It has been said that Browning is "not a poet, but a literature," and in work so vast and varied that it can be thus characterized there must be wide extremes of value. It is almost certain that portions of his work cannot live. They are too difficult, too unliterary. But in the portions where great thought finds adequate form, the product is a priceless gift and one not equaled by any other poet of his age. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: _The Century_, December, 1881, Vol. XXIII, pp. 189-200.] [Footnote 2: See the article by Mr. F. J. Furnivall in the _Pall Mall Gazette_ for April, 1890.] [Footnote 3: The first production of _Pippa Passes_ was given in Copley Hall, Boston, in 1899, with an arrangement in six scenes by Miss Helen A. Clarke. _The Return of the Druses_ was arranged and presented by Miss Charlotte Porter in 1902 and was a dramatic success. _A Blot in the 'Scutcheon_ was brought out by Macready, with Phelps in the chief part and with Miss Helen Faucit as Mildred. It was played to crowded houses and received much applause. It was revived by Phelps at Sadler's Wells in 1848; and by the Browning Society in 1885 at St. George's Hall, London. In the winter of that year the play was given in Washington by Lawrence Barrett. It has also within a few years been admirably presented by Mrs. Lemoyne in New York and elsewhere. _Colombe's Birthday_, which was published in 1844, was not put upon the stage till 1853, when it was performed at the Haymarket Theater in London with Lady Martin (Helen Faucit) as Colombe. It was performed in Boston in 1854 and enthusiastically received. It was revived in 1885 with Miss Alma Murray as Colombe, when it was commented on as being "charming on the boards, clearer, more direct in action, more picturesque, more full of delicate surprises than one imagines it in print." It was also successfully produced at McVicker's Theater, Chicago, in November, 1894, with Miss Marlowe as Colombe.] [Footnote 4: An interesting corroboration of Mrs. Browning's words is found in the fact that the 1868 edition of Browning's works, by Smith Elder and Co., was reprinted as Numbers 1-19 of the _Official Guide of the Chicago and Alton R. R., and Monthly Reprint and Advertiser_, edited by Mr. James Charlton. A copy is in the British Museum. The reprint appeared in 1872-1874. See Mrs. Orr's bibliography.] [Footnote 5: A particularly interesting dramatic event was Mrs. Lemoyne's presentation of _In a Balcony_ at Wallack's Theater, New York, in the autumn of 1900. Mrs. Lemoyne was the Queen, Otis Skinner was Norbet, and Eleanor Robson was Constance. See _The Bookman_, 12, 387.] [Footnote 6: Mrs. Bronson has given a vivid picture of the Brownings at Asolo and at Venice in the _Century Magazine_ for 1900 and 1902.] [Footnote 7: See Miss E. M. Clark in _Poet-Lore_, Volume II. page 480 (1890).] [Footnote 8: _Poet-Lore_, Volume II. page 246 (1890).] BIBLIOGRAPHY