Home-ThoughtsfromAbroad。
　　AnEnglishman，insomeforeignland，longsforEngland，nowthatApril’sthere，withitspeculiarEnglishcharms；
　　andthenwillcomeMay，withthewhite-throatandtheswallows，and，mostdelightfulofall，thethrush，withitsrapturoussong！
　　Andthebuttercups，farbrighterthanthegaudymelon-flowerhehasbeforehim！
　　Home-ThoughtsfromtheSea。
　　Apaean，inspiredbythesight，fromthesea，ofCapeTrafalgarandGibraltar，bothobjectsofpatrioticpridetoanEnglishman；
　　theoneassociatedwiththenavalvictorygainedbytheEnglishfleet，underNelson，overthecombinedFrenchandSpanishfleets；theother，England’sgreateststronghold。
　　ThefirstfourversesmakeacharacteristicTurnerpicture。
　　OldPicturesinFlorence。
　　ThespeakerinthemonologueislookingdownuponFlorence，inthevalleybeneath，fromavillaononeofthesurroundingheights。
　　Thestartlingbell-towerGiottoraisedmorethanstartleshim。
　　Foranexplanationofthis，seenoteunderStanza2。
　　AlthoughthepoempresentsageneralsurveyoftheoldFlorentinemasters，theTHEMEofthepoemisreallyGiotto，whoreceivedtheaffectionatehomageoftheFlorentines，inhisownday，andforwhomthespeakerhasaspeciallove。
　　ThepoemleadsuptotheprophesiedrestorationofFreedomtoFlorence，thereturnofArt，thatdepartedwithher，andthecompletionoftheCampanile，whichwillvindicateGiottoandFlorencetogether，andcrowntherestorationoffreedomtothecity，anditsliberationfromthehatedAustrianrule。
　　Mrs。Browning’s`CasaGuidiWindows’shouldbereadinconnectionwiththismonologue。Thestrongsympathywhichisexpressedinthelastfewstanzasofthemonologue，withItalianliberty，isexpressedin`CasaGuidiWindows’atawhiteheat。”Wefind，”saysProfessorDowden，”afullconfessionofMr。Browning’screedwithrespecttoartinthepoementitled`OldPicturesinFlorence’。HeseestheghostsoftheearlyChristianmasters，whoseworkhasneverbeendulyappreciated，standingsadlybyeachmoulderingItalianFresco；andwhenanimaginedinterlocutorinquireswhatisadmirableinsuchworkasthis，thepoetanswersthatthegloryofChristianartliesinitsrejectingalimitedperfection，suchasthatoftheartofancientGreece，thesubjectofwhichwasfinite，andthelessontaughtbywhichwassubmission，andinitsdaringtobeincomplete，andfaulty，faultybecauseitssubjectwasgreatwithinfinitefearsandhopes，andbecauseitmustneedsteachmannottosubmitbuttoaspire。”
　　PictorIgnotus。
　　[Florence，15。]
　　Anunknownpainterreflects，butwithoutenvy，uponthepraisewhichhasbeenbestowedonayouthfulartist，——whatthatpraiseinvolves。
　　Hehimselfwasconsciousofallthepower，andmore，whichtheyouthhasshown；nobarstayed，norfateforbid，toexerciseit，norwouldfleshhaveshrunkfromsecondinghissoul。
　　Allhesawhecouldhaveputuponcanvas；”Eachfaceobedienttoitspassion’slaw，Eachpassionclearproclaimedwithoutatongue。”
　　Andwhenhethoughthowsweetwouldbetheearthlyfamewhichhisworkwouldbringhim，”thethoughtgrewfrightful，’twassowildlydear！”
　　Butavisionflashedbeforehimandchangedthatthought。Alongwiththeloving，trustingoneswerecoldfaces，thatbeguntopressonhimandjudgehim。Suchasthesewouldbuyandsellhispicturesforgarnitureandhousehold-stuff。Hispictures，sosacredtohissoul，wouldbethesubjectoftheirprate，”ThisIlove，orthisIhate，thislikesmemore，andthisaffectsmeless！”Toavoidsuchsacrilege，hehaschosenhisportion。Andifhisheartsometimessinks，whileathismonotonousworkofpaintingendlesscloistersandeternalaisles，withthesameseries，Virgin，Babe，andSaint，withthesamecold，calm，beautifulregard，atleastnomerchanttrafficsinhisheart。Guardedbythesanctuary’sgloom，fromvaintongues，hispicturesmaydie，surely，gentlydie。”Oyouth，menpraiseso，——holdstheirpraiseitsworth?
　　Tastessweetthewaterwithsuchspecksofearth?”
　　AndreadelSarto。
　　Called”TheFaultlessPainter”。
　　Inthismonologue，”thefaultlesspainter”AndreaSenzaErrori，ashewassurnamedbytheItaliansisthespeaker。
　　Headdresseshisworthlesswife，Lucrezia，uponwhomheweaklydotes，andforwhomhehasbrokenfaithwithhisroyalpatron，FrancisI。ofFrance，inorderthathemightmeetherdemandsformoney，tobespentuponherpleasures。Helamentsthathehasfallenbelowhimselfasanartist，thathehasnotrealizedthepossibilitiesofhisgenius，halfaccusing，fromthebettersideofhisnature，andhalfexcusing，inhisuxoriousness，thewomanwhohashadnosympathywithhiminthehighidealswhich，withhersupport，hemighthaverealized，andthushaveplacedhimselfbesideAngeloandRafael。”Hadthemouththenurged`Godandtheglory！nevercareforgain。Thepresentbythefuture，whatisthat?Liveforfame，sidebysidewithAngelo——
　　Rafaeliswaiting。UptoGodallthree！’Imighthavedoneitforyou。”
　　Inhis`ComparativeStudyofTennysonandBrowning’*，ProfessorEdwardDowden，settingforthBrowning’sdoctrinesonthesubjectofArt，remarks：——
　　*Originallyalecture，deliveredin1868，andpublishedin`AfternoonLecturesonLiteratureandArt’Dublin，5thseries，1869；
　　afterwardsrevised，andincludedintheauthor’s`StudiesinLiterature，1789-1877’。ItisoneofthebestcriticismsofBrowning’spoetrythathaveyetbeenproduced。EveryBrowningstudentshouldmakeacarefulstudyofit——”Thetruegloryofartis，thatinitscreationtherearisedesiresandaspirationsnevertobesatisfiedonearth，butgeneratingnewdesiresandnewaspirations，bywhichthespiritofmanmountstoGodHimself。TheartistMr。Browninglovestoinsistonthispointwhocanrealizeinmarbleorincolor，orinmusic，hisideal，hastherebymissedthehighestgainofart。
　　In`PippaPasses’theregenerationoftheyoungsculptor’sworkturnsonhisfindingthatintheveryperfectionwhichhehadattainedliesultimatefailure。Andoneentirepoem，`AndreadelSarto’，hasbeendevotedtotheexpositionofthisthought。
　　Andreais`thefaultlesspainter’；nolineofhisdrawingevergoesastray；
　　hishandexpressedadequatelyandaccuratelyallthathismindconceives；
　　butforthisveryreason，preciselybecauseheis`thefaultlesspainter’，hisworklacksthehighestqualitiesofart：——”`Aman’sreachshouldexceedhisgrasp，Orwhat’saHeavenfor?allissilver-grey，Placidandperfectwithmyart——theworse。’”AndintheyouthfulRaphael，whosetechnicalexecutionfellsofarbelowhisown，Andrearecognizesthetruemaster：——”`Yonder’sawork，now，ofthatfamousyouth’，etc。”InAndreadelSarto，”saysVasari，”artandnaturecombinedtoshowallthatmaybedoneinpainting，wheredesign，coloring，andinventionuniteinoneandthesameperson。Hadthismasterpossessedasomewhatbolderandmoreelevatedmind，hadhebeenasmuchdistinguishedforhigherqualificationsashewasforgeniusanddepthofjudgmentinthearthepractised，hewould，beyondalldoubt，havebeenwithoutanequal。Buttherewasacertaintimidityofmind，asortofdiffidenceandwantofforceinhisnature，whichrendereditimpossiblethatthoseevidencesofardorandanimationwhicharepropertothemoreexaltedcharacter，shouldeverappearinhim；nordidheatanytimedisplayoneparticleofthatelevationwhich，coulditbuthavebeenaddedtotheadvantageswherewithhewasendowed，wouldhaverenderedhimatrulydivinepainter：whereforetheworksofAndreaarewantinginthoseornamentsofgrandeur，richness，andforce，whichappearsoconspicuouslyinthoseofmanyothermasters。
　　Hisfiguresare，nevertheless，welldrawn，theyareentirelyfreefromerrors，andperfectinalltheirproportions，andareforthemostpartsimpleandchaste：theexpressionofhisheadsisnaturalandgracefulinwomenandchildren，whileinyouthsandoldmenitisfulloflifeandanimation。
　　Thedraperiesofthismasterarebeautifultoamarvel，andthenudefiguresareadmirablyexecuted，thedrawingissimple，thecoloringismostexquisite，nay，itistrulydivine。”
　　Mr。ErnestRadford，quotingthispassage，intheBrowningSociety’s`IllustrationstoBrowning’sPoems’，remarksthat”nearlythewholePOEMof`AndreadelSarto’isameretranslationintotheSUBJECTIVEMoodifImaysosayofthispassageinwhichthepainter’sworkiscriticisedfromanexternalstandpoint……”RecentresearchesintoAndrea’slifethrowdoubtuponagooddealthatVasarihaswrittenconcerningtheunhappinessofhismarriageandthemannerofhisdeath。Andthebiographerhimselfmodifies，inhissecondedition，theaccounthehadgivenofthefairLucrezia。
　　Vasari，itshouldbesaid，wasapupilofAndrea，andthereforemust，inthisinstance，havehadspecialopportunitiesofknowledge，thoughhemay，onthesameaccount，havehadsomespecial`animus’
　　whenhewrote。Forthepurposesofhispoem，Browningiscontenttotakethetraditionalaccountofthematter，which，afterall，seemstosubstantiallyaccurate。Thefollowingisfromthefirstedition：——”AtthattimetherewasamostbeautifulgirlinViadiSanGallo，whowasmarriedtoacap-maker，andwho，thoughbornofapoorandviciousfather，carriedaboutherasmuchprideandhaughtiness，asbeautyandfascination。Shedelightedintrappingtheheartsofmen，andamongstothersensnaredtheunluckyAndrea，whoseimmoderateloveforhersooncausedhimtoneglectthestudiesdemandedbyhisart，andingreatmeasuretodiscontinuetheassistancewhichhehadgiventohisparents。”CertainpicturesofAndrea’swhichhadbeenpaintedfortheKingofFrancewerereceivedwithmuchfavor，andaninvitationtoAndreasoonfollowedtheirdelivery，to`goandpaintattheFrenchCourt’。Hewentaccordingly，and`paintedproudly’，asBrowningrelates，andprosperedeveryway。Butoneday，beingemployedonthefigureofaSt。Jeromedoingpenance，whichhewaspaintingforthemotheroftheKing，therecametohimcertainlettersfromFlorence；thesewerewrittenhimbyhiswife；
　　andfromthattimewhatevermayhavebeenthecausehebegantothinkofleavingFrance。HeaskedpermissiontothateffectfromtheFrenchKingaccordingly，sayingthathedesiredtoreturntoFlorence，butthat，whenhehadarrangedhisaffairsinthatcity，hewouldreturnwithoutfailtohisMajesty；headded，thatwhenhecameback，hiswifeshouldaccompanyhim，totheendthathemightremaininFrancethemorequietly；andthathewouldbringwithhimpicturesandsculpturesofgreatvalue。TheKing，confidinginthesepromises，gavehimmoneyforthepurchaseofthosepicturesandsculptures，Andreatakinganoathonthegospelstoreturnwithinthespaceofafewmonths，andthatdonehedepartedtohisnativecity。”HearrivedsafelyinFlorence，enjoyingthesocietyofhisbeautifulwife，andthatofhisfriends，withthesightofhisnativecity，duringseveralmonths；butwhentheperiodspecifiedbytheKing，andthatatwhichheoughttohavereturned，hadcomeandpassed，hefoundhimselfattheend，notonlyofhisownmoney，but，whatwithbuilding”the”melancholylittlehousetheybuilttobesogaywith””indulginghimselfwithvariouspleasures，anddoingnowork，ofthatbelongingtotheFrenchmonarchalso，thewholeofwhichhehadconsumed。
　　Hewas，nevertheless，determinedtoreturntoFrance，buttheprayersandtearsofhiswifehadmorepowerthanhisownnecessities，orthefaithwhichhehadpledgedtotheKing。””Andsoforaprettywoman’ssake，wasagreatnaturedegraded。
　　Andoutofsympathywithitsimpulses，broad，anddeep，andtenderasonlythegreatestcanshow，`AndreadelSarto’，ourgreat，sadpoem，waswritten。”
　　Themonologueexhibitsgreatperfectionoffinish。Itscompositionwasoccasioned，asMr。Furnivalllearnedfromthepoethimselfsee`BrowningSociety’sPapers’，PartII。，p。161，bytheportraitofAndreadelSartoandhiswife，paintedbyhimself，andnowinthePittiPalace，inFlorence。Mr。Browning’sfriend，andhiswife’sfriend，Mr。JohnKenyonthesametowhomMrs。Browningdedicated`AuroraLeigh’，hadaskedthepoettobuyhimacopyofAndreadelSarto’spicture。Nonecouldbegot，andsoMr。Browningputintoapoemwhatthepicturehadsaidtohimself，andsentittoMr。Kenyon。Itwascertainlyaworthysubstitute。
　　FraLippoLippi。
　　TheItalianartist，Lippi，isthespeaker。Lippiwasoneoftherepresentativesoftheprotestmadeinthefifteenthcenturyagainsttheconventionalspiritualizationintheartofhistime。
　　Inthemonologuehegivesexpressiontohisfaithinthereal，intheabsolutespiritualsignificanceofthelineamentsofthehumanface，andintheformsofnature。Thecircumstancesunderwhichthisfaithisexpressed，aresomewhatdroll。
　　Lippiwasawildfellowandgiventoexcessesofvariouskinds。
　　WhenaboyhetookrefugeagainststarvationintheconventoftheCarmelites，inFlorence，andbecameamonk；butheprovedunfaithfultohisreligiousvows，and，impelledbyhisgeniusforart，madehisescapefromtheconvent，havingfirstprofitedbytheworkofMasaccio，anddevotedhimselftopainting。Aftermanyromanticexperiences，andhavingrisentodistinctioninhisart，hereturnedtoFlorenceandbecameknowntoCosimode’Medici，inwhoseemployheisatthetimeheispresentedtousinthemonologue。Itappearshehadbeenshutupbyhispatron，forthreeweeks，inordertobekeptatwork，”a-paintingforthegreatman，saintsandsaintsandsaintsagain。Icouldnotpaintallnight——Ouf！Ileanedoutofwindowforfreshair。
　　Therecameahurryoffeet，andlittlefeet，asweepoflutestrings，laughs，andwhiftsofsong，”——etc。Inhiseagernesstojoininthefun，hetearsintoshredscurtain，andcounterpane，andcoverlet，makesarope，descends，andcomesupwiththefunhardbySaintLaurence，hailfellow，wellmet。Onhiswaybacktowarddaybreak，heisthrottledbythepolice，anditistothemthemonologueisaddressed。Heingratiateshimselfwiththembytellinghishistory，andbyhistalkonart，andamostinterestinganddeeplysignificanttalkitis，thegistofitbeingwellexpressedinapassageofMrs。Browning’s`AuroraLeigh’，”paintabodywell，youpaintasoulbyimplication，likethegrandfirstMaster。