The early poems were so abstruse that the critics were unable to make sport of them as they did in the case of Wordsworth, Byron, Tennyson, and the rest; and when Browning finally deigned to write within range of the average human intellect, that particular style of reviewing had lost favor. His earliest publication, _Pauline_ (1832) was well received by W.J. Fox in _Monthly Repository_, and in the _Athenæum_. _Tait's Edinburgh Magazine_ called it a "piece of pure bewilderment." See also the brief notice in the _Literary Gazette_, 1833, p. 183. _Paracelsus_ (1835) had a similar experience; the reprint from the _Athenæum_, 1835, p. 640, is fairly characteristic of the rest, among which are the articles in the _Monthly Repository_, 1835, p. 716; the _Christian Remembrancer_, XX, p. 346, and the reviews written by John Forster for the _Examiner_, 1835, p. 563, and the _New Monthly Magazine_, XLVI (289-308). Neither the favorable review of _Sordello_ (1840) in the _Monthly Rev._, 1840, II, p. 149, nor the partly appreciative article in the _Athenæum_, 1840, p. 431, seems to warrant the well-known anecdotes relating the difficulties of Douglas Jerrold and Tennyson in attempting to understand that poem. The _Athenæum_ gave the poet sound advice, especially in regard to the intentional obscurity of his meaning. That this admonition was futile may be gathered from the _Saturday Review's_ article (I, p. 69) on _Men and Women_ (1855) published fifteen years after _Sordello_. The critic reverted to the earlier style, and produced one of the most readable reviews of Browning. Whatever may be the final verdict yet to be passed upon Browning's poetic achievement, the fact remains that the contemporary reviews from first to last deplored in his work a deliberate obscurity which was wholly unwarranted and which precluded the universal appeal that is essential to a poet's greatness. 189. _Della Crusca of Sentimentalism_. Robert Merry (1755-1798) under the name Della Crusca became the leader of a set of poetasters who flourished during the poetic dearth at the end of the eighteenth century and poured forth their rubbish until William Gifford exposed their follies in his satires _The Baviad_ (1794) and _The Mæviad_ (1795). 189. _Alexander Smith_. A Scotch poet (1830-1867). 189. _Mystic of Bailey_. Philip James Bailey (1816-1902), best known as the author of _Festus_, published _The Mystic_ in 1855. 192. _Hudibras Butler, etc._ Samuel Butler, author of _Hudibras_ (1663-78); Richard H. Barham, author of the _Ingoldsby Legends_ (1840); and Thomas Hood, author of _Whims and Oddities_ (1826-27). These poets are cited by the reviewer for their skill with unusual metres and difficult rhymes. INDEX _Academy_, xlii-xliii _Account of English Dramatic Poets_, xv _Adonais_, by Shelley, reviewed, 129-134; 214, 217 _Advice to Young Reviewer_, xxiii Ainsworth, Harrison, xlv Akenside, Mark, xvi _Alastor_, by Shelley, reviewed, 115