Thatthepoemcontainsmuchwhichisbeautifulisundeniable，alsothatitissurchargedwithwinsomeandprofoundthoughtsandamultitudeofwill-o’-the-wisp-likefancieswhichallshapetowardshighthinking。
ButitismonotonousasoneoftheenormousAmericaninlandseastoaloveroftheocean，towhomthesaltbrineisasthebreathofdelight。
Thefatalfacilityoftheheroiccouplettolapseintodiffuseness，has，coupledwithawarpedanxietyforirreducibleconcision，beenBrowning’sruinhere。
Thereisonechargeevenyettoofrequentlymadeagainst“Sordello“，thatof“obscurity“。Itsinterestmaybefoundremote，itstreatmentverbose，itsintricaciespuzzlingtothoseunaccustomedtoexcursionsfromthefamiliarhighwaysofoldusage，butitsmotivethoughtisnotobscure。Itisamoonlitplaincomparedwiththe“silvaoscura“ofthe“DivinaCommedia“。
SurelythisquestionofBrowning’sobscuritywasexpelledtotheLimboofDeadStupiditieswhenMr。Swinburne，inperiodsasresplendentasthewhirlingwheelsofPhoebusApollo’schariot，wrotehisfamousincidentalpassageinhis“EssayonChapman“。