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"He made all these and more,
Made all we see; and us, in spite: how else?
He could not, Himself, make a second self
To be His mate: as well have made Himself:
He would not make what He mislikes or slights,
An eyesore to Him, or not worth His pains;
But did, in envy, listlessness, or sport,
Make what Himself would fain, in a manner, be—
Weaker in most points, stronger in a few,
Worthy, and yet mere playthings all the while,
Things He admires and mocks too,—"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Caliban upon Setebos; or, Natural Theology in the Island (l. 56-66). . .
Norton Anthology of Poetry, The. Alexander W. Allison and others, eds. (3d ed., 1983) W. W. Norton & Company. |
"What knows,—the something over Setebos
That made Him, or He, may be, found and fought,
Worsted, drove off and did to nothing, perchance.
There may be something quiet o'er His head,
Out of His reach, that feels nor joy nor grief,
Since both derive from weakness in some way."
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Caliban upon Setebos; or, Natural Theology in the Island (l. 130-135). . .
Norton Anthology of Poetry, The. Alexander W. Allison and others, eds. (3d ed., 1983) W. W. Norton & Company. |
"Those at His mercy,—why, they please Him most"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Caliban upon Setebos; or, Natural Theology in the Island (l. 222). . .
Norton Anthology of Poetry, The. Alexander W. Allison and others, eds. (3d ed., 1983) W. W. Norton & Company. |
"Letting the rank tongue blossom into speech."
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Caliban upon Setebos; or, Natural Theology in the Island (l. 23). . .
Norton Anthology of Poetry, The. Alexander W. Allison and others, eds. (3d ed., 1983) W. W. Norton & Company. |
"'Tis the Last Judgment's fire must cure this place,"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came (l. 65). . .
Norton Anthology of Poetry, The. Alexander W. Allison and others, eds. (3d ed., 1983) W. W. Norton & Company. |
"My first thought was, he lied in every word,
That hoary cripple, with malicious eye"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came (l. 1-2). . .
Norton Anthology of Poetry, The. Alexander W. Allison and others, eds. (3d ed., 1983) W. W. Norton & Company. |
"I think I never saw
Such starved ignoble nature;"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came (l. 55-56). . .
Norton Anthology of Poetry, The. Alexander W. Allison and others, eds. (3d ed., 1983) W. W. Norton & Company. |
"How sad and bad and mad it was—
But then, how it was sweet!"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Confessions (l. 35-36). . .
The Poems; Vol. 1 [Robert Browning]. John Pettigrew, ed. (1981) Penguin. |
"What is he buzzing in my ears?
'Now that I come to die,
Do I view the world as a vale of tears?'
Ah, reverend sir, not I!"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Confessions (l. 1-4). . .
The Poems; Vol. 1 [Robert Browning]. John Pettigrew, ed. (1981) Penguin. |
"We loved, sir—used to meet:
How sad and bad and mad it was—
But then, how it was sweet!"
Robert Browning (1812-1889), British poet. Confessions, st. 9 (1864). |
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Robert Browning
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