e, was not altogether a romantic. He saw there was a great
danger that the romantic mysticism might lead its pursuers to neglect
the duties of life, or lessen their interest in the drama of mankind.
Therefore he added to his cry for eternity and perfection, his other
cry: "Recognise your limitations, and work within them, while you must
never be content with them. Give yourself in love and patience to the
present labour of mankind; but never imagine for a moment that it ends
on earth." He thus combined with the thirst of the romantic for eternity
the full ethical theory of life, as well as the classic poet's
determination to represent the complete aspect of human life on earth.
At this point, but with many fantastic deviations due to his prevailing
romanticism, he was partly of the classic temper. The poem of _Sordello_
is not without an image of this temper, set vigorously in contrast with
Sordello himself. This is Salinguerra, who takes the world as it is, and
is only anxious to do what lies before him day by day. His long
soliloquy, in which for the moment he indulges in dreams, ends in the
simple resolution to fight on, hour by hour, as circumstances call on
him.

Browning's position, then, is a combination of the romantic and
classical, of the Christian and ethical, of the imaginative and
scientific views of human life; of the temper which says, "Here only is
our life, here only our concern," and that which says, "Not here, but
hereafter is our life." "Here, and hereafter," answered Browning. "Live
within earth's limits with all your force; never give in, fight on; but
always transcend your fullest action in aspiration, faith and love."

It amuses me sometimes the way he is taken by his readers. The romantic
and the Christian folk often claim him as the despiser of this world, as
one who bids us live wholly for the future, or in the mystic ranges of
thought and passion. The scientific, humanitarian, and ethical folk
accept that side of him which agrees with their views of human
life--views which exclude God, immortality, and a world beyond--that
is, they take as the whole of Browning the lesser part of his theory of
life. This is not creditable to their understanding, though it is
natural enough. We may accept it as an innocent example of the power of
a strong bias in human nature. But it is well to remember that the
romantic, Christian, mystic elements of human life are more important in
Browning's eyes than the