Boththeloversbelievedthatanimmediatemarriagewould，fromeverypointofview，bebest。Itwasnotadvisablethatitshouldbelongdelayed，iftohappenatall，forthehealthofMissBarrettwassopoorthatanotherwinterinLondonmight，probablywould，meanirretrievableharm。
　　SometimebeforethisshehadbecomeacquaintedwithMrs。Jameson，theeminentart-writer。Theregard，whichquicklydevelopedtoanaffectionateesteem，wasmutual。OneSeptembermorningMrs。Jamesoncalled，andafterhavingdweltonthegloomandperilofanotherwinterinLondon，dweltonthemagicofItaly，andconcludedbyinvitingMissBarretttoaccompanyherinherownimminentdepartureforabroad。Thepoetwastouchedandgrateful，but，pointingtoherinvalidsofa，andgentlyemphasisingherenfeebledhealthandotherdifficultcircumstances，excusedherselffromacceptanceofMrs。Jameson’sgenerousoffer。
　　Inthe“MemoirsofMrs。Jameson“thatlady’sniece，Mrs。Macpherson，relateshowontheeveofherandheraunt’sdeparture，alittlenoteoffarewellarrivedfromMissBarrett，“deploringthewriter’sinabilitytocomeinpersonandbidherfriendgood-bye，asshewas`forcedtobesatisfiedwiththesofaandsilence。’“
　　Itiseasytounderstand，therefore，withwhatamazementMrs。Jameson，shortlyafterherarrivalinParis，receivedaletterfromRobertBrowningtotheeffectthatheANDHISWIFEhadjustcomefromLondon，ontheirwaytoItaly。“Myaunt’ssurprisewassomethingalmostcomical，“
　　writesMrs。Macpherson，“sostartlingandentirelyunexpectedwasthenews。“
　　Anddulymarriedindeedthetwopoetshadbeen!
　　FromthemomentthematterwasmootedtoMr。Barrett，heevincedhisrepugnancetotheidea。Tohimeventhemostfoolishassertionofhisownwasasacredpledge。Hecalledit“prideinhisword“：othersrecogniseditastheveryarroganceofobstinacy。Herefusedtocountenancethemarriageinanyway，refusedtohaveBrowning’snamementionedinhispresence，andevenwhenhisdaughtertoldhimthatshehaddefinitelymadeuphermind，heflatlydeclinedtoacknowledgeasevenpossiblewhatwasindeedveryimminent。
　　Nordidheeverstepdownfromhisridiculouspinnacleofwoundedself-love。
　　Favouritedaughterthoughshehadbeen，Mr。Barrettneverforgaveher，heldnocommunicationwithherevenwhenshebecameamother，anddidnotmentionherinhiswill。Itisneedlesstosayanythingmoreuponthissubject。WhatMr。andMrs。Browningwereinvariablyreticentuponcanwellbepassedoverwithmerementionofthefacts。
　　Atthelastmomenttherehadbeengreathurryandconfusion。
　　Butnevertheless，ontheforenoonofthe12thofSeptember1846，RobertBrowningandElizabethBarretthadunceremoniouslysteppedintoSt。Mary-le-boneChurchandtherebeenmarried。
　　SosecrethadthematterbeenkeptthatevensucholdfriendsasRichardHengistHorneandMr。Kenyonwereinignoranceoftheeventforsometimeafterithadactuallyoccurred。
　　Mrs。JamesonmadeallhastetothehotelwheretheBrowningswere，andultimatelypersuadedthemtoleavethehotelforthequieter`pension’
　　intheRueVilled’Eveque，wheresheandMrs。Macphersonwerestaying。
　　Thereafteritwasagreedthat，assoonasafortnighthadgoneby，theyshouldjourneytoItalytogether。
　　Trulyenough，asMrs。Macphersonsays，thejourneymusthavebeen“enchanting，madeinsuchcompanionship。“BeforedepartingfromParis，Mrs。Jameson，inwritingtoafriend，alludedtoherunexpectedcompanions，andadded，“Bothexcellent：butGodhelpthem!forIknownothowthetwopoetheadsandpoetheartswillgetonthroughthisprosaicworld。“
　　Thiskindlyfriendwasnottheonlypersonwhoexperiencedsimilardoubts。
　　Oneacquaintance，nootherthanthePoet-Laureate，Wordsworth，added：
　　“So，RobertBrowningandElizabethBarretthavegoneofftogether!
　　Well，Ihopetheymayunderstandeachothernobodyelsecould!“
　　Asamatteroffacttheydid，andtosuchgoodintentthattheyseemnevertohavehadonehourofdissatisfaction，neveronejarinthemusicoftheirlives。
　　WhatahappywayfaringthroughFrancethatmusthavebeen!
　　Thetravellinghadtobeslow，andwithfrequentinterruptions，onaccountofMrs。Browning’shealth：yetshesteadilyimproved，andwasalmostfromthestartabletotakemoreexercise，andtobelongerintheopenairthanhadforlongbeenherwont。
　　Theypassedsouthward，andaftersomenovelexperiencesin`diligences’，reachedAvignon，wheretheyrestedforacoupleofdays。
　　Thencealittleexpedition，apoeticalpilgrimage，wasmadetoVaucluse，sacredtothememoryofPetrarchandLaura。There，asMrs。Macphersonhastoldus，attheverysourceofthe“chiare，frescheedolceacque，“
　　Browningtookhiswifeupinhisarms，and，carryingheracrossthroughtheshallowcurlingwaters，seatedheronarockthatrosethrone-likeinthemiddleofthestream。Thus，indeed，didloveandpoetrytakeanewpossessionofthespotimmortalisedbyPetrarch’slovingfancy。
　　ThreeweekspassedhappilybeforePisa，theBrownings’destination，wasreached。Buteventhenthefriendswereunwillingtopart，andMrs。Jamesonandhernieceremainedinthedesertedoldcityforascoreofdayslonger。SowonderfulwasthechangewroughtinMrs。Browningbyhappiness，andbyalltheenfranchisementhermarriagemeantforher，that，asherfriendwrotetoMissMitford，“sheisnotmerelyimprovedbuttransformed。“Inthenewsunshinewhichhadcomeintoherlife，sheblossomedlikeaflower-budlongdelayedbygloomandchill。Herheart，intruth，waslikealarkwhenwaftedskywardbythefirstspring-wind。
　　Atlasttohertherehadcomesomethingofthatpeaceshehadlongedfor，andthough，inthejoyofhernewlife，hergenius“likeanArabbirdsleptfloatinginthewind，“itwaswiththatrestfulhushwhichprecedesthecreativestorm。Thereissomethingdeeplypatheticinherconsciousjoy。Solittleactualexperienceoflifehadbeenhersthatinmanyrespectsshewasasachild：andshehadallthechild’syearningforthoseunsulliedhoursthatnevercomewhenoncetheyaremissed。
　　Butitwasnottillloveunfastenedtheinnerchambersofherheartandbrainthatsherealisedtothefull，whatshehadoftendoubted，howsupremeathingmerelifeis。Itwasinsomesuchmoodthatshewrotethelovelyforty-secondofthe“SonnetsfromthePortuguese“，closingthus
　　“LetusstayRatheronearth，Beloved，wheretheunfitContrariousmoodsofmenrecoilawayAndisolatepurespirits，andpermitAplacetostandandloveinforaday，Withdarknessandthedeath-hourroundingit。“
　　AsforBrowning’slovetowardshiswife，nothingmoretenderandchivalroushaseverbeentoldofidealloversinanidealromance。
　　Itissobeautifulastorythatoneoftenprefersittothesweetestorloftiestpoemthatcamefromthelipsofeither。
　　Thatloveknewnosoilureinthepassageoftheyears。
　　Liketheflameoforientallegend，itwasperenniallyincandescentthoughfednototherwisethanbysunlightandmoonshine。
　　Ifitalonesurvive，itmayresolvethepoeticfameofeitherintooneimperishable，luminousrayofwhitelight：astheutteredsongfusedinthedeathlesspassionofSapphogleamsstar-likedownthecenturiesfromthehighsteepofLeucadoe。
　　Itwashere，inPisa，Ihavebeentoldonindubitableauthority，thatBrowningfirstsawinmanuscriptthose“SonnetsfromthePortuguese“
　　whichnopoetofPortugalhadeverwritten，whichnomancouldhavewritten，whichnootherwomanthanhiswifecouldhavecomposed。
　　Fromthetimewhenithadfirstdawneduponherthatlovewastobehers，andthatthelaurelofpoetrywasnottobehersolecoronal，shehadfoundexpressionforherexquisitetroubleintheseshortpoems，whichshethinlydisguisedfrom`innerpublicity’whensheissuedthemas“fromthePortuguese“。
　　Itispleasanttothinkoftheshydelightwithwhichthedelicate，flower-like，almostetherealpoet-wife，inthosememorablePisanevenings
　　withthewindblowingsoundinglyfromthehillsofCarrara，orquiescentinadeepautumnalcalmbrokenonlybytheslowwashofArnoalongthesea-mossedlong-desertedquaysshowedherlove-poemstoherhusband。Withwhatloveandpridehemusthavereadthoseoutpouringsofthemostsensitiveandbeautifulnaturehehadevermet，vialsoflovelythoughtandlovelieremotion，allstoredagainstthecomingofagoldenday。
　　“HowdoIlovethee？Letmecounttheways。
　　IlovetheetothedepthandbreadthandheightMysoulcanreach，whenfeelingoutofsightFortheendsofBeingandidealGrace。
　　Ilovetheetothelevelofeveryday’sMostquietneed，bysunandcandlelight。
　　Ilovetheefreely，asmenstriveforRight；
　　Ilovetheepurely，astheyturnfromPraise。
　　IlovetheewiththepassionputtouseInmyoldgriefs，andwithmychildhood’sfaith。
　　IlovetheewithaloveIseemedtoloseWithmylostsaints，Ilovetheewiththebreath，Smiles，tears，ofallmylife!and，ifGodchoose，IshallbutlovetheebetterafterDeath!“
　　Evensuchheart-musicasthiscannothavethrilledhimmorethanthesetwoexquisitelines，withtheirtruthalmosttoopoignanttopermitofserenejoy