"Take back the hope you gave,—I claim Only a memory of the same, —And this beside, if you will not blame; Your leave for one more last ride with me." 'The Last Ride Together' was Robert Browning's tribute to his wife, poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, before her death in 1861. It is a romantic requiem of sorts, and a symbol of his unerring love for the woman, author and mother that was his dear wife. Robert Browning (1812–1901) was a British poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse—especially dramatic monologues—made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. In 1847 he married Elizabeth Barrett Browning, a distinguished poet in her own right. Today, his most esteemed works include 'My Last Duchess and Other Poems' (1842), 'Robert Browning's Poetry' (1954) and 'The Pied Piper of Hamelin' (1842).