ays. As Milsand first made Browning known in France,
through his critical papers in the _Revue_, so Nancioni published, in the
_Nuova Antologia_, and in the _Fanfulla della Domenica_ of Rome, several
papers devoted to serious and critical study and interpretation of
Browning's work; and he made the journey from Rome to Venice to meet the
poet again. The recital of poetry was by no means ended in Italy in the
days of the _Improvvisatori_, and Professor Nanciani frequently gave
readings from Browning before cultivated Italian audiences.

When Venice honored Goldoni with a statue, Browning was invited to
contribute to that wonderful "Album" of letters, with which Italy
characteristically commemorates all scholarly events, with contributions
from literary men. The sonnet so pleased the Venetians that they gave it
the place of honor in the album.

The London seasons during all these years were of unrivaled brilliancy.
Browning was seen in all the great houses, and often for two weeks he
would dine out every consecutive night. Dr. Corson, whose first visit to
Browning was made in the early eighties, gave to a friend in a personal
letter this little transcription of his first meeting with the poet, with
whom he had long been in correspondence:

"He received me in the drawing-room, on the second floor. After a few
minutes' conversation, he showed me various interesting things, in the
drawing-room, busts and portraits and mementoes of Mrs. Browning,
keeping up a rapid and meandering current of talk. Something was said,
I forget what, which caused me to allude to 'the Book,' the 'square
old yellow book,' with 'crumpled vellum covers,' which he picked out
of the market-day trumpery in the Piazza San Lorenzo, in Florence, and
which led to the composition of his masterpiece, 'The Ring and the
Book,' 'I'll take you down in a few minutes,' he said, 'to the
library, and show it to you.' When we left the drawing-room and were
at the top of the stairway, he, with an apparent unconsciousness, and
as if I were a younger brother, put his arm over my off shoulder, and
so descended with me, talking all the while at his usual rapid rate. I
tell this little incident, as I observed later, on several occasions,
such an expression of unconscious cordiality and good fellowship was a
characteristic of him.

"Beside his chair, at the writing table, stood Mrs. Browning's
low-se