Cian,
It's left to us Irishmen ...
The following is an excerpt from the much larger poem which can be found here:
http://faculty.stonehill.edu/geverett/rb/sarto.htm
Browning was truly connected to the painter.
Robert Browning's
ANDREA DEL SARTO (CALLED "THE FAULTLESS PAINTER")
90 I, painting from myself and to myself,
91 Know what I do, am unmoved by men's blame
92 Or their praise either. Somebody remarks
93 Morello's outline there is wrongly traced,
94 His hue mistaken; what of that? or else,
95 Rightly traced and well ordered; what of that?
96 Speak as they please, what does the mountain care?
97 Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
98 Or what's a heaven for? All is silver-grey,
99 Placid and perfect with my art: the worse!
100 I know both what I want and what might gain,
101 And yet how profitless to know, to sigh
102 "Had I been two, another and myself,
103 "Our head would have o'erlooked the world!" No doubt.
104 Yonder's a work now, of that famous youth
105 The Urbinate who died five years ago.
106 ('Tis copied, George Vasari sent it me.)
107 Well, I can fancy how he did it all,
108 Pouring his soul, with kings and popes to see,
109 Reaching, that heaven might so replenish him,
110 Above and through his art--for it gives way;
111 That arm is wrongly put--and there again--
112 A fault to pardon in the drawing's lines,
113 Its body, so to speak: its soul is right,
114 He means right--that, a child may understand.
115 Still, what an arm! and I could alter it:
116 But all the play, the insight and the stretch--
117 (Out of me, out of me! And wherefore out?
118 Had you enjoined them on me, given me soul,
119 We might have risen to Rafael, I and you!
120 Nay, Love, you did give all I asked, I think--
121 More than I merit, yes, by many times.
122 But had you--oh, with the same perfect brow,
123 And perfect eyes, and more than perfect mouth,
124 And the low voice my soul hears, as a bird
125 The fowler's pipe, and follows to the snare --
126 Had you, with these the same, but brought a mind!
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