's delusion! Although, however, there are abundant signs of cleverness in this volume, there are hosts of passages that are anything but like poetry. Take this as an example from the poem “Italy and the World:”—

Cocks crow at midnight, seldom knowing

Star–light from dawn-light: ’tis a mad

Poor creature. Here you paused, and growing

Scornful … suddenly, let us add,—

The trumpet sounded, the graves were open.

If this is poetry, preserve us from the severity of such an infliction as either to read or criticise it.

Reviewed:

Poems Before Congress (EBB), London: Chapman & Hall, 1860.

___________________