Abstract
THE comment in NATURE of January 10, p. 58, on poets who have touched the field of science may fitly be supplemented by some reference to Robert Browning, whose utterances in this field are often overlooked, although he has shown a deeper insight into the spirit of research than any other poet known to me, and has expressed it many times in glowing words. This trait is the more remarkable since Browning evidently knew little and cared little about the particulars of science, and probably found them somewhat repellent; being in this respect widely different from Tennyson, who was well versed in the scientific literature of his day, and used his knowledge of it freely. Yet Tennyson's attitude remained always that of the orthodox cultured “naturalist” of Victorian times, skilful in observation, but recoiling in alarm from the outlook to which observation led. Browning on the other hand took little heed of the path, but pressed on boldly toward the outlook and gauged the qualities required to reach it. Even in his conception of a poet, as expressed in “How it Strikes a Contemporary”, he sees an investigator pure and simple, with an aptitude for understanding and recording: vividly pictured in the person of the elderly man of Valladolid, the true “Corregidor” of the city, whose "—very serviceable suit of black Was courtly once and conscientious still"; who "—walked and tapped the pavement with his cane, Scenting the world, looking it full in face"; everywhere taking such keen "cognisance of men and things" that you might even "—surprise the ferrel of his stick Trying the mortar's temper 'tween the chinks Of some new shop a-building—".
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LAMPLUGH, G. Robert Browning as an Exponent of Research. Nature 115, 298 (1925). https://doi.org/10.1038/115298a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/115298a0
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