Book 2 — FRANCE: AN ODE[243:1]
Reading edition
FRANCE: AN ODE[243:1]
I Ye Clouds! that far above me float and pause, Whose pathless march no mortal may controul! Ye Ocean-Waves! that, wheresoe'er ye roll, Yield homage only to eternal laws! [244]Ye Woods! that listen to the night-birds singing, 5 Midway the smooth and perilous slope reclined, Save when your own imperious branches swinging, Have made a solemn music of the wind! Where, like a man beloved of God, Through glooms, which never woodman trod, 10 How oft, pursuing fancies holy, My moonlight way o'er flowering weeds I wound, Inspired, beyond the guess of folly, By each rude shape and wild unconquerable sound! O ye loud Waves! and O ye Forests high! 15 And O ye Clouds that far above me soared! Thou rising Sun! thou blue rejoicing Sky! Yea, every thing that is and will be free! Bear witness for me, wheresoe'er ye be, With what deep worship I have still adored 20 The spirit of divinest Liberty. [245]II When France in wrath her giant-limbs upreared, And with that oath, which smote air, earth, and sea, Stamped her strong foot and said she would be free, Bear witness for me, how I hoped and feared! 25 With what a joy my lofty gratulation Unawed I sang, amid a slavish band: And when to whelm the disenchanted nation, Like fiends embattled by a wizard's wand, The Monarchs marched in evil day, 30 And Britain joined the dire array; Though dear her shores and circling ocean, Though many friendships, many youthful loves Had swoln the patriot emotion And flung a magic light o'er all her hills and groves; 35 Yet still my voice, unaltered, sang defeat To all that braved the tyrant-quelling lance, And shame too long delayed and vain retreat! For ne'er, O Liberty! with partial aim I dimmed thy light or damped thy holy flame; 40 But blessed the paeans of delivered France, And hung my head and wept at Britain's name. III 'And what,' I said, 'though Blasphemy's loud scream With that sweet music of deliverance strove! Though all the fierce and drunken passions wove 45 A dance more wild than e'er was maniac's dream! Ye storms, that round the dawning East assembled, The Sun was rising, though ye hid his light!' And when, to soothe my soul, that hoped and trembled, The dissonance ceased, and all seemed calm and bright; 50 When France her front deep-scarr'd and gory Concealed with clustering wreaths of glory; [246]When, insupportably advancing, Her arm made mockery of the warrior's ramp; While timid looks of fury glancing, 55 Domestic treason, crushed beneath her fatal stamp, Writhed like a wounded dragon in his gore; Then I reproached my fears that would not flee; 'And soon,' I said, 'shall Wisdom teach her lore In the low huts of them that toil and groan! 60 And, conquering by her happiness alone, Shall France compel the nations to be free, Till Love and Joy look round, and call the Earth their own.' IV Forgive me, Freedom! O forgive those dreams! I hear thy voice, I hear thy loud lament, 65 From bleak Helvetia's icy caverns sent— I hear thy groans upon her blood-stained streams! Heroes, that for your peaceful country perished, And ye that, fleeing, spot your mountain-snows With bleeding wounds; forgive me, that I cherished 70 One thought that ever blessed your cruel foes! To scatter rage, and traitorous guilt, Where Peace her jealous home had built; A patriot-race to disinherit Of all that made their stormy wilds so dear; 75 And with inexpiable spirit To taint the bloodless freedom of the mountaineer— O France, that mockest Heaven, adulterous, blind, And patriot only in pernicious toils! Are these thy boasts, Champion of human kind? 80 To mix with Kings in the low lust of sway, Yell in the hunt, and share the murderous prey; To insult the shrine of Liberty with spoils From freemen torn; to tempt and to betray? [247]V The Sensual and the Dark rebel in vain, 85 Slaves by their own compulsion! In mad game They burst their manacles and wear the name Of Freedom, graven on a heavier chain! O Liberty! with profitless endeavour Have I pursued thee, many a weary hour; 90 But thou nor swell'st the victor's strain, nor ever Didst breathe thy soul in forms of human power. Alike from all, howe'er they praise thee, (Nor prayer, nor boastful name delays thee) Alike from Priestcraft's harpy minions, 95 And factious Blasphemy's obscener slaves, Thou speedest on thy subtle pinions, The guide of homeless winds, and playmate of the waves! And there I felt thee!—on that sea-cliff's verge, Whose pines, scarce travelled by the breeze above, 100 Had made one murmur with the distant surge! Yes, while I stood and gazed, my temples bare, And shot my being through earth, sea, and air, Possessing all things with intensest love, O Liberty! my spirit felt thee there. 105
February, 1798.
FOOTNOTES:
LINENOTES:
Title] The Recantation: an Ode. By S. T. Coleridge. 1798.
[
1
]
and] or 1802.
[
2
]
Veering your pathless march without controul 1802.
[
5
]
night-birds] night bird's 1798, 4o, 1802: night-birds' S. L., 1828, 1829.
[
6
]
slope] steep 1798, 4o, 1802, P. R.
[
12
]
way] path 1802.
[
23
]
smote air, earth, and sea] smote earth, air, and sea 1798, 4o, P. R.: shook earth, air, and sea 1802.
[
24
]
foot] feet 1798.
[
26
]
lofty] eager 1802.
[
27
]
sang] sung 1798, 4o, P. R.
[
30
]
marched] mov'd 1802.
[
34
]
the] that 1802.
[
35
]
flung] spread 1802.
[
41
]
But] I 1802.
[
44
]
that sweet music] those sweet Pæans 1802.
[
46
]
e'er was] ever 1798, 4o, P. R.
[
51
]
deep-scarr'd] deep-scar'd 1798, 4o, P. R., S. L.
[
53
]
insupportably] irresistibly 1802.
[
54
]
ramp] tramp 1828, 1829, 1834, 1852. [Text of 1834 is here corrected.]
[
58
]
reproached] rebuk'd 1802.
[
59
]
said] cried 1802.
[
62
]
compel] persuade 1802.
[
63
]
call the Earth] lo! the earth's 1802.
[
64
]
those] these 4o, P. R.
[
66
]
caverns] cavern 1834, 1852. [Text of 1834 is here corrected.]
[
69
]
And ye that flying spot the [your 1802] mountain-snows 1798: And ye that fleeing spot the mountain-snows 4o, P. R.
[
75
]
stormy] native 1802.
[
77
]
taint] stain 1802.
[
79
]
patriot] patient 1798, 1802.
[
80
]
Was this thy boast 1802.
[
81
]
Kings in the low lust] monarchs in the lust 1802.
[
85-9
]
The fifth stanza, which alluded to the African Slave Trade as conducted by this Country, and to the present Ministry and their supporters, has been omitted, and would have been omitted without remark if the commencing lines of the sixth stanza had not referred to it.
VI
Shall I with these my patriot zeal combine? No, Afric, no! they stand before my ken Loath'd as th' Hyaenas, that in murky den Whine o'er their prey and mangle while they whine, Divinest Liberty! with vain endeavour
1798.
[
87
]
burst] break 1802. and] to B. L., i. 194. name] name B. L.
[
91
]
strain] pomp B. L.
[
92
]
in] on 1802.
[
95
]
Priestcraft's] priesthood's 4o, P. R.: superstition's B. L.
[
97
]
subtle] cherub B. L.
[
98
]
To live amid the winds and move upon the waves
1798, 4o, P. R.
To live among the winds and brood upon the waves
1802.
[
99
]
there] there 1798: then 4o, P. R. that] yon 1802.
[
100
]
scarce] just 1802.
[
102
]
Yes, as I stood and gazed my forehead bare
1802.
[
104
]
with] by 1802.