198. The seven and one. "The Seven Stars" is a popular synonym for the Pleiades, to which there is probably an allusion here. The one may be any "bright particular star" in the heavens. 208. Miserere mei, Domine. "Be merciful to me, O Lord." EPILOGUE.-2. Dray. Nest; usually applied to that of the squirrel. 5. The hedge-shrew is a field-mouse. The lob-worm resembles an earth-worm, but is larger. 88. Mavis, merle, and throstle. The mavis (the English "song-thrush") and the throstle both belong to the thrush family. The merle (or merl) is the English blackbird. 91. Howlet. Another form of owlet. It is the spelling of the early eds. in Macbeth, iv. 1. 17: "Lizard's leg and howlet's wing "-the only instance of the word in Shakespeare. 92. Chantry. A private chapel, especially one endowed for the singing of special mass for the souls of the dead. Cf. Henry V. iv. 1. 318: "and I have built Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests 94. Full complines. The compline is the last division of the Roman Catholic breviary, and it is often customary to recite it after sunset. 96. Cowls and twats. Twats is in no dictionary. We now have it from the poet (through Dr. Furnivall) that he got the word from the Royalist rhymes entitled " Vanity of Vanities," on Sir Harry Vane's picture. Vane is charged with being a Jesuit. "'Tis said they will give him a cardinal's hat: "The word struck me," says Browning, "as a distinctive part of a nun's attire that might fitly pair off with the cowl appropriated to a monk." ADDENDA. A FEW NOTES FROM MR. BROWNING.-Just as the book is going to press we receive a letter from Mr. Browning, dated July 10, 1886, which answers a few questions we ventured to send him through Dr. Furnivall. In Hervé Riel, we could get no information about Damfreville, and were puzzled as to his relation to Tourville, who was admiral of the fleet. Mr. Browning says: "Damfreville commanded the squadron that escaped, and his was the big ship presenting the greatest difficulty." In The Bishop Orders his Tomb, etc., our explanation of 95 (see p. 167 above) is confirmed by the poet thus: "In St. Praxed, the blunder as to 'the sermon' is the result of the dying man's haziness; he would not reveal himself as he does but for that." In the Two Camels, our impression that there must be a misprint in the Hebrew of 95 (see p. 173) is also confirmed.* Mr. Browning says: “The 'yod' is omitted by the printer's fault, as is shown by the correct retention of the letter in the line a little above: it means 'from God."" *The error will be corrected before printing the text. This should be borne in mind when reading the note on p. 173, which we leave as first written. In One Word More, our question concerning the Madonnas referred to in 23 and 24 is answered thus: "The Madonna at Florence is that called 'del Granduca,' which represents her as 'appearing to a votary in a vision'-so say the describers: it is in the earlier manner, and very beautiful. I think I meant 'La Belle Jardinière'—but am not sure-for the picture in the Louvre." "CHILDE ROLAND TO THE DARK TOWER CAME."- The following early readings in this poem should be noted: 52. For O'er the early eds. have "To." 65. 'Tis the Last Judgment's fire, etc. "The Judgment's fire alone can cure this place." 79. For aught I know. 168. Clearer case. "For all I know." "Plainer case." 179. Dotard, a-dozing. "Fool, to be dozing." A few verbal notes may also be added: 114. Bespate. Bespattered; a word not in the dictionaries, and probably coined by Browning. 130. Pad. Tread down; a provincialism. 135. Mews. Enclosure. Mew or mews was originally the place in which tame hawks were kept (probably because they were confined there while mewing, or moulting); and hence, metaphorically, any close place. 161. Dragon-penned. Dragon-feathered; not in the dictionaries. 177. Crouched. Macmillan's Selections has "Couched," which is probably a misprint. 203. Slug-horn. The word is not in Worc. or Wb.; and the only meaning given in the Imp. Dict. is "Slogan." ALTERATIONS IN "PIPPA PASSES."-We have followed the text of the London ed. of 1878, which has the following variations from the earlier readings as given in the Boston reprint: PROLOGUE.-83. Whoever it was quenched, etc. The early eds. omit it was. 203. I will pass each. Early eds. have “by” for each. Cicale is the plural of cicala. SCENE I.-32. With a sun. Originally, "With the sun." 54. Here's the wine. "Here is the wine." 82. Proof were needed. 126. Return at eve. 148. Pretence to strike. "Proof was needed." "Returned at eve." 149. 'Tis not the crime's. "T is not for the crime's," 222. Call you out. ADDENDA. "You call out." 233. Speak to me, not of me! "Speak to me-speak not of me!" 245. Show herself. "And show herself." 265. A hurry-down. "A hurrying down." INTERLUDE I.-37. Came alone. "Came singly." SCENE II.-15. The room. "The chamber." 22. Their truth. "My truth." 63. Our champion. "Our champions'." 119. Beside. "Besides." 66 "Or suffering borne." "Not so the shame." 124. Letting that. Letting it." 66 "But no-Natalia." 187. My lore. My love" (a misprint?). 197. Deepest shadow. 202. Then do you. 205. Grew wise. 207. Once when. "Shadow threefold." "So do you." "Grew wiser." "For once when." 220. The nest, or the nook. "The spot, or the spot." May the sureliest.' "Or the Love." 224. In the Valley. "In its Valley." 227. When I love most. "I love most when." 234. To reach thy heart, nor prick. 242. The gold. "This gold." 265. Earth. ... sea. 197 "To wound thee, and not prick." "Earth's... sea's." "Her memory; and 274. Her memory stays. "The peasants keep." 275. And peasants sing how once a certain page. songs tell how many a page." 276. Of her so far. "Of one so far." 277. Kate the queen. "As a queen." 279. Need him. "For him." 289. Psyche. "Psyche's." 305. Their laughter. "That laughter." 318. Meet Lutwyche, I. "Shall I meet Lutwyche." 319. Statue. "Statue's." SCENE III.-10. That lean. . . look. "Who lean... looking." on the 15th of August in honor of the miraculous ascent of the Virgin Mary into heaven. It rests upón a traditional account of the ascent first recorded by Gregory of Tours. 16. Ascoli, Fermo, and Fossumbruno. These towns are all in the socalled "Marches" of Central Italy. Ascoli is on the Tronto, and Fossombruno on the Metauro. They are all important ecclesiastical centres. 35. Jules, a foreign sculptor. Cf. scene ii. above. 42. The very perfection. Cf. Andrea del Sarto (called "The Faultless Painter "): * Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, 66 Or what's a heaven for? All is silver-gray 50. Correggio. Antonio Allegri da Correggio (1494-1534) is admired by the world of artists chiefly for his beautiful frescoes in the church of San Giovanni and those on the dome of the cathedral at Parma; but the popular taste delights in his "Reading Magdalen," his "Notte" (Night), and the Gypsy Madonna or "Zingarella." 71. Podere. Italian for a farm or small landed property. 78. I would better not. The early eds. have the good old English form "had better," to which the poet has since taken a dislike. In a letter, dated Oct. 25, 1885, quoted by Mrs. Orr (p. 14, foot-note), he says: "As regards the slovenly I had for I'd, instead of the proper I would, I shall not venture to supplement what Landor has magisterially spoken on the subject. An adverb adds to, and does not, by its omission, alter into nonsense the verb it qualifies. 'I would rather speak than be silent, better criticise than learn,' are forms structurally regular; what meaning is in 'I had speak, had criticise?" This is essentially the familiar grammar-monger's objection to had better, had rather, had as lief, etc., that they "cannot be parsed"—which is true of many another well-established idiom, and merely shows that the "parsers" have something yet to learn. Browning apparently clings to the exploded notion that I had better had its origin in a blundering expansion of I'd better, contracted from I would better. The fact is that had better, etc., were the only forms in use until the last century or so. They are the only ones in Shakespeare, Milton, and our English Bible. If one chooses to use the neologisms would better, etc., let him do so, but not turn up his hyper-syntactical nose at those who prefer the older forms. 80. Forli. A walled city of Italy, about forty miles to the southeast of Bologna. 82. Cesena. A small town about twelve miles from Forli. It has a cathedral and a Capuchin church. 101. Soldo. The Italian copper "penny," or ten-centesimi piece; in derivation as in value the equivalent of the French sou. 105. Millet-cake. A cake made of a small grain which grows in Italy, and is eaten only by the poorest classes. 110. Poderi. The plural of podere. The early eds. have "poderes." 126. Mortal sin. Deadly sin, or that which purgatory cannot remove. 176. Begun operations already. Cf. interlude ii. p. 134 above. Men and Women, p. 184. 198. The seven and one. "The Seven Stars" is a popular synonym for the Pleiades, to which there is probably an allusion here. The one may be any "bright particular star" in the heavens. "Be merciful to me, O Lord." 208. Miserere mei, Domine. EPILOGUE.-2. Dray. Nest; usually applied to that of the squirrel. 5. The hedge-shrew is a field-mouse. The lob-worm resembles an earth-worm, but is larger. 88. Mavis, merle, and throstle. The mavis (the English "song-thrush") and the throstle both belong to the thrush family. The merle (or merl) is the English blackbird. 91. Howlet. Another form of owlet. It is the spelling of the early eds. in Macbeth, iv. 1. 17: "Lizard's leg and howlet's wing "-the only instance of the word in Shakespeare. 92. Chantry. A private chapel, especially one endowed for the singing of special mass for the souls of the dead. Cf. Henry V. iv. 1. 318; "and I have built Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests 94. Full complines. The compline is the last division of the Roman Catholic breviary, and it is often customary to recite it after sunset. 96. Cowls and twats. Twats is in no dictionary. We now have it from the poet (through Dr. Furnivall) that he got the word from the Royalist rhymes entitled "Vanity of Vanities," on Sir Harry Vane's picture. Vane is charged with being a Jesuit. "'Tis said they will give him a cardinal's hat: "The word struck me," says Browning, "as a distinctive part of a nun's attire that might fitly pair off with the cowl appropriated to a monk." ADDENDA. A FEW NOTES from Mr. BROWNING.-Just as the book is going to press we receive a letter from Mr. Browning, dated July 10, 1886, which answers a few questions we ventured to send him through Dr. Furnivall. In Hervé Riel, we could get no information about Damfreville, and were puzzled as to his relation to Tourville, who was admiral of the fleet. Mr. Browning says: "Damfreville commanded the squadron that escaped, and his was the big ship presenting the greatest difficulty." In The Bishop Orders his Tomb, etc., our explanation of 95 (see p. 167 above) is confirmed by the poet thus: "In St. Praxed, the blunder as to 'the sermon' is the result of the dying man's haziness; he would not reveal himself as he does but for that." In the Two Camels, our impression that there must be a misprint in the Hebrew of 95 (see p. 173) is also confirmed.* Mr. Browning says: "The 'yod' is omitted by the printer's fault, as is shown by the correct retention of the letter in the line a little above: it means 'from God.”” *The error will be corrected before printing the text. This should be borne in mind when reading the note on p. 173, which we leave as first written. |