Books · 1864
We loved, sir — used to meet: How sad and bad and mad it was — But then, how it was sweet!
— Robert Browning · Confessions
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The speaker recalls a past love through a rapid series of negative judgments, then insists on its sweetness. The final turn allows pleasure to remain alongside regret rather than canceling it. Addressing sir makes this one person’s account of a shared past, not a joint recollection spoken by both lovers.
Context reviewed