Someyearsafterhiswife’sdeath，whichoccurredin1849，Mr。BrowningleftHatchamandcametoPaddington，butfinallywenttoresideinParis，andlivedthere，inasmallstreetofftheChampsElysees，tillhisdeathin1866。TheCreolestrainseemstohavebeendistinctlynoticeableinMr。Browning，somuchsothatitispossibleithadsomethingtodowithhisunwillingnesstoremainatSt。Kitts，wherehewascertainlyononeoccasiontreatedcavalierlyenough。
　　Thepoet’scomplexioninyouth，lightandivory-tonedasitwasinlaterlife，hasbeendescribedasolive，anditissaidthatoneofhisnephews，whomethiminParisinhisearlymanhood，tookhimforanItalian。
　　IthasbeenaffirmedthatitwastheemotionalCreolestraininBrowningwhichfoundexpressioninhispassionformusic。**
　　Thethreebrothersweremenofliberaleducationandliterarytastes。
　　Mr。W。S。Browning，whodiedin1874，wasanauthorofsomerepute。
　　His`HistoryoftheHuguenots’isastandardbookonthesubject。
　　**Mrs。SutherlandOrr，inher“LifeandLettersofRobertBrowning“1891，nowavailableonlinerefutesthesestatements。A。L。，1996。
　　ByoldfriendsofthefamilyIhavebeentoldthatMr。Browninghadastronglikingforchildren，withwhomhisreallyremarkablefacultyofimpromptufictionmadehimaparticularfavourite。
　　Sometimeshewouldsupplementhistalesbyillustrationswithpencilorbrush。
　　MissAliceCorkranhasshownmeanillustratedcolouredmap，depictiveofthemainincidentsandsceneryofthe`Pilgrim’sProgress’，whichhegeniallymadefor“thechildren“。*
　　*Mrs。FraserCorkran，whosawmuchofthepoet’sfatherduringhisresidenceinParis，hasspokentomeofhisextraordinaryanalyticalfacultyintheelucidationofcomplexcriminalcases。
　　Itwasoncesaidofhimthathisdetectivefacultyamountedtogenius。
　　Thisisasignificanttraitinthefatheroftheauthorof“TheRingandtheBook“。
　　HehadthreechildrenhimselfRobert，bornMay7th，1812，adaughternamedSarianna，afterhermother，andClara。
　　Hiswifewasawomanofsingularbeautyofnature，withadepthofreligiousfeelingsavedfromnarrownessofscopeonlybyarareserenityandafathomlesscharity。Herson’slovingadmirationofherwasalmostapassion：evenlateinlifeherarelyspokeofherwithouttearscomingtohiseyes。
　　Shewas，moreover，ofanintellectualbentofmind，andwithanartisticbiashavingitsreadiestfulfilmentinmusic，and，tosomeextent，inpoetry。
　　InthelattersheinclinedtotheRomanticists：herhusbandalwaysmaintainedthesupremacyofPope。Helookedwithmuchdubietyuponhisson’searlywritings，“Pauline“and“Paracelsus“；
　　“Sordello“，thoughhefounditbeyondeitherhisartisticorhismentalapprehension，heforgave，becauseitwaswritteninrhymedcouplets；thematurerworksheregardedwithsympathyandpride，withavagueadmirationwhichpassedintoaclearerunderstandingonlywhenhislonglifewasdrawingnearitsclose。
　　Ofhischildren’scompanyhenevertired，evenwhentheywerescarceoutofbabyhood。HewasfondoftakingthelittleRobertinhisarms，andwalkingtoandfrowithhimintheduskin“thelibrary“，soothingthechildtosleepbysingingtohimsnatchesofAnacreonintheoriginal，toafavouriteoldtuneofhis，“ACottageinaWood“。
　　Readersof“Asolando“willremembertheallusionsinthatvolumeto“myfatherwhowasascholarandknewGreek。“AweekortwobeforehisdeathBrowningtoldanAmericanfriend，Mrs。Corson，inreplytoastatementofhersthatnoonecouldaccusehimoflettinghistalentslieidle：
　　“Itwouldhavebeenquiteunpardonableinmycasenottohavedonemybest。
　　MydearfatherputmeinaconditionmostfavourableforthebestworkIwascapableof。WhenIthinkofthemanyauthorswhohavehadtofighttheirwaythroughallsortsofdifficulties，Ihavenoreasontobeproudofmyachievements。Mygoodfathersacrificedafortunetohisconvictions。Hecouldnotbearwithslavery，andleftIndiaandacceptedahumblebank-officeinLondon。
　　Hesecuredformealltheeaseandcomfortthataliterarymanneedstodogoodwork。ItwouldhavebeenshamefulifIhadnotdonemybesttorealisehisexpectationsofme。“*
　　*`India’isaslipontheparteitherofBrowningorofMrs。Corson。
　　Thepoet’sfatherwasneverinIndia。Hewasquiteayouthwhenhewenttohismother’ssugar-plantationatSt。Kitts，intheWestIndies。
　　ThehomeofMr。Browningwas，asalreadystated，inCamberwell，asuburbthenoflesseasyaccessthannow，andwherethereweregreentrees，andgroves，andenticingruralperspectivesinto“real“country，yetwithalnotwithoutsomesuggestionofthemetropolitanair。
　　“TheoldtreesWhichgrewbyouryouth’shomethewavingmassOfclimbingplants，heavywithbloomanddew
　　Themorningswallowswiththeirsongslikewords
　　Alltheseseemclear……mostdistinctamidThefeverandthestirofafteryears。“
　　`Pauline’。
　　Anothergreatwriterofourtimewasborninthesameparish：
　　andthosewhowouldknowHerneHillandtheneighbourhoodasitwasinBrowning’syouthwillfindanenthusiasticguideintheauthorof`Praeterita’。
　　Browning’schildhoodwasahappyone。Indeed，ifthepoethadbeenabletoteachinsongonlywhathehadlearntinsuffering，thelargerpartofhisversewouldbesingularlybarrenofinterest。
　　Fromfirsttolasteverythingwentwellwithhim，withtheexceptionofasingleprofoundgrief。ThismustbeborneinmindbythosewhowouldestimatearightthegeniusofRobertBrowning。
　　Itwouldbeaffectationorfollytodenythathissplendidphysique
　　apaternalinheritance，forhisfatherdiedattheageofeighty-four，withouthavingeverenduredaday’sillnessandtheexceptionallyfortunatecircumstanceswhichwerehisthroughoutlife，hadsomethingtodowiththatsuperbfaithofhiswhichfindsconcentratedexpressioninthelinesinPippa’ssong
　　“God’sinHisHeaven，All’srightwiththeworld!“
　　Itisdifficultforahappymanwithanimperturbabledigestiontobeapessimist。HeisalwaysinclinedtogiveNaturethebenefitofthedoubt。Hisfavouritetermforthismentalcomplaisanceis“catholicityoffaith“，or，itmaybe，“adivinehope“。
　　ThelessfortunatebrethrenbewailthelawsofNature，anddoubtafuturereadjustment，becauseofstomachschronicallyoutoforder。
　　AneminentauthorwithaweakdigestionwrotetomerecentlyanimadvertingonwhathecallsBrowning’sinsanityofoptimism：
　　itrequirednopersonalacquaintanceshiptodiscernthedyspepticwell-springofthisutterance。Allthismaybeadmittedlightlywithoutcarryingthephysiologicalargumenttoextremes。
　　Amanmayhavealiberalhopeforhimselfandforhumanity，althoughhisdinnerbehabituallyamartyrdom。Afterall，weareonlydictatedtobyourbodies：wehavenotperforcetoobeythem。
　　Abitterwitonceremarkedthatthesoul，ifitwereeverdiscovered，wouldbefoundembodiedinthegastricjuice。Hewasnotaltogetherafool，thismanwhohadlearntinsufferingwhathetaughtinepigram；
　　yetwashewideofthemark。
　　AsaveryyoungchildBrowningwaskeenlysusceptibletomusic。
　　Oneafternoonhismotherwasplayinginthetwilighttoherself。
　　Shewasstartledtohearasoundbehindher。Glancinground，shebeheldalittlewhitefiguredistinctagainstanoakbookcase，andcouldjustdiscerntwolargewistfuleyeslookingearnestlyather。
　　Thenextmomentthechildhadsprungintoherarms，sobbingpassionatelyatheknewnotwhat，but，ashisparoxysmofemotionsubsided，whisperingoverandover，withshyurgency，“Play!play!“
　　Itisstrangethatamongallhisfather’scollectionofdrawingsandengravingsnothinghadsuchfascinationforhimasanengravingofapictureofAndromedaandPerseusbyCaravaggio。
　　Thestoryoftheinnocentvictimandthedivinedelivererwasoneofwhichinhisboyhoodhenevertiredofhearing：
　　andashegrewolderthecharmofitspictorialpresentmenthadforhimadeeperandmorecomplexsignificance。
　　WehaveitontheauthorityofafriendthatBrowninghadthisengravingalwaysbeforehiseyesashewrotehisearlierpoems。
　　Hehasgivenbeautifulcommemorationtohisfeelingforitin“Pauline“：
　　“Andromeda!
　　Andsheiswithmeyearsroll，Ishallchange，ButchangecantouchhernotsobeautifulWithherdarkeyes，earnestandstill，andhairLiftedandspreadbythesalt-sweepingbreeze；
　　Andoneredbeam，allthestormleavesinheaven，Restinguponhereyesandfaceandhair，Assheawaitsthesnakeonthewetbeach，Bythedarkrock，andthewhitewavejustbreakingAtherfeet；quitenakedandalone，athingYoudoubtnot，norfearfor，securethatGodWillcomeinthunderfromthestarstosaveher。“
　　Oneofhisownearlyrecollectionswasthatofsittingonhisfather’skneesinthelibrary，andlisteningwithenthralledattentiontotheTaleofTroy，withmarvellousillustrationsamongtheglowingcoalsinthefireplace；
　　with，belowall，thevaguelyheardaccompaniment
　　fromtheneighbouringroomwhereMrs。Browningsat“inherchiefhappiness，herhourofdarknessandsolitudeandmusic“ofawildGaeliclament，withitsinsistentfallingcadences。Astoryconcerninghispoeticprecocityhasbeencirculated，butisnotworthrepeating。