Excerpt from A Guide-Book to the Poetic and Dramatic Works of Robert Browning Browning needs no helps in making his meanings clearto his readers, but for those who have found it diflicult to read him, and for those who have not a library at hand for the explanation of his allusions. In its preparation the work of others has been drawn upon freely. The Papers of the London Browning Society have been the chief source of in formation. The great amount oi interesting matter con tained in the twelve numbers now issued of those Papers has been carefully studied but it is in a form very incoa venient for reference. In this volume much of it will be found under the titles of the poems to which it refers. Mrs. Orr's valuable Handbook to Robert Browning's Works has been used to a considerable extent, because it contains much information supplied directly by Browning for the elucidar tion of his poems. In every instance where such informa tion was necessary to the purpose of the present volume it has been used, credit being given wherever possible. An other valuable source of information has been the magazine called poet-lore, which has given special attention to the interpretation of Browning's poems, and to awaking an in terest in his poetry. For the aid of the student of Brown ing who may wish to consult the books and essays referred to throughout this volume, and also the best things written of the poet, there have been added to this preface a number of brief reference lists. Very much not contained in any of the books devoted to Browning and his poetry will be found in these pages, arranged systematically and in a form con venient for reference. The book will be found to contain the following kinds of information about Browning and his works. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

The Poems of Browning is the first collected edition to be based on the earliest printed texts, and to present these texts in order of their composition.Together, volumes I and II provide an authoritative and accessible tribute to this great poet. Volume I, 1826-1840 traces Browning's career up to the writing of Sordello. It includes his only surviving juvenilia: The Dance of Death and The First-Borm of Egypt; Pauline, his first anonymous publication, and Paracelsus, the poem which made his literary reputation.