Andover-harvard
Rheouxhcal Library
Cambridge, Mass.

Copyright, 1895,
Br VIDA D. SCUDDER.

All rights reserved.

The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Mass. V. S. A.
Electrotyped and Printed by II. O. Houghton & Co.

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTION 1

I. SCIENCE AND THE MODERN POETS ... 5

1. The Might Of Science 6

Democracy, Science and Art .... 5

Evolution as Theme 8

Evolution as Influence 12

2. The Force-idea 14

Force in the Poetry of Nature .... 14

Force in the Poetry of Character . . .22

Force in the Poetry of Thought ... 26

3. The Unity-idea 28

The Idea Absent 28

The Idea Present and Justified . . . .31

4. The Realistic Temper 37

Subjection to the Actual . . . . .37

Reverence for Law 41

Passion for Fact ....... 43

5. Dangers And Safeguards .... 51

II. WORDSWORTH AND THE NEW DEMOCRACY . 57

Exponent of the New Order .... 57

"Lyrical Ballads" and its Promise . . .00

The Experience of Wordsworth a Prophetic

Summary ....... 04

Loyalty and Despondency 08

Wordsworth and a Social Democracy . . 73

Wordsworth and Modern Industry . . .78

Wordsworth and Carlyle ..... 83

Wordsworth, Ruskin, and Morris . . .87

Wordsworth and the Modern Socialists . . 90

Phases of the Social Renaissance . . .92

III. IDEALS OF REDEMPTION, MEDIAEVAL AND

MODERN 96

Dante. Spenser, and Shelley .... 96

Parallels in the Poems 101

The Problems 104

The Protagonists . ." 108

Ethical Scope 112

The Symbols of Salvation 119

The Ideals of Triumph 133

Freedom Spiritual and Freedom Natural . . 139

IV. THE NEW RENAISSANCE 145

1. Modern Reversions 145

The Power of the Past 145

The Renaissance, Old and New .... 149

The Periods Chosen 153

2. Neo-paganism 156

The Esthetic Attraction 158

The Ethical Attraction 162

The Spiritual Attraction .... 164

The Result 169

3. The Mediaeval Revival 172

The Banishment of Eros 172

Asceticism, Chivalry, and their Modern Interpre-

ters 175

Attraction and Repulsion 178

4. The Spirit Op The Renaissance . . . 185

iEsthetie Naturalism 187

jEstheticism and Dissatisfaction . . . 190

The Marriage of Cupid and Psyche . . . 195

5. The Outcome 196

V. BROWNING AS A HUMORIST . . . .201

Mephisto and Idealist 201

From Wholes to Parts . . . . . .206

The Development of Humor in Browning . 209

Grotesque Art in Browning ..... 214

Ironic Art in Browning ..... 218

Mockery of Truth 223

Mockery of Love 227

Comparisons: Clough, Byron, Swift, Cervantes,

Rabelais 230

Idealist and Mephisto 234
VI. THE POETRY OF SEARCH 239

1. Victorian Poetry 239

The Conditions 241

The Men 243

The Quest 244

2. The Poets Of Doubt 247

Matthew Arnold 247

Arthur Hugh Clough 265

3. The Poets Of Art 269

The ^Esthetic Reaction 269

Dante Gabriel Rossetti 271

William Morris 274

Algernon Charles Swinburne .... 278

4. Tennyson And "In Memoriam "... 281

The Modern Soul 281

The Modern Method 284

The Venture of Faith 290

5. Decadence Or Promise? 292

VH. THE TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRIT . . .297

1. The Vision Attained 297

2. The Faith Of The Poets Of The Revolution 301

Verse Contemplative 301

The Contemplation of Nature .... 306

Nature the Shadow of God .... 309

The Spirit the Life-Giver 315

3. The Faith Of The Victorian Poets . . 317

Verse Militant 317

The Analysis of Man 319

The Conquest of Immortality .... 321

The Cry for Redemption .... 327

Christ the Revealer 332

4. The Witness Of The Spirit .... 341