TheChristhimselfhadbeennoLawgiver，UnlesshehadgiventheLIFE，too，withthelaw。”
TheimportanceofRobertBrowning’spoetry，asembodyingtheprofoundestthought，thesubtlestandmostcomplexsentiment，and，aboveall，themostquickeningspiritualityoftheage，has，asyet，notwithstandingthegreatincreasewithinthelastfewyearsofdevotedstudents，receivedbutaniggardlyrecognitionwhencomparedwiththatreceivedbyfarinferiorcontemporarypoets。Thereare，however，manyindicationsinthepoeticalcriticismofthedaythatuponitwillerelongbepronouncedtheverdictwhichisitsdue。
AndthefoundingofasocietyinEnglandin1881，”togathertogethersomeatleastofthemanyadmirersofRobertBrowning，forthestudyanddiscussionofhisworks，andthepublicationofpapersonthem，andextractsfromworksillustratingthem”hasalreadycontributedmuchtowardspayingalong-standingdebt。
Mr。Browning’searliestpoems，`Pauline’hecallsitintheprefacetothereprintofitin1868”aboyishwork”，thoughitexhibitsthegreatbasalthoughtofallhissubsequentpoetry，waspublishedin1833，sincewhichtimehehasproducedthelargestbodyofpoetryproducedbyanyonepoetinEnglishliterature；andtherangeofthoughtandpassionwhichitexhibitsisgreaterthanthatofanyotherpoet，withoutasingleexception，sincethedaysofShakespeare。
AndheisthemostlikeShakespeareinhisdeepinterestinhumannatureinallitsvarietiesofgoodandevil。