sented to Queen Victoria
in 1850.

246. _Jewel of Giamschid._ The splendid fabulous ruby of Sultan
Giamschid, sometimes called "The Cup of the Sun" and "The Torch of
Night." Byron ("The Giaour") says that the dark eyes of Leila were
"bright as the jewel of Giamschid." The carbuncle of Giamschid is one of
the treasures sought by the Caliph in Beckford's _Caliph Vathek_.

246. _The Persian Sofi._ The Sufi or Sofi is a title or surname of the
Shah of Persia.

249. _A certain dotard_, etc. Radetsky (1766-1858) was in 1849-1857
governor of the Austrian possessions in Upper Italy. "The worse side of
the Mont St. Gothard" is the Swiss side. "Morello" is a mountain near
Florence. There had been frequent insurrections against Austria, but
they had been fruitless. Browning prophesies the time when there shall
be a great national council (a Witanagemot) by which, when Freedom has
been restored to Florence, a new and vigorous Art shall be brought in.
It will then be perceived that a monarchy nourishes the false and
monstrous in art, and that "Pure Art" must come from the people.

258. _The stone of Dante._ The stone where Dante used to draw his chair
out to sit. For this and other references in stanza XXXIV see Mrs.
Browning's "Casa Guidi Windows," Part I. In this poem she suggests "a
parliament of the lovers of Italy."

260. _Quod videas ante_--"Which you may have seen before."

263. _Hated house._ The poet hates the rule of the House of Lorraine,
and prefers the days of the painter Orgagna, in the fourteenth century,
when Italy was free.

273. _Tuscan._ The literary language of Italy and not given to
superlatives such as are indicated by "_issimo_."

275. _Cambuscan:_ a reference to "The Squire's Tale," left unfinished by
Chaucer.

276. _Alt to altissimo._ "High to highest."

277. _Beccaccia._ A woodcock.

281. _Shall I be alive._ According to Giotto's plan the tower was to
have had a spire fifty braccia or cubits (about 95 feet) high. This
spire has never been built.

"DE GUSTIBUS--"

The whole phrase is _De gustibus non disputandum_--"there is no
disputing about tastes." Browning is writing to a friend who prefers an
English landscape while the poet himself declares in favor of Italy.

2. _If our loves remain._ If we have a life after death.

4. _A cornfield._ The picture is a field of wheat with red poppies
scattered through the wheat.

23. _Cypress._ It is interesting to note how many of the trees, shru