Chapter LII: Book I: "O Lyric Love," etc. The following letter was sent to me as

likely to be interesting on account of Mr. Browning's own explanation of his terms _Whiteness_ and _Wanness_. My correspondent says: "I happen to have an original letter from R. Browning in which he says, 'The greater and lesser lights indicate the greater and less proximity of the person,'" etc. Wanness should be taken as meaning simply less bright than absolute whiteness, as Keats speaks of "wannish fire," etc.