Book 2 — TO WILLIAM WORDSWORTH[403:1]
Reading edition
TO WILLIAM WORDSWORTH[403:1]
COMPOSED ON THE NIGHT AFTER HIS RECITATION OF A POEM ON THE GROWTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL MIND
Friend of the wise! and Teacher of the Good! Into my heart have I received that Lay [404]More than historic, that prophetic Lay Wherein (high theme by thee first sung aright) Of the foundations and the building up 5 Of a Human Spirit thou hast dared to tell What may be told, to the understanding mind Revealable; and what within the mind By vital breathings secret as the soul Of vernal growth, oft quickens in the heart 10 Thoughts all too deep for words!— Theme hard as high! Of smiles spontaneous, and mysterious fears (The first-born they of Reason and twin-birth), Of tides obedient to external force, And currents self-determined, as might seem, 15 Or by some inner Power; of moments awful, Now in thy inner life, and now abroad, [405]When power streamed from thee, and thy soul received The light reflected, as a light bestowed— Of fancies fair, and milder hours of youth, 20 Hyblean murmurs of poetic thought Industrious in its joy, in vales and glens Native or outland, lakes and famous hills! Or on the lonely high-road, when the stars Were rising; or by secret mountain-streams, 25 The guides and the companions of thy way! Of more than Fancy, of the Social Sense Distending wide, and man beloved as man, Where France in all her towns lay vibrating Like some becalméd bark beneath the burst 30 Of Heaven's immediate thunder, when no cloud Is visible, or shadow on the main. For thou wert there, thine own brows garlanded, Amid the tremor of a realm aglow, Amid a mighty nation jubilant, 35 When from the general heart of human kind Hope sprang forth like a full-born Deity! ——Of that dear Hope afflicted and struck down, So summoned homeward, thenceforth calm and sure From the dread watch-tower of man's absolute self, 40 [406]With light unwaning on her eyes, to look Far on—herself a glory to behold, The Angel of the vision! Then (last strain) Of Duty, chosen Laws controlling choice, Action and joy!—An Orphic song indeed, 45 A song divine of high and passionate thoughts To their own music chaunted! O great Bard! Ere yet that last strain dying awed the air, With stedfast eye I viewed thee in the choir Of ever-enduring men. The truly great 50 Have all one age, and from one visible space Shed influence! They, both in power and act, Are permanent, and Time is not with them, Save as it worketh for them, they in it. Nor less a sacred Roll, than those of old, 55 And to be placed, as they, with gradual fame Among the archives of mankind, thy work Makes audible a linkéd lay of Truth, Of Truth profound a sweet continuous lay, Not learnt, but native, her own natural notes! 60 Ah! as I listened with a heart forlorn, [407]The pulses of my being beat anew: And even as Life returns upon the drowned, Life's joy rekindling roused a throng of pains— Keen pangs of Love, awakening as a babe 65 Turbulent, with an outcry in the heart; And fears self-willed, that shunned the eye of Hope; And Hope that scarce would know itself from Fear; Sense of past Youth, and Manhood come in vain, And Genius given, and Knowledge won in vain; 70 And all which I had culled in wood-walks wild, And all which patient toil had reared, and all, Commune with thee had opened out—but flowers Strewed on my corse, and borne upon my bier, In the same coffin, for the self-same grave! 75 That way no more! and ill beseems it me, Who came a welcomer in herald's guise, Singing of Glory, and Futurity, To wander back on such unhealthful road, Plucking the poisons of self-harm! And ill 80 Such intertwine beseems triumphal wreaths Strew'd before thy advancing! Nor do thou, Sage Bard! impair the memory of that hour Of thy communion with my nobler mind By pity or grief, already felt too long! 85 Nor let my words import more blame than needs. The tumult rose and ceased: for Peace is nigh [408]Where Wisdom's voice has found a listening heart. Amid the howl of more than wintry storms, The Halcyon hears the voice of vernal hours 90 Already on the wing. Eve following eve, Dear tranquil time, when the sweet sense of Home Is sweetest! moments for their own sake hailed And more desired, more precious, for thy song, In silence listening, like a devout child, 95 My soul lay passive, by thy various strain Driven as in surges now beneath the stars, With momentary stars of my own birth, Fair constellated foam,[408:1] still darting off Into the darkness; now a tranquil sea, 100 Outspread and bright, yet swelling to the moon. And when—O Friend! my comforter and guide! Strong in thyself, and powerful to give strength!— Thy long sustainéd Song finally closed, And thy deep voice had ceased—yet thou thyself 105 Wert still before my eyes, and round us both That happy vision of belovéd faces— Scarce conscious, and yet conscious of its close I sate, my being blended in one thought (Thought was it? or aspiration? or resolve?) 110 Absorbed, yet hanging still upon the sound— And when I rose, I found myself in prayer.
January, 1807.
FOOTNOTES:
LINENOTES:
Title] To W. Wordsworth. Lines Composed, for the greater part on the Night, on which he finished the recitation of his Poem (in thirteen Books) concerning the growth and history of his own Mind, Jan. 7, 1807, Cole-orton, near Ashby de la Zouch MS. W.: To William Wordsworth. Composed for the greater part on the same night after the finishing of his recitation of the Poem in thirteen Books, on the Growth of his own Mind MS. B.: To a Gentleman, &c. S. L. 1828, 1829.
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O Friend! O Teacher! God's great gift to me! MSS. W., B.
Between 5-13
Of thy own Spirit, thou hast lov'd to tell What may be told, to th' understanding mind Revealable; and what within the mind May rise enkindled. Theme as hard as high! Of Smiles spontaneous and mysterious Fear.
MS. W.
Of thy own spirit thou hast loved to tell What may be told, by words revealable; With heavenly breathings, like the secret soul Of vernal growth, oft quickening in the heart, Thoughts that obey no mastery of words, Pure self-beholdings! theme as hard as high, Of smiles spontaneous and mysterious fear.
MS. B.
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By vital breathings like the secret soul S. L. 1828.
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Or by interior power MS. W: Or by some central breath MS. Letter, 1815.
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inner] hidden MSS. W., B.
Between 17-41
Mid festive crowds, thy Brows too garlanded, A Brother of the Feast: of Fancies fair, Hyblaean murmurs of poetic Thought, Industrious in its Joy, by lilied Streams Native or outland, Lakes and famous Hills! Of more than Fancy, of the Hope of Man Amid the tremor of a Realm aglow— Where France in all her Towns lay vibrating Ev'n as a Bark becalm'd on sultry seas Beneath the voice from Heav'n, the bursting crash Of Heaven's immediate thunder! when no cloud Is visible, or Shadow on the Main! Ah! soon night roll'd on night, and every Cloud Open'd its eye of Fire: and Hope aloft Now flutter'd, and now toss'd upon the storm Floating! Of Hope afflicted and struck down Thence summoned homeward—homeward to thy Heart, Oft from the Watch-tower of Man's absolute self, With light, &c.
MS. W.
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social sense MS. B.
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Distending, and of man MS. B.
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Even as a bark becalm'd on sultry seas Quivers beneath the voice from Heaven, the burst
MS. B.
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Ev'n as a bark becalm'd beneath the burst
MS. Letter, 1815, S. L. 1828.
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thine] thy MS. B., MS. Letter, 1815.
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a full-born] an arméd MS. B.
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Of that dear hope afflicted and amazed MS. Letter, 1815.
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So homeward summoned MS. Letter, 1815.
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As from the watch-tower MS. B.
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controlling] ? impelling, ? directing MS. W.
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Virtue and Love—an Orphic Tale indeed A Tale divine
MS. W.
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song] tale MS. B.
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song] tale MS. B. thoughts] truths MS. Letter, 1815.
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Ah! great Bard Ere yet that last swell dying aw'd the air With stedfast ken I viewed thee in the choir
MS. W.
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that] the MS. B.
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With steadfast eyes I saw thee MS. B.
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for they, both power and act MS. B.
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them] them S. L. 1828, 1829.
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for them, they in it S. L. 1828, 1829.
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lay] song MSS. W., B.
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lay] song MSS. W., B.
61 foll.
Dear shall it be to every human heart, To me how more than dearest! me, on whom Comfort from thee, and utterance of thy love, Came with such heights and depths of harmony, Such sense of wings uplifting, that the storm 5 Scatter'd and whirl'd me, till my thoughts became A bodily tumult; and thy faithful hopes, Thy hopes of me, dear Friend! by me unfelt! Were troublous to me, almost as a voice, Familiar once, and more than musical; 10 To one cast forth, whose hope had seem'd to die A wanderer with a worn-out heart Mid strangers pining with untended wounds. O Friend, too well thou know'st, of what sad years The long suppression had benumb'd my soul, 15 That even as life returns upon the drown'd, The unusual joy awoke a throng of pains— Keen pangs, &c.
MSS. B, W with the following variants:—
ll. 5-6
Such sense of wings uplifting, that its might Scatter'd and quell'd me—
MS. B.
ll. 11, 12
As a dear woman's voice to one cast forth A wanderer with a worn-out heart forlorn.
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thee] thee S. L. 1828, 1829.
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Strewed] Strewn MS. B., 1828, 1829.
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thy] thy S. L. 1828, 1829.
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Thou too, Friend! O injure not the memory of that hour
MS. W.
Thou too, Friend! Impair thou not the memory of that Hour
MS. B.
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Becomes most sweet! hours for their own sake hail'd MS. W.
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thy] the MS. B.
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my] her MS. B.
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and] my MSS. W., B.
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Song] lay MS. W.
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my] mine MSS. W., B.
Between 107-8
(All whom I deepliest love—in one room all!)
MSS. W., B.