isite Romance of Modern Life--Ancestry and Youth of
Robert Browning--Love of Music--Formative Influences--The
Fascination of Byron--A Home "Crammed with Books"--The Spell
of Shelley--"Incondita"--Poetic Vocation Definitely
Chosen--"Pauline" 1

CHAPTER II

1806-1832

Childhood and Early Youth of Elizabeth Barrett--Hope End--"Summer
Snow of Apple-Blossoms"--Her Bower of White Roses--"Living
with Visions"--The Malvern Hills--Hugh Stuart Boyd--Love of
Learning--"Juvenilia"--Impassioned Devotion to Poetry 16

CHAPTER III

1833-1841

Browning Visits Russia--"Paracelsus"--Recognition of Wordsworth
and Landor--"Strafford"--First Visit to Italy--Mrs. Carlyle's
Baffled Reading of "Sordello"--Lofty Motif of the Poem--The
Universal Problem of Life--Enthusiasm for Italy--The
Sibylline Leaves Yet to Unfold 26

CHAPTER IV

1833-1841

Elizabeth Barrett's Love for the Greek Poets--Lyrical Work--
Serious Entrance on Professional Literature--Noble Ideal
of Poetry--London Life--Kenyon--First Knowledge of Robert
Browning 44

CHAPTER V

1841-1846

"Bells and Pomegranates"--Arnould and Domett--"A Blot in the
'Scutcheon"--Macready--Second Visit to Italy--Miss Barrett's
Poetic Work--"Colombe's Birthday"--"Lady Geraldine's
Courtship"--"Romances and Lyrics"--Browning's First Letter
to Miss Barrett--The Poets Meet--Letters of Robert Browning
and Elizabeth Barrett--"Loves of the Poets"--Vita Nuova 67

CHAPTER VI

1846-1850

Marriage and Italy--"In That New World"--The Haunts of
Petrarca--The Magic Land--In Pisa--Vallombrosa--"Un Bel
Giro"--Guercino's Angel--Casa Guidi--Birth of Robert Barrett
Browning--Bagni di Lucca--"Sonnets from the Portuguese"--The
Enchantment of Italy 92

CHAPTER VII

1850-1855

"Casa Guidi Windows"--Society in Florence--Marchesa d'Ossoli--
Browning's Poetic Creed--Villeggiatura in Siena--Venice--
Brilliant Life in London--Paris and Milsand--Browning on
Shelley--In Florence--Idyllic Days in Bagni di Lucca--Mrs.
Browning's Spiritual Outlook--Delightful Winter in Rome--A
Poetic Pilgrimage--Harriet Hosmer--Characteristics of Mrs.
Browning