iraculous dispensation, and could only simply be astonished when
they took to blowing again as if they never had wanted the dew of the
garden, ... yes, and when at last they outlived all the prosperity of
the contemporary white violets which flourished in water from the
beginning, and were free from the disadvantage of having been sate
upon. Now you shall thank me for this letter, it is at once so amusing
and instructive. After all, too, it teaches you what the great events
of my life are, not that the resuscitation of your violets would not
really be a great event to me, even if I led the life of a pirate,
between fire and sea, otherwise. But take _you_ away ... out of my
life!--and what remains? The only greenness I used to have (before you
brought your flowers) was as the grass growing in deserted streets,
... which brings a proof, in every increase, of the extending
desolation.

Dearest, I persist in thinking that you ought not to be too disdainful
to explain your meaning in the Pomegranates. Surely you might say in a
word or two that, your title having been doubted about (to your
surprise, you _might_ say!), you refer the doubters to the Jewish
priest's robe, and the Rabbinical gloss ... for I suppose it is a
gloss on the robe ... do you not think so? Consider that Mr. Kenyon
and I may fairly represent the average intelligence of your
readers,--and that _he_ was altogether in the clouds as to your
meaning ... had not the most distant notion of it,--while I, taking
hold of the priest's garment, missed the Rabbins and the distinctive
significance, as completely as he did. Then for Vasari, it is not the
handbook of the whole world, however it may be Mrs. Jameson's. Now why
should you be too proud to teach such persons as only desire to be
taught? I persist--I shall teaze you.

This morning my brothers have been saying ... 'Ah you had Mr. Browning
with you yesterday, I see by the flowers,' ... just as if they said 'I
see queen Mab has been with you.' Then Stormie took the opportunity of
swearing to me by all his gods that your name was mentioned lately in
the House of Commons--_is_ that true? or untrue? He forgot to tell me
at the time, he says,--and you were named with others and in relation
to copyright matters. _Is_ it true?

Mr. Hornblower Gill is the author of a Hymn to Passion week, and wrote
to me as the 'glorifier of pain!' to remind me that the best glory of
a soul is shown in the joy of it, and that all ch