e commonplace
poets suddenly into fame. They do well to amuse an idle hour. The end of
both is interesting. That of the first, which begins with stanza lix.,
discusses the question: "Who cares, how such a mediocrity as Rene lived
after the fame of his prophecy died out?"[11] And Browning answers--

Well, I care--intimately care to have
Experience how a human creature felt
In after life, who bore the burthen grave
Of certainly believing God had dealt
For once directly with him: did not rave
--A maniac, did not find his reason melt
--An idiot, but went on, in peace or strife,
The world's way, lived an ordinary life.

The solution Browning offers is interesting, because it recalls a part
of the experiences of Lazarus in the _Epistle to Karshish_. Rene, like
Lazarus, but only for a moment, has lived in the eternal.

Are such revelations possible, is his second question. Yes, he answers;
and the form of the answer belongs to the theory of life laid down in
_Paracelsus_. Such sudden openings of the greater world are at
intervals, as to Abt Vogler, given by God to men.

The end of the second asks what is the true test of the greater poet,
when people take on them to weigh the worth of poets--who was better,
best, this, that or the other bard? When I read this I trembled, knowing
that I had compared him with Tennyson. But when I heard the answer I
trembled no more. "The best poet of any two is the one who leads the
happier life. The strong and joyful poet is the greater." But this is a
test of the greatness of a man, not necessarily of a poet. And,
moreover, in this case, Tennyson and Browning both lived equally happy
lives. Both were strong to the end, and imaginative joy was their
companion. But the verse in which Browning winds up his answer is one of
the finest in his poetry.

So, force is sorrow, and each sorrow, force;
What then? since Swiftness gives the charioteer
The palm, his hope be in the vivid horse
Whose neck God clothed with thunder, not the steer
Sluggish and safe! Yoke Hatred, Crime, Remorse,
Despair; but ever mid the whirling fear,
Let, through the tumult, break the poet's face
Radiant, assured his wild slaves win the race!

_La Saisiaz_ is a more important poem: it describes the sudden death of
his friend, Ann Egerton Smith, and passes from that, and all he felt
concerning it, into an argument on the future life of the s