and noble name."

[Illustration: BUST OF ROBERT BROWNING, BY HIS SON,

ROBERT BARRETT BROWNING.

In the possession of the sculptor at his villa near Florence.]

Before the close of this year Browning had also complied with a request
from Tauchnitz to prepare for publication a selection from the poems of
Mrs. Browning. This Tauchnitz Edition of Mrs. Browning will always retain
its interest as representing her husband's favorites among her poems. "The
Rhyme of the Duchess May," with its artistic symmetry and exquisite
execution, was of course included. This poem may be said to exhibit all
Mrs. Browning's poetic characteristics.

Encouraged by Millais, Robert Barrett Browning had seriously entered on
the study of painting, his first master being M. Heyermans in Antwerp. In
1875 Frederick Lehmann had expressed high appreciation of a work of the
young artist, the study of a monk absorbed in reading a book,--a picture
that he liked so well as subsequently to purchase it. Another picture by
Barrett Browning was entitled "The Armorer," and found a place in the
Royal Academy of that year, and was purchased by a Member of Parliament
who was also something of a connoisseur in art. In this season was
inaugurated the annual "private view" of the paintings of the poet's son,
which were exhibited in a house in Queen's Gate Gardens and attracted much
attention. In his son's success Browning took great pride and pleasure. On
the sale of the picture to the M. P., Browning wrote to Millais:

19, WARWICK CRESCENT, May 10, 1878.

MY BELOVED MILLAIS,--You will be gladdened in the kind heart of you to
learn that Pen's picture has been bought by Mr. Fielder, a perfect
stranger to both of us. You know what your share has been in his
success, and it cannot but do a world of good to a young fellow whose
fault was never that of being insensible to an obligation.

Ever Affectionately Yours,

ROBERT BROWNING.[13]

In 1871 Browning had been appointed Life Governor of the University of
London, an honor that he particularly appreciated as indicating the
interest of students in his poetry. In the late winter of 1872, after an
absence of thirty years, Alfred Domett again appeared. He had vanished

"like a ghost at break of day,"

and like a ghost he returned, calling at once on his friend in Warwick
Crescent. A letter from Miss Browning to Domett explains itself:

19, WARWICK CRESCENT,

UPP