第32章

Thelatteryearsofthepoetwerefullofvariedinterestforhimself，butpresentlittleofparticularsignificanceforspecificationinamonographsoconciseasthismustperforcebe。Everyyearhewentabroad，toFranceortoItaly，andonceortwiceonayachtingtripintheMediterranean。*Athomeformanyyears，at19WarwickCrescent，inwhatsomeonehascalledthedrearyMesopotamiaofPaddington，andforthelastthreeorfouryearsofhislifeat29DeVereGardens，KensingtonGorehisavocationsweresomanifoldthatitisdifficulttounderstandwherehehadleisureforhisvocation。Everybodywishedhimtocometodine；andhedidhisutmosttogratifyEverybody。

Hesaweverything；readallthenotablebooks；kepthimselfacquaintedwiththeleadingcontentsofthejournalsandmagazines；

conductedalargecorrespondence；readnewFrench，German，andItalianbooksofmark；readandtranslatedEuripidesandAeschylus；

knewallthegossipoftheliteraryclubs，salons，andthestudios；

wasafrequenterofafternoon-teaparties；andthen，overandaboveit，hewasBrowning：themostprofoundlysubtlemindthathasexerciseditselfinpoetrysinceShakespeare。Hispersonalgraceandcharmofmannerneverfailed。Whetherhewasdedicating“Balaustion’sAdventure“

intermsofgraciouscourtesy，orhandingaflowerfromsomejarofroses，orlilies，orhisfavouritedaffodils，withabrightsmileormerryglance，totheladyofhisregard，orwhensendingacopyofanewbookofpoetrywithanaccompanyingletterexpressedwithrarefelicity，orwhengenerouslyprophesyingforayoungpoettheonlytruesuccessifhewillbutlistenandactupon“theinnervoice“，hewasinallthese，andinallthings，theidealgentleman。Thereissocharmingandcharacteristicatouchinthefollowingnotetoagirl-friend，thatImustfindroomforit：

*Itwasonhisfirstexperienceofthiskind，morethanaquarterofacenturyearlier，thathewrotethenoblypatrioticlinesof“HomeThoughtsfromtheSea“，andthatflawlessstrainofbird-music，“HomeThoughtsfromAbroad“：then，also，thathecomposed“HowtheybroughttheGoodNews“。Concerningthelast，hewrote，in1881

(see`TheAcademy’，April2nd)，“Thereisnosortofhistoricalfoundationabout[thispoem]。IwroteitunderthebulwarkofavesselofftheAfricancoast，afterIhadbeenatitlongenoughtoappreciateeventhefancyofagalloponthebackofacertaingoodhorse，`York’，theninmystableathome。Itwaswritteninpencilonthefly-leafofBartoli’s`Simboli’，Iremember。“

DeVereGardens，W。，6thJuly1889。

MybelovedAlma，IhadthehonouryesterdayofdiningwiththeShah，whereuponthefollowingdialogue：

“Vouse^tespoe“te？“

“Ons’estpermisdemeledirequelquefois。“

“Etvousavezfaitdeslivres？“

“Tropdelivres。“

“Voulez-vousm’endonnerun，afinquejepuissemeressouvenirdevous？“

“Avecplaisir。“

Ihavebeenaccordinglythismorningtotown，wherethethingisprocurable，andasIchoseavolumeofwhichIjudgedthebindingmighttaketheimperialeye，Isaidtomyself，“HeredoIpresentmypoetrytoapersonageforwhomIdonotcarethreestraws；whyshouldInotventuretodoasmuchforayoungladyIlovedearly，who，fortheauthor’ssake，willnotimpossiblycareratherfortheinsidethantheoutsid

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