Withoutthespiritual，observe，thenatural’simpossible；——
　　noform，nomotion！Withoutsensuous，spiritualisinappreciable；——
　　nobeautyorpower！Andinthistwofoldspherethetwo-foldmanandstilltheartistisintenselyamanholdsfirmlybythenatural，toreachthespiritualbeyondit，——fixesstillthetypewithmortalvision，topiercethrough，witheyesimmortal，totheantetype，somecalltheideal，——bettercalledthereal，andcertaintobecalledsopresentlywhenthingsshallhavetheirnames。”
　　Browninghascloselyfollowed，inthemonologue，theart-historian，GiorgioVasari，asthefollowingextractswillshowthetranslationisthatofMrs。JonathanFoster，intheBohnLibrary：——”TheCarmelitemonk，FraFilippodiTommasoLippi1412-1469*1*
　　wasbornatFlorenceinabye-streetcalledArdiglione，undertheCantoallaCuculia，andbehindtheconventoftheCarmelites。
　　Bythedeathofhisfatherhewasleftafriendlessorphanattheageoftwoyears，hismotherhavingalsodiedshortlyafterhisbirth。
　　ThechildwasforsometimeunderthecareofacertainMonaLapaccia，hisaunt，thesisterofhisfather，whobroughthimupwithverygreatdifficultytillhehadattainedhiseighthyear，when，beingnolongerabletosupporttheburdenofhismaintenance，sheplacedhimintheabove-namedconventoftheCarmelites。
　　Here，inproportionasheshowedhimselfdexterousandingeniousinallworksperformedbyhand，didhemanifesttheutmostdulnessandincapacityinletters，towhichhewouldneverapplyhimself，norwouldhetakeanypleasureinlearningofanykind。TheboycontinuedtobecalledbyhisworldlynameofFilippo，*2*andbeingplacedwithothers，wholikehimselfwereinthehouseofthenovices，underthecareofthemaster，totheendthatthelattermightseewhatcouldbedonewithhim；inplaceofstudying，heneverdidanythingbutdaubhisownbooks，andthoseoftheotherboys，withcaricatures，whereuponthepriordeterminedtogivehimallmeansandeveryopportunityforlearningtodraw。
　　ThechapeloftheCarminehadthenbeennewlypaintedbyMasaccio，andthisbeingexceedinglybeautiful，pleasedFraFilippogreatly，whereforehefrequenteditdailyforhisrecreation，and，continuallypractisingthere，incompanywithmanyotheryouths，whowereconstantlydrawinginthatplace，hesurpassedalltheothersbyverymuchindexterityandknowledge……Proceedingthus，andimprovingfromdaytoday，hehadsocloselyfollowedthemannerofMasaccio，andhisworksdisplayedsomuchsimilaritytothoseofthelatter，thatmanyaffirmedthespiritofMasacciotohaveenteredthebodyofFraFilippo——
　　*1*Thedateofbirthdiffersinthebiographies，itbeingvariouslygivenas1400，1406，1410，and1412。Butthelatterappearstobetheonegenerallyaccepted。
　　*2*Itwascustomary，onenteringaconvent，tochangethebaptismalnameforsomeother。”ItissaidthatFraFilippowasmuchaddictedtothepleasuresofsense，insomuchthathewouldgiveallhepossessedtosecurethegratificationofwhateverinclinationmightatthemomentbepredominant；……Itwasknownthat，whileoccupiedinthepursuitofhispleasures，theworksundertakenbyhimreceivedlittleornoneofhisattention；forwhichreasonCosimode’Medici，wishinghimtoexecuteaworkinhisownpalace，shuthimup，thathemightnotwastehistimeinrunningabout；
　　buthavingenduredthisconfinementfortwodays，hethenmaderopeswiththesheetsofhisbed，whichhecuttopiecesforthatpurpose，andsohavinglethimselfdownfromawindow，escaped，andforseveraldaysgavehimselfuptohisamusements。
　　WhenCosimofoundthatthepainterhaddisappeared，hecausedhimtobesought，andFraFilippoatlastreturnedtohiswork，butfromthattimeforwardCosimogavehimlibertytogoinandoutathispleasure，repentinggreatlyofhavingpreviouslyshuthimup，whenheconsideredthedangerthatFraFilippohadincurredbyhisfollyindescendingfromthewindow；andeverafterwardslaboringtokeephimtohisworkbykindnessonly，hewasbythismeansmuchmorepromptlyandeffectuallyservedbythepainter，andwaswonttosaythattheexcellenciesofraregeniuswereasformsoflightandnotbeastsofburden。”
　　AFace。
　　Thespeakerimaginestheheadofabeautifulgirlheknows，”painteduponabackgroundofpalegold，suchastheTuscan’searlyartprefers”，anddetailsthepictureashewouldhaveit。
　　TheBishopordershisTomb。
　　TheBishopordershisTombatSt。Praxed’sChurch。*
　　[Rome，15。]——
　　*Firstpublishedin`Hood’sMagazine’，March，1845，No。III。，vol。iii。，pp。237-239，underthetitle`TheTombatSt。Praxed’sRome，15——’。”Thispoemand`TheFlightoftheDuchess’weresentbyBrowningtohelpmakeupthenumbersofthemagazinewhileHoodlaydying。”——
　　Furnivall’s`BibliographyofRobertBrowning’，p。48——
　　ThedyingBishoppleadswithhisnaturalsonsthattheygivehimthesumptuoustombtheystandpledgedto，——suchatombaswillexcitetheenvyofhisoldenemyGandolf，whocheatedhimoutofafavoritenicheinSt。Praxed’sChurch，bydyingbeforehim，andsecuringitforhistomb。
　　Itisnotnecessarytosupposethatthenaturalsonsarepresent。
　　His，perhaps，deliriousmindisoccupiedwiththepreciousmarblesandstonesandotherluxurieshehaslovedtomuch，andwithhisoldrivalandenemy，Gandolf。
　　JohnRuskin，inhis`ModernPainters’Vol。IV。，chap。XX。，Section32，remarks：——”RobertBrowningisunerringineverysentencehewritesoftheMiddleAges；alwaysvital，right，andprofound；
　　sothatinthematterofart，……thereishardlyaprincipleconnectedwiththemediaevaltemper，thathehasnotstruckuponinthoseseeminglycarelessandtooruggedrhymesofhis。
　　Thereisacuriousinstance，bytheway，inashortpoem*1*
　　referringtothisverysubjectoftombandimagesculpture；
　　allillustratingjustoneofthosephasesoflocalhumancharacterwhich，thoughbelongingtoShakespeare’sownage，he[Shakespeare]
　　nevernoticed，becauseitwasspeciallyItalianandun-English；
　　connectedalsocloselywiththeinfluenceofmountainsontheheart，andthereforewithourimmediateinquiries。*2*ImeanthekindofadmirationwithwhichasouthernartistregardedtheSTONEheworkedin；
　　andthepridewhichpopulaceorpriesttookinthepossessionofpreciousmountainsubstance，workedintothepavementsoftheircathedrals，andtheshaftsoftheirtombs——
　　*1*`TheBishopordershisTombinSt。Praxed’sChurch’。
　　*2*`TheMountainGlory’，thesubjectofthechapterfromwhichthisistaken——”Observe，Shakespeare，inthemidstofarchitectureandtombsofwood，orfreestone，orbrass，naturallythinksofGOLDasthebestenrichingandennoblingsubstanceforthem；inthemidstalsoofthefeveroftheRenaissancehewrites，aseveryoneelsedid，inpraiseofpreciselythemostviciousmasterofthatschool——
　　GiulioRomano*；butthemodernpoet，livingmuchinItaly，andquitoftheRenaissanceinfluence，isablefullytoenterintotheItalianfeeling，andtoseetheeviloftheRenaissancetendency，notbecauseheisgreaterthanShakespeare，butbecauseheisinanotherelement，andhasseenotherthings……
　　Winter’sTale’，V。2。106。
　　IknownootherpieceofmodernEnglish，proseorpoetry，inwhichthereissomuchtold，asintheselines[`TheBishopordershisTomb’]，oftheRenaissancespirit，——itsworldliness，inconsistency，pride，hypocrisy，ignoranceofitself，loveofart，ofluxury，andofgoodLatin。ItisnearlyallthatIsaidoftheCentralRenaissanceinthirtypagesofthe`StonesofVenice’
　　putintoasmanylines，Browning’sbeingalsotheantecedentwork。
　　TheworstofitisthatthiskindofconcentratedwritingneedssomuchSOLUTIONbeforethereadercanfairlygetthegoodofit，thatpeople’spatiencefailsthem，andtheygivethethingupasinsoluble；though，truly，itoughttobetothecurrentofcommonthoughtlikeSaladin’stalisman，dippedinclearwater，notsolublealtogether，butmakingtheelementmedicinable。”
　　ProfessorDowden，inregardtoMr。Browning’sdoctrinesonthesubjectofart，remarks：——”Itisalwaysinanunfavorablelightthathedepictsthevirtuosoorcollector，who，consciousofnounsatisfiedaspirationssuchasthosewhichmaketheartist’sjoyandsorrow，restsinthevisibleproductsofart，andlooksuptonothingaboveorbeyondthem……TheunbelievingandworldlyspiritofthedyingBishop，whoordershistombatSt。Praxed’s，hissenseofthevanityoftheworldsimplybecausetheworldispassingoutofhisreach，theregretfulmemoryofthepleasuresofhisyouth，theenviousspitetowardsGandolf，whorobbedhimofthebestpositionforatomb，andthedreadlesthisreputedsonsshouldplayhimfalseandfailtocarryouthisdesigns，areunitedwithaperfectappreciationofRenaissanceart，andaluxurioussatisfaction，whichevenadeath-bedcannotdestroy，inthesplendorofvoluptuousformandcolor。Thegreatlumpoflapislazuli，”`BigasaJew’sheadcutoffatthenape，Blueasaveino’ertheMadonna’sbreast’，mustpoisebetweenhissculpturedknees；theblackbasaltmustcontrastwiththebas-reliefinbronzebelow：——”`St。Praxedinaglory，andonePanReadytotwitchtheNymph’slastgarmentoff’；
　　theinscriptionmustbe`choiceLatin，pickedphrase，Tully’severyword’。”
　　AToccataofGaluppi’s。
　　ThespeakerislisteningtoaToccataofGaluppi’s，andthemusictellshimofhowtheylivedonceinVenice，wherethemerchantswerethekings。
　　HewasneveroutofEngland，yetit’sasifheSAWitall，throughwhatisaddressedtotheearalone。
　　Butthemusicdoesmorethanreflectthelifeofmirthandfollywhichwasledinthegayandvoluptuouscity。Ithasanundertoneofsadness；itslesserthirdssoplaintive，itssixthsdiminished，sighonsigh，tellthevotariesofpleasuresomething；
　　itssuspensions，itssolutions，itscommiseratingsevenths，awakeninthemthequestionoftheirholdonlife。Thatquestionthemusicanswers。
　　AbtVogler。
　　Afterhehasbeenextemporizinguponthemusicalinstrumentofhisinvention。
　　TheAbbeGeorgJosephVoglerwasbornatWuerzburgBavaria，June15，1749；appointedKappelmeistertotheKingofSweden，in1786。Whileinthiscapacity，the”musicalinstrumentofhisinvention”，calledtheOrchestrion，wasconstructed；*
　　wenttoLondonwithhisorgan，in1790，andgaveaseriesofsuccessfulconcerts，realizingsome1200Pounds，andmakinganameasanorganist；commissionedtoreconstructtheorganofthePantheonontheplanofhisOrchestrion；andlater，receivedlikecommissionsatCopenhagenandatNeuRuppininPrussia；
　　foundedaschoolofmusicatCopenhagen，andpublishedtheremanyworks；in1807wasappointedbytheGrandDuke，LouisI。，KappelmeisteratDarmstadt；foundedtherehislastschool，twoofhispupilsbeingWeberandMeyerbeer；diedin1814。
　　BrowningpresentsVoglerasagreatextemporizer，inwhichcharacterheappearstohavebeenthemostfamous。Forafurtheraccount，seeMissEleanorMarx’spaperontheAbbeVogler，fromwhichtheabovefactshavebeenderived`BrowningSoc。Papers’，Pt。III。，pp。339-343。HerauthoritiesareFetis’s`Biogr。Univ。desMusiciens’
　　andNisard’s`Viedel’AbbeVogler’。