And to us who now know Browning this seems a strange thing.

Had he been one of the smaller men, a modern specialist like Arnold or Rossetti, we could better understand it.

But Browning's work was not limited to any particular or temporary phase of human nature.

He set himself to represent, as far as he could, all types of human nature; and, more audacious still, types taken from many diverse ages, nations and climates.

He told us of times and folk as far apart as Caliban and Cleon, as Karshish and Waring, as Balaustion and Fifine, as St.John and Bishop Blougram.