Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 134, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 June 1913 — SETTLED STATUS OF POET [ARTICLE]

SETTLED STATUS OF POET

Douglas Jerrold’s Verdict Will Be Indorsed by Many Who Have Tried to Read Browning. The writings of Robert Browning, which are in great favor among an aesthetic few but continue to be caviar to the general public, probably received their keenest criticism from Douglas Jerrold half a century ago. Jerrold was recovering from a violent £Uness when a copy of Browning’s ]

'‘Bordello” fell Into the hands of the convalescent. He began to read, but not a complete idea could he get from that mystic production. The thought then struck him that he had lost his reason during tin illness. Filled with agony, a perspiration burst from his brow. At that moment his wife entered the room. “Read this, my dear," he cried out, thrusting the volume into her hands. After several attempts to make any sense out of it, as Jerrold related, she returned it, saying, “Bother the gibberish! I don’t un-

derstand a word of it!” "Thank heaven,” exclaimed Jerrold, “then I am not an idiot after all!’’ '*