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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_, _Dîs 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 of Blougram's faith.
LECTURE IV
CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (i)
Special interest of poems, common and individual.
_Christmas Eve._ Faith corporate.
I. Realism in Art, I-IV--Zion Chapel and Methodism--Soliloquist
at first capable of criticism only--Inspiration
of Love wanting (ll. 117-118, 139-184).
II. Truth absolute, IV-IX--God revealed in Nature as _Power_
and _Love_--Knowledge finite, Love infinite.
The Vision (ll. 373-520)--Essentials of worship, spirit and
truth.
III. Rome, St. Peter's, X-XII. Symbolism or materialism in
worship?
IV. German University, XIII-XVIII--Historic criticism by
Lecturer of Christian creed--Treatment of criticism by
soliloquist.
V. Mental attitude, result of night's experience, XIX-XXI.
(i) Easy tolerance, succeeded by (ii) realization of necessity
of individual acceptance of creed.
VI. Return to Zion Chapel and ultimate choice of creed, XXII.
Reasons for choice.
LECTURE V
CHRISTMAS EVE AND EASTER DAY (ii)
_Easter Day._ Faith individual.
Part I, Sections I-XII. Discussion between _First Speaker_, struggling
with difficulties involved in practical acceptance of Christianity,
and _Second Speaker_, who would hold the Faith without question.
_First Speaker_, I (ll. 1-12, 15-17, 21-28), III, V, VII (ll.
171-203), VIII, X, XII.
_Second Speaker_, I (ll. 13, 14, 18-20), II, IV, VI, VII (ll.
204-226), IX, XI.