[Picture: Book cover] POEMS OF THE PAST AND THE PRESENT * * * * * BY THOMAS HARDY * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED ST. MARTIN’S STREET, LONDON 1919 * * * * * COPYRIGHT “_Wessex Poems_”: _First Edition_, _Crown_ 8vo, 1898. _New Edition_ 1903. _First Pocket Edition June_ 1907. _Reprinted January_ 1909, 1913 “_Poems_, _Past and Present_”: _First edition_ 1901 (dated 1902) _Second Edition_ 1903. _First Pocket Edition June_ 1907 _Reprinted January_ 1908, 1913, 1918, 1919 * * * * * CONTENTS PAGE V.R. 1819–1901 231 WAR POEMS— EMBARCATION 235 DEPARTURE 237 THE COLONEL’S SOLILOQUY 239 THE GOING OF THE BATTERY 242 AT THE WAR OFFICE 245 A CHRISTMAS GHOST-STORY 247 THE DEAD DRUMMER 249 A WIFE IN LONDON 251 THE SOULS OF THE SLAIN 253 SONG OF THE SOLDIERS’ WIVES 260 THE SICK GOD 263 POEMS OF PILGRIMAGE— GENOA AND THE MEDITERRANEAN 269 SHELLEY’S SKYLARK 272 IN THE OLD THEATRE, FIESOLE 274 ROME: ON THE PALATINE 276 ,, BUILDING A NEW STREET IN THE 278 ANCIENT QUARTER ,, THE VATICAN: SALA DELLE MUSE 280 ,, AT THE PYRAMID OF CESTIUS 283 LAUSANNE: IN GIBBON’S OLD GARDEN 286 ZERMATT: TO THE MATTERHORN 288 THE BRIDGE OF LODI 290 ON AN INVITATION TO THE UNITED 295 STATES MISCELLANEOUS POEMS— THE MOTHER MOURNS 299