traying almost the very mental processes of thought and feeling and
kindling imagination,--all that goes to make up the creative life of art.

He is fairly a connoisseur in literature, as well as in his own
specialties of painting and sculpture; and the poetry of the elder
Browning has no more critically appreciative reader than his son. Some
volume of his father's is always at hand in his traveling; and he, like
all Browning-lovers, can never open any volume of Robert Browning's
without finding revealed to him new vistas of thought, renewed aspiration
and resolve for all noble living, and infinite suggestiveness of spiritual
achievement.

CHAPTER XII

1888-1889

"On the earth the broken arcs; in the heaven, a perfect round."

"O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,
And with God be the rest!"

"ASOLANDO"--LAST DAYS IN DEVERE GARDENS--LETTERS OF BROWNING AND
TENNYSON--VENETIAN LINGERINGS AND FRIENDS--MRS. BRONSON'S CHOICE
CIRCLE--BROWNING'S LETTERS TO MRS. BRONSON--ASOLO--"IN RUBY, EMERALD,
CHRYSOPRAS"--LAST MEETING OF BROWNING AND STORY--IN PALAZZO
REZZONICO--LAST MEETING WITH DR. CORSON--HONORED BY WESTMINSTER
ABBEY--A CROSS OF VIOLETS--CHORAL MUSIC TO MRS. BROWNING'S POEM, "THE
SLEEP"--"AND WITH GOD BE THE REST."

In the winter of 1887-1888 Mr. Browning wrote "Rosny," which follows the
"Prologue" in "Asolando," and soon after the "Beatrice Signorini" and
"Flute Music." He also completely revised his poems for the new edition
which his publishers were issuing in monthly volumes, the works completed
in July. "Parleyings," which had appeared in 1887, had, gloriously or
perilously as may be, apparently taken all the provinces of learning, if
not all the kingdoms of earth, for its own; for its themes ranged over
Philosophy, Politics, Love, and Art, as well as Alchemy, and one knows not
what; but its power and vigor reveal that there had been no fading of the
divine fire. The poet made a few minor changes in "The Inn Album," but
with that exception he agreed with his friend and publisher, that no
further alterations of any importance were required. Mr. Browning's
relations with his publishers were always harmonious and mutually
gratifying. Such a relation is, to any author, certainly not the least
among the factors of his happiness or of his power of work, and to
Browning, George Murray Smith was his highly prized friend and counselor,
as well as publisher, whos