(414.) 127. the Giudecca: a canal in Venice. 140. came you: i.e., onto the balcony (line 146). 141. lory: parrot. 178. the nymph: another object in the girl's room. 180-181. As the dry limpet etc.: As the limpet bends from his shell for the limpid water ("lymph") of the tide, which has come to him with its familiar murn.ar. 186. Schidone's eager Duke: an hypothetical picture by Schidone (15601616). The four paintings (lines 186200) are all imaginary, though suggestive of the respective artists' styles. 188. Haste-thee-Luke: nickname of the painter Luca Giordano (1632-1705). 190. Castelfranco: a name of the painter Giorgione (1478-1511). 192. Ser: sir. - This painting is assigned in the next line to Tiziano Vecelli (Titian, 1477-1576). 51. Swift etc.: see Job, VII, 6. beneath: the ornamental band running around the tomb, beneath the slab of basalt (line 25). Its details are given in the ensuing lines. (418.) 58. tripod: emblem of the Delphic oracle of Apollo. - thyrsus: the symbolic staff of Bacchus. 66. travertine: a cheap kind of limestone. 70-71. my bath etc.: Cf. line 46. 77. Tully's: Cicero's. 79. Ulpian: He lived 170-228 A. D., when Latin literature had declined. 87. crook: bishop's staff-placed between the clasped hands of the effigy. 95. Saint Praxed etc.: indicates the confusion in the dying man's mind, and in his daily interests; cf. line 59 ff. trious," line 78. 99. Elucescebat: "he was illusin classic Latin, "elucebat;" see pressing, as in a wine-press, all of life's mere strength and beauty. (422.) 151. the tree: the date-palm. The ensuing lines are the sequel of lines 130-133. (423) 203. Hebron: an ancient city in the high mountains south of Jerusalem. 204. Kidron: a brook in the valley east of Jerusalem. 44. liberal thieves: This indicates the "Italian person of quality's" attitude toward the republican patriots. 48-49. Who is Dante etc.: Who rivals Dante, etc., with his ability as poet, etc.; and has now approached St. Paul, with his ability as preacher. 52. seven swords: symbolic of the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin. LOVE AMONG THE RUINS 9. Supply "which" before its prince. 15. Supply “which" before certain rills. (429.) 19-20. Where the domed etc.: in contrast to line 13. 238-286. I have gone the whole round etc.: Section XVII, though elaborate in expression, is simple in its main argument. This has four phases, as indicated in the text by the dash at the beginning of lines 255, 263, and 275. The thought as a whole turns upon the "great moment" of experience that came to David in lines 231-237; the atmosphere of which was prepared in section XIV. (425.) 291. Sabaoth: hosts, armies (as in prince and others. the phrase "Lord God of Sabaoth"). (426.) 331. the new law: i.e., of love. might. 24. Supply "which" before men 34. shame: i.e., the disfavor of the 65. causeys: causeways. 72. Each on each: eyes to eyes and 334. witnessing: bearing testimony. lips to lips. The story here suggested is the ironic sequel of lines 31-35 of the preceding poem. This time the woman, who is now the man's wife, is the speaker. Her musings have a profound pathos in their simplicity. (433.) 3-4. his face As before: i.e., wearing the look of love. - The present situation of the two must be inferred from lines 5-8, 73-75. 13. that very way: i.e., through the unaccountable effect upon him of her slightest movements. 20. Sweetly too: i.e., even her silent occupations made him look as enraptured as though she were singing sweetly. 53. change: exchange. The "gold" was his love; the "dust," her advantages (lines 45-48). 69-70. "Dying" etc.: To think that such a slight pretty thing could feel deeply enough to die of love for me! (cf. line 65). 75-80. How perplexed etc.: Can any divine purpose appear through my husband's deadness of heart? A WOMAN'S LAST WORD Compare the preceding poem. (434.) 9. the creature: the hawk (line 8); i.e., contentiousness. 16. the tree: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in Eden. 21-24. Be a god etc.: Perhaps Browning has in mind Adam's failure to master Eve and keep her from temptation ("Paradise Lost," IX, 192 ff.). RESPECTABILITY® 3. recognized your plighted troth: i.e., as equivalent to regular marriage. The speaker's idea is that if the world, in a moment of caprice, had refrained from ostracizing the two on account of their irregular union, they would not so quickly have learned to do without the world's superficial respectability. 21. The Institute: the French Institute; used here as symbol of the "world's good word." The two noted men in the next line were politically opposed to each other in the middle nineteenth century, but were both members of the Institute, where (as the speaker insinuates) the one could give the other a conventional welcome. 23-24. Eh? Down the court etc.: (spoken sarcastically) Well, well! festal lamps are flaring: let's put on our best gait, in this fashionable quarter! THE STATUE AND THE BUST The preceding poem may serve as an introduction to this one. Compare also the theme of Browning's "A Blot in the 'Scutcheon." The present story is based on a Florentine tradition concerning the fine equestrian statue of Duke Ferdinand First, made by John of Douay in 1608, which stands in the Piazza (Square) della Santa Annunziata, facing toward the old Riccardi palace (lines 1-3). (435.) 22. encolure: neck and shoulders of a horse. 33. the pile: Ferdinand's palace. 36. a crime: Cosimo dei Medici (1389-1461), who built and lived in this palace, undermined the republican liberties of Florence. 57. catafalk: a structure for supporting a coffin. (436.) 95. Petraja: a suburb of Florence. 100. leaves: comes from. (437.) 140. simple: foolish. (438.) 189. where shrine is just beneath the window, where Robbia's cornice with the carved face of the lady is supposed to have been formerly (see lines 172, 187). - shrine: The 213. At idleness etc.: At his own easy-going nature (lines 209-210) in its fruitless aspiration toward vigorous love. 224. the end of life being manifest: the purpose of this earthly life being manifestly love; cf. "Cristina," lines 35-46 (page 411). 233-234. Where button a very Guelph: In a gambling-game played for buttons, it would be foolish to offer real coins epigram: a matter for satiric comment. 237. a dram: a drink. 238-243. Stake your counter as boldly etc.: This principle was applied, for example, in the case of "The Lost Leader," lines 29-30 (page 409). 246. each frustrate ghost: See lines 175-186, 211-213. 250. De te, fabula: The story con cerns you. A GRAMMARIAN'S FUNERAL This noble grotesque presents an imaginary Renaissance scholar whose character is just the opposite of that of the Bishop at St. Praxed's (page 417). In both cases, a Andrea (1486-1531) was called "del Sarto" because his father was a tailor.Vasari's Lives of the Italian Painters provided Browning with details for this and the next poem. 15. Fiesole: a town near Florence. (442.) 26. serpentining: sinuous and undulant. — rounds: suggesting both curves and coils. 32. no one's: as though she belonged to no one. - The beauty of her face is admired (and thus appropriated) by everybody; but she, in return, has little feeling for her husband or anyone else. — See her expression in Andrea's painting that suggested this poem to Browning; the picture is reproduced in W. H. Griffin's Life of R. B., and elsewhere. 37. at the point of: in regard to. 57. cartoon: the drawing for a fresco painting; cf. line 60. (443.) 87. nearer heaven: i.e., in excellence of form. 93. Morello: the highest of the mountains north of Florence. (1475-1564). Michael Angelo (444.) 150. Fontainebleau: the royal palace near Paris, where Andrea visited King Francis First. 168. gray: Cf. lines 35, 98. 174. the triumph: i.e., as a painter; in contrast with “the triumph" of the preceding line. 184-193. Said one day Agnolo etc.: Cf. line 76 and context. (445.) 218. That gold of his: entrusted by him to Andrea, for the purchase of works of art. 234. Your friend: Cf. line 5. (446.) 263. Leonard: Leonardo da Vinci. (1452-1519); Andrea here names the three great Italian painters of the time. FRA LIPPO LIPPI 7-12. The Carmine's my cloister etc. Since you make so free with me, you might as well look into the conduct of all my brethren (including my "betters") at the monastery. - Hereupon, Lippo's captors give signs of discomfiture (line 12). 17. Master-a: Lippo jocosely pretends to have difficulty in remembering the great man's name. - The effect of this name upon the guard who has hold of Lippo's throat is indicated in the next line. (447.) 53-57. Flower o' the broom: The lines concerning flowers in this and Lippo's subsequent lyrics were suggested to Browning by a certain type of Italian folksong. 58. titter: wavering movement. 88. trussed: seized and carried off (as a falcon trusses a fowl). (448.) 121. Eight: magistrates of Flor ence. 130. antiphonary: choir-book. (449.) 189. Giotto: (1266-1337) painter, 196. Herodias: see Matthew, XIV, 209. The Prior's niece . . .: The dots represent some such expression as "I mean to say," as in line 196. Observe that Lippo had copied the niece's face in two pictures of opposite character. (450.) 227. in the Corner-house: See line 18. 228. fast: secure. 231-237. the old grave eyes etc.: On account of his acute receptivity, and his lack of self-confidence, Lippo vividly retains impressions that go against his grain, as well as those that delight him. Filippo Lippi (c. 1406-1469), realistic 6-11. painter of the earlier Renaissance, was a greater artist than his modesty in the poem lets appear. However, he is here represented in the early stage of his career, while employed in Cosimo's palace (see the notes on "The Statue and the Bust," lines 33, 36, above). "As this palace was built in 1430 and Fra Lippo seems to be engaged in decorating the walls, the imaginary date of the poem is apparently before Fra Lippo left the cloister in 1432, as, indeed, line 7 seems to indicate" (Professor J. M. Manly). Two events from Lippo's later life may serve as comments on Browning's view of him. In 1442 he obtained, for life, the rectorate of a parochial church near Florence. In 1456 he fell in love with a girl half his age who had become a nun against her will, and later the two were recognized as a married couple by a papal dispensation granted on the recommmendation of Cosimo; their son became the renowned painter, Filippino. 3. you think you see a monk!: as though every monk should be suspected by the City Guards! 235. Brother Angelico: Fra Angelico (1387-1455), who maintained the traditions of the monastic school of painters. He often prepared himself for painting by fasting and prayer. 236. Brother Lorenzo: Lorenzo Monaco; he had been Fra Lippo's teacher. 257. The only good of grass etc.: See Isaiah, XL, 6; Luke, III, 17; etc. 276 Guidi: Tommaso Guidi, otherwise called Masaccio; actually he was older than Lippo, and was his chief master. - In the context, Lippo foresees the full flush of Renaissance "realism" (as in the |