Epilogue to “Pac chia rat to and other Poems”

(1876). In this poem the author deals with his critics. “The poets pour us wine,” and as they pour we demand the impracticable feat of producing for us wine that shall be sweet, yet strong and pure. One poet gives the world his potent man’s draught; it is admitted to be strong and invigorating, yet is swallowed at a gulp, as evidently unpleasant to the taste. Another dispenses luscious sweetne , fragrant as a flower distillation; and men say contemptuously it is only fit for boys—is usele for nerving men to work. Now, it is easy to label a bottle as po e ing body and bouquet both, but labels are not always absolute guarantees of that which they cover. Still there is wine to be had, by judicious blending, which combines these qualities of body and bouquet. How do we value such vintage when we do po e it? Go down to the vaults where stand the vats of Shakespeare and Milton wine: there in the cellar are forty barrels with Shakespeare’s brand—some five or six of his works are duly appreciated, the rest neglected; there are four big butts of Milton’s brew, and out of them we take a few drops, pretending that we highly esteem him the while! The fact is we hate our bard, or we should not leave him in the cellar. The critics say Browning brews stiff drink without any flavour of grape: would the public take more kindly to his wine if he gave it all the cowslip fragrance and bouquet of his meadow and hill side? The treatment received by Shakespeare and Milton proves that the public taste is vitiated, notwithstanding all the pretence of admiration of them. It is our furred tongue that is at fault; it is nettle-broth the world requires. Browning has some Thirty-four Port for those who can appreciate it; as for the multitude, let them stick to their nettle-broth till their taste improves. Notes. —Verse i., “ The Poets pour in wine ”: the quotation is from Mrs. Browning’s “Wine of Cyprus.” V. 20, “ Let them ‘lay, pray, bray’ ”: this in ridicule of Byron’s grammar in verse clxxx. of Canto IV. of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage :—“And dashest him again to earth;—there let him lay.”