The Complete Works of Robert Browning: Poems, Plays, Letters & Biographies in One Edition. Robert Browning
in favour of the Universities. His occasional visits to Oxford and Cambridge were maintained till the very end of his life, with increasing frequency in the former case; and the days spent at Balliol and Trinity afforded him as unmixed a pleasure as was compatible with the interruption of his daily habits, and with a system of hospitality which would detain him for many hours at table. A vivid picture of them is given in two letters, dated January 20 and March 10, 1877, and addressed to one of his constant correspondents, Mrs. FitzGerald, of Shalstone Manor, Buckingham.
Dear Friend, I have your letter of yesterday, and thank you all I can for its goodness and graciousness to me unworthy … I returned on Thursday — the hospitality of our Master being not easy to set aside. But to begin with the beginning: the passage from London to Oxford was exceptionally prosperous — the train was full of men my friends. I was welcomed on arriving by a Fellow who installed me in my rooms, — then came the pleasant meeting with Jowett who at once took me to tea with his other guests, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Bishop of London, Dean of Westminster, the Airlies, Cardwells, male and female. Then came the banquet — (I enclose you the plan having no doubt that you will recognise the name of many an acquaintance: please return it) — and, the dinner done, speechifying set in vigorously. The Archbishop proposed the standing ‘Floreat domus de Balliolo’ — to which the Master made due and amusing answer, himself giving the health of the Primate. Lord Coleridge, in a silvery speech, drank to the University, responded to by the Vice-Chancellor. I forget who proposed the visitors — the Bishop of London, perhaps Lord Cardwell. Professor Smith gave the two Houses of Parliament, — Jowett, the Clergy, coupling with it the name of your friend Mr. Rogers — on whom he showered every kind of praise, and Mr. Rogers returned thanks very characteristically and pleasantly. Lord Lansdowne drank to the Bar (Mr. Bowen), Lord Camperdown to — I really forget what: Mr. Green to Literature and Science delivering a most undeserved eulogium on myself, with a more rightly directed one on Arnold, Swinburne, and the old pride of Balliol, Clough: this was cleverly and almost touchingly answered by dear Mat Arnold. Then the Dean of Westminster gave the Fellows and Scholars — and then — twelve o’clock struck. We were, counting from the time of preliminary assemblage, six hours and a half engaged: fully five and a half nailed to our chairs at the table: but the whole thing was brilliant, genial, and suggestive of many and various thoughts to me — and there was a warmth, earnestness, and yet refinement about it which I never experienced in any previous public dinner. Next morning I breakfasted with Jowett and his guests, found that return would be difficult: while as the young men were to return on Friday there would be no opposition to my departure on Thursday. The morning was dismal with rain, but after luncheon there was a chance of getting a little air, and I walked for more than two hours, then heard service in New Coll. — then dinner again: my room had been prepared in the Master’s house. So, on Thursday, after yet another breakfast, I left by the noonday train, after all sorts of kindly offices from the Master… . No reporters were suffered to be present — the account in yesterday’s Times was furnished by one or more of the guests; it is quite correct as far as it goes. There were, I find, certain little paragraphs which must have been furnished by ‘guessers’: Swinburne, set down as present — was absent through his Father’s illness: the Cardinal also excused himself as did the Bishop of Salisbury and others… . Ever yours R. Browning.
The second letter, from Cambridge, was short and written in haste, at the moment of Mr. Browning’s departure; but it tells the same tale of general kindness and attention. Engagements for no less than six meals had absorbed the first day of the visit. The occasion was that of Professor Joachim’s investiture with his Doctor’s degree; and Mr. Browning declares that this ceremony, the concert given by the great violinist, and his society, were ‘each and all’ worth the trouble of the journey. He himself was to receive the Cambridge degree of LL.D. in 1879, the Oxford D.C.L. in 1882. A passage in another letter addressed to the same friend, refers probably to a practical reminiscence of ‘Red Cotton Nightcap Country’, which enlivened the latter experience, and which Mrs. FitzGerald had witnessed with disapprobation.*
* An actual red cotton nightcap had been made to flutter down on to the Poet’s head.
… You are far too hard on the very harmless drolleries of the young men, licensed as they are moreover by immemorial usage. Indeed there used to be a regularly appointed jester, ‘Filius Terrae’ he was called, whose business it was to jibe and jeer at the honoured ones, by way of reminder that all human glories are merely gilded bubbles and must not be fancied metal. You saw that the Reverend Dons escaped no more than the poor Poet — or rather I should say than myself the poor Poet — for I was pleased to observe with what attention they listened to the Newdigate… . Ever affectionately yours, R. Browning.
In 1875 he was unanimously nominated by its Independent Club, to the office of Lord Rector of the University of Glasgow; and in 1877 he again received the offer of the Rectorship of St. Andrews, couched in very urgent and flattering terms. A letter addressed to him from this University by Dr. William Knight, Professor of Moral Philosophy there, which I have his permission to publish, bears witness to what had long been and was always to remain a prominent fact of Mr. Browning’s literary career: his great influence on the minds of the rising generation of his countrymen.
The University, St. Andrews N.B.: Nov. 17, 1877.
My dear Sir, — … The students of this University, in which I have the honour to hold office, have nominated you as their Lord Rector; and intend unanimously, I am told, to elect you to that office on Thursday.
I believe that hitherto no Rector has been chosen by the undivided suffrage of any Scottish University. They have heard however that you are unable to accept the office: and your committee, who were deeply disappointed to learn this afternoon of the way in which you have been informed of their intentions, are, I believe, writing to you on the subject. So keen is their regret that they intend respectfully to wait upon you on Tuesday morning by deputation, and ask if you cannot waive your difficulties in deference to their enthusiasm, and allow them to proceed with your election.
Their suffrage may, I think, be regarded as one sign of how the thoughtful youth of Scotland estimate the work you have done in the world of letters.
And permit me to say that while these Rectorial elections in the other Universities have frequently turned on local questions, or been inspired by political partisanship, St. Andrews has honourably sought to choose men distinguished for literary eminence, and to make the Rectorship a tribute at once of intellectual and moral esteem.
May I add that when the ‘perfervidum ingenium’ of our northern race takes the form not of youthful hero-worship, but of loyal admiration and respectful homage, it is a very genuine affair. In the present instance I may say it is no mere outburst of young undisciplined enthusiasm, but an honest expression of intellectual and moral indebtedness, the genuine and distinct tribute of many minds that have been touched to some higher issues by what you have taught them. They do not presume to speak of your place in English literature. They merely tell you by this proffered honour (the highest in their power to bestow), how they have felt your influence over them.
My own obligations to you, and to the author of Aurora Leigh, are such, that of them ‘silence is golden’. Yours ever gratefully. William Knight.
Mr. Browning was deeply touched and gratified by these professions of esteem. He persisted nevertheless in his refusal. The Glasgow nomination had also been declined by him.
On August 17, 1877, he wrote to Mrs. FitzGerald from La Saisiaz:
‘How lovely is this place in its solitude and seclusion, with its trees and shrubs and flowers, and above all its live mountain stream which supplies three fountains, and two delightful baths, a marvel of delicate delight framed in with trees — I bathe there twice a day — and then what wonderful views from the chalet on every side! Geneva lying under us, with the lake and the whole plain bounded by the Jura and our own Saleve, which latter seems rather close behind our house, and yet takes a hard hour and a half to ascend — all this you can imagine since you know the environs of the town; the peace and quiet move me the most — And I fancy I shall