Robert Browning

England
7 May 1812 // 12 Dec 1889
Poet, Playwright

Quotes

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God be thanked, the meanest of his creatures
Boasts two soul-sides, one to face the world with,
One to show a woman when he loves her!
And inasmuch as feeling, the East's gift,
Is quick and transient, comes, and lo! is gone,
While Northern thought is slow and durable.

Luria
One who never turned his back but marched breast forward, never doubted clouds would break, Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would triumph.
Round and round, like a dance of snow
In a dazzling drift, as its guardians, go
Floating the women faded for ages,
Sculptured in stone on the poet's pages.

Women and Roses
A people is but the attempt of many
To rise to the completer life of one;
And those who live as models for the mass
Are singly of more value than they all.

Luria
Oh their Rafael of the dear Madonnas,
Oh their Dante of the dread Inferno,
Wrote one song and in my brain I sing it;
Drew one angel borne, see, on my bosom!
Italy, my Italy!
Queen Mary's saying serves for me
(When fortune's malice
Lost her Calais):
'Open my heart, and you will see
Graved inside of it 'Italy.''

De Gustibus
All we have gained then by our unbelief
Is a life of doubt diversified by faith,
For one of faith diversified by doubt:
We called the chess-board white we call it black.

Bishop Blougram's Apology
Stand still, true poet that you are!
I know you; let me try and draw you.
Some night you'll fail us: when afar
You rise, remember one man saw you,
Knew you, and named a star!

Popularity
The day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn;
God's in his heaven
All's right with the world.
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