Chapter 18 1878-1884 He revisits Italy; Asolo; Letters to Mrs. Fitz-Gerald--Venice--Favourite Alpine Retreats--Mrs. Arthur Bronson--Life in Venice--A Tragedy at Saint-Pierre--Mr. Cholmondeley--Mr. Browning's Patriotic Feeling; Extract from Letter to Mrs. Charles Skirrow--'Dramatic Idyls'--'Jocoseria'--'Ferishtah's Fancies'. Chapter 19 1881-1887 The Browning Society; Mr. Furnivall; Miss E. H. Hickey--His Attitude towards the Society; Letter to Mrs. Fitz-Gerald--Mr. Thaxter, Mrs. Celia Thaxter--Letter to Miss Hickey; 'Strafford'--Shakspere and Wordsworth Societies--Letters to Professor Knight--Appreciation in Italy; Professor Nencioni--The Goldoni Sonnet--Mr. Barrett Browning; Palazzo Manzoni--Letters to Mrs. Charles Skirrow--Mrs. Bloomfield Moore--Llangollen; Sir Theodore and Lady Martin--Loss of old Friends--Foreign Correspondent of the Royal Academy--'Parleyings with certain People of Importance in their Day'. Chapter 20 Constancy to Habit--Optimism--Belief in Providence--Political Opinions--His Friendships--Reverence for Genius--Attitude towards his Public--Attitude towards his Work--Habits of Work--His Reading--Conversational Powers--Impulsiveness and Reserve--Nervous Peculiarities--His Benevolence--His Attitude towards Women. Chapter 21 1887-1889 Marriage of Mr. Barrett Browning--Removal to De Vere Gardens--Symptoms of failing Strength--New Poems; New Edition of his Works--Letters to Mr. George Bainton, Mr. Smith, and Lady Martin--Primiero and Venice--Letters to Miss Keep--The last Year in London--Asolo--Letters to Mrs. Fitz-Gerald, Mrs. Skirrow, and Mr. G. M. Smith. Chapter 22 1889 Proposed Purchase of Land at Asolo--Venice--Letter to Mr. G. Moulton-Barrett--Lines in the 'Athenaeum'--Letter to Miss Keep--Illness--Death--Funeral Ceremonial at Venice--Publication of 'Asolando'--Interment in Poets' Corner. Conclusion Index Portrait of Robert Browning (1889) Mr. Browning's Study in De Vere Gardens LIFE AND LETTERS OF ROBERT BROWNING Chapter 1 Origin of the Browning Family--Robert Browning's Grandfather--His position and Character--His first and second Marriage--Unkindness towards his eldest Son, Robert Browning's Father--Alleged Infusion of West Indian Blood through Robert Browning's Grandmother--Existing Evidence against it--The Grandmother's Portrait. A belief was current in Mr. Browning's lifetime that he had Jewish blood in his veins. It received outward support from certain accidents of his life, from his known interest in the Hebrew language and literature, from his friendship for various members of the Jewish community in London. It might well have yielded to the fact of his never claiming the kinship, which could not have existed without his knowledge, and which, if he had known it, he would, by reason of these very sympathies, have been the last person to disavow. The results of more recent and more systematic inquiry have shown the belief to be unfounded.