Robert Browning. • By A. Waugh. (Kogan Paul, Trench, and
Co. 2s. 6d. net)--This is a volume of the " Westminster Biographies," and is in every way an excellent piece of Work. The two personalities of Robert Browning and his wife are sympathetically treated, and there iteseme admirable criticism of-their literary work. We are glad to see the due meed of praise rendered to W. J. Fox, to whom Browning owed much in the beginning of his career. Few people remember Fox. . He was a genuine orator, but the orator is Flom forgotten. His name will probably, be handed down linked with that of the unappreciated author to whom he reached out a helping hand. For was the means of bringing about the publication of " Paracelsits " (" Pauline " was Browning's first book and "Paracelsus " his second); he was always ready with criticism which was both judicious and en- couraging. Foster also gave. him early help, all the more welcome because there was in his case no personal acquaintance. The Spectator of that day was, we are sorry to say, not appreciative; but it may be urged in excuse that it required a more than common penetration to see the merit of Browning's verse when seen for the first time. In 1837" Strafford " was acted at Covent Garden, and simultaneously published. Macready and Helen Faucit were chief, it is even suggested the only real, actors. The piece was withdrawn after five nights, the reason being that the actor who played Pym withdrew. If the Examiner's judgment on him, "positively nauseous, whining, drawling, and slouching " —they seemed to have used strong language in those days—was correct, his loss could hardly bave been irremediable. It is diffi- cult. its. sayewhen. Vreszning.beeame a success,—in the case of Tennyson one can fix the time very closely. Mr. Waugh very rightly dwells on the excellent influence which Elizabeth Barrett Browning_ exercised on her husband's literary work. Her own poetry was very faulty, noble as it was in many ways, but she did him gdod in a- way that would hardly have been expected. This is a very good little hook; if the series keeps tip to this
mark it should do well. . .
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