In Browning's poem, "Fra Lippo Lippi," the speaker in the poem,
Fra Lippo, chronicles his experiences as a monk, after starving
as an orphan and being introduced to the Church, and conveys his
passion for art. Fra Lippo expounds upon his philosophy of art
and perception of beauty in the world in the following excerpt
from the poem. You speak no Latin more than I, belike; However,
you're my man, you've seen the world -- The beauty and the
wonder and the power, The shapes of things, their colors, lights
and shades, Changes, surprises, — and God made it all! -- For
what? Do you feel thankful, ay or no, For this fair town's face,
yonder river's line, The mountain round it and the sky above,
Much more the figures of man, woman, child, These are the frame
to? What's it all about? To be passed over, despised? or dwelt
upon, Wondered at? oh, this last of course! — you say. But why
not do as well as say, --paint these Just as they are, careless
what comes of it? God's works--paint any one, and count it crime
To let a