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BROWNING AND DOGMA




  LONDON: GEORGE BELL AND SONS
  PORTUGAL ST. LINCOLN'S INN, W.C.
  CAMBRIDGE: DEIGHTON, BELL & CO.
  NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN CO.
  BOMBAY: A. H. WHEELER & CO.




  BROWNING AND DOGMA

  SEVEN LECTURES ON BROWNING'S ATTITUDE
  TOWARDS DOGMATIC RELIGION


  BY ETHEL M. NAISH
  (FORMERLY SCHOLAR OF NEWNHAM COLLEGE, CAMB. HIST. TRIPOS)


  LONDON
  GEORGE BELL AND SONS
  1906




CONTENTS


                                              PAGE

  LECTURE I
    INTRODUCTORY, AND CALIBAN UPON SETEBOS       1

  LECTURE II
    CLEON                                       27

  LECTURE III
    BISHOP BLOUGRAM'S APOLOGY                   61

  LECTURE IV
    CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (i)            93

  LECTURE V
    CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (ii)          123

  LECTURE VI
    CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (iii)         147

  LECTURE VII
    LA SAISIAZ                                 179




SYNOPSIS


  LECTURE I

  Sources of Browning's influence as a teacher.

  Connection between the five poems of the Course.

  _Caliban upon Setebos_--Origin of--Criticisms.

  Characteristics of Caliban. Cf. Caliban of Shakespeare.

  Analysis of Poem.
      (i) Introductory (ll. 1-23).
     (ii) Conception of Setebos.
          (_a_) Place of abode (ll. 24-25).
          (_b_) Creator of things animate and inanimate (ll. 26-55).
          (_c_) Motives of Creation: self-gratification or wantonness (ll.
                  55-84, 170-199).
          (_d_) Answer to prayers addressed by his creatures uncertain
                  because result of caprice (ll. 85-97).
          (_e_) Main characteristic--Power, irresponsible and capricious
                  (ll. 98-126, 200-240).
    (iii) "The Quiet" and Caliban's estimate of evil (ll. 127-141,
            246-249).

  Other lines of thought relating to:
    _A._ Doctrine of Sacrifice.
    _B._ A Future Life.
    _C._ Indirect suggestion of necessity of an Incarnation of the
           Deity arising from negative conditions ascribed to "the
           Quiet."


  LECTURE II

  CLEON

  _Cleon._ Cf. _Caliban_: (i) Dramatic change; (ii) point of contact.

  Greek conception of life--Influences affecting Cleon.

  Analysis of Poem.

      I. Introductory and descriptive (ll. 1-42).

     II. Varied attainments of Cleon indicative of progress of race
           through development of _complexity_ of nature (ll. 43-157).
           Includes (ll. 115-126) Cleon's conception of an Incarnation.

    III. Answer to question of Protus, Is death the end to the
           man of thought as well as to the man of action? (ll. 158-323.)

         Increase of happiness not necessarily accompaniment of
           fuller knowledge (ll. 181-272).

         Fuller insight, attribute of artist-nature, rather productive
           of keener sense of loss in face of death (ll. 273-323).
           Cf. _Old Pictures in Florence_, etc.

     IV. Hence arises conception of necessity to man of future
           life (ll. 323-335.)

      V. Conclusion. With reference to current reports of Christianity.
           Cf. Cleon and Paul (ll. 336-353).


  LECTURE III

  BISHOP BLOUGRAM'S APOLOGY

  Dramatic character of poem.

  Connection with preceding poems.

  Identity of Bishop Blougram--Browning's treatment of subject--Criticisms
    discussed.

  Indications of identity--_A._ External. _B._ Personal characteristics.

  Analysis of Poem.

       I. Epilogue (ll. 971-1014). How far is the Bishop serious in
           his assertions?

      II. Introductory. Bishop and Critic (ll. 1-48).

     III. Bishop's Life. Cf. Ideal of Critic (ll. 49-143, 230-240,
            749-805). Cf. _A Grammarian's Funeral_, _Dis Aliter
            Visum_, _Rabbi Ben Ezra_, etc.

      IV. How far schemes of life reconcilable--Difficulties of
            consistency in either (ll. 144-212).

       V. Positions compared--Advantages of belief (ll. 213-431).

      VI. Is life divorced from faith possible? (ll. 432-554.)

     VII. Recognition of value of enthusiasm result of faith (ll. 555-646).

    VIII. Is "pure faith" possible? (ll. 647-748.)

      IX. Deeper thoughts suggested:
            Faith increased through conflict with Doubt.
            Truth essential to Life.
            Mystical element