[PROLOGUE TO ASOLANDO]
The volume of poems entitled Asolando was, by a strange chance, published on the day of Browning's death. Most of these poems were written in 1888-1889. The book was dedicated to Mrs. Arthur Bronson. The "Prologue" should be compared with Wordsworth's "Ode on Intimations of Immortality."
13. Chrysopras. The ruby and the emerald of this passage stand for rich red and green. The chrysopras is also green (an apple green variety of Chalcedony), but the first part of the word is from the Greek χρνσος, "gold," and that may be the color intended here.
[SUMMUM BONUM]
The title means, The Chief Good. The poem came out in Asolando in 1889.
[EPILOGUE TO ASOLANDO]
In the Pall Mall Gazette, Feb. 1, 1890 the following incident is given concerning the third stanza of this poem:
"One evening just before his death illness, the poet was reading this from a proof to his daughter-in-law and sister. He said: 'It almost looks like bragging to say this, and as if I ought to cancel it; but it's the simple truth; and as it's true, it shall stand.'"
Compare this poem and Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar."