“Bells and Pomegranates.”

Under this title Mr. Browning published a cheap edition, in serial form, of his poems in 1841. The following works appeared in this manner:— Pippa Pa es ; King Victor and King Charles ; Dramatic Lyrics ; The Return of the Druses ; A Blot in the ’Scutcheon ; Colombe’s Birthday ; Dramatic Romances and Lyrics ; Luria ; and A Soul’s Tragedy . (“A golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe round about.”— Exod. xxviii. 34, 35.) “The reason supposed in the Targum for the directions given to the priest is that the priest’s approach should be cautious to the innermost ‘Holy of Holies,’ or Sanctuary of the Tabernacle. The sound of the small bells upon his robe was intended to announce his approach before his actual appearance.” Philo says the bells were to denote the harmony of the universe. St. Jerome says they also indicated that every movement of the priest should be for edification. Mr. Browning, however, intimated that he had no such symbolical intention in the choice of his title. In the preface to the last number of the series, he said: “Here ends my first series of ‘Bells and Pomegranates,’ and I take the opportunity of explaining, in reply to inquiries, that I only meant by that title to indicate an endeavour towards something like an alternation or mixture of music with discoursing, sound with sense, poetry with thought; which looks too ambitious, thus expre ed, so the symbol was preferred. It is little to the purpose that such is actually one of the most familiar of the many Rabbinical (and Patristic) acceptations of the phrase; because I confe that, letting authority alone, I supposed the bare words, in such juxtaposition, would sufficiently convey the desired meaning. ‘Faith and good works’ is another fancy, for instance, and, perhaps, no easier to arrive at; yet Giotto placed a pomegranate fruit in the hand of Dante, and Raffaelo crowned his theology (in the Camera dell a Segnatura ) with blo oms of the same; as if the Bellari and Vasari would be sure to come after, and explain that it was merely ‘ simbolo delle buone opere—il qual Pomo grana to, fu però usato nelle vest i del Pontefice appre o gli Ebrei .’—R. B.”