Farewell, O Warbler! till to-morrow eve, And you, my friends! farewell, a short farewell! We have been loitering long and pleasantly, And now for our dear homes.--That strain again! 90 Full fain it would delay me! My dear babe, Who, capable of no articulate sound, Mars all things with his imitative lisp, How he would place his hand beside his ear, His little hand, the small forefinger up, 95 And bid us listen! And I deem it wise To make him Nature's play-mate. He knows well The evening-star; and once, when he awoke In most distressful mood (some inward pain Had made up that strange thing, an infant's dream--) 100 I hurried with him to our orchard-plot, And he beheld the moon, and, hushed at once, Suspends his sobs, and laughs most silently, While his fair eyes, that swam with undropped tears, Did glitter in the yellow moon-beam! Well!-- 105 It is a father's tale: But if that Heaven Should give me life, his childhood shall grow up Familiar with these songs, that with the night He may associate joy.--Once more, farewell, Sweet Nightingale! once more, my friends! farewell. 110 1798. FOOTNOTES: [264:1] First published in _Lyrical Ballads_, 1798, reprinted in _Lyrical Ballads_, 1800, 1802, and 1805: included in _Sibylline Leaves_, 1817, 1828, 1829, and 1834. [264:2] '_Most musical, most melancholy._' This passage in Milton possesses an excellence far superior to that of mere description; it is spoken in the character of the melancholy Man, and has therefore a _dramatic_ propriety. The Author makes this remark, to rescue himself from the charge of having alluded with levity to a line in Milton; a charge than which none could be more painful to him, except perhaps that of having ridiculed his Bible. _Footnote_ to l. 13 _L. B._ 1798, _L. B._ 1800, _S. L._ 1817, 1828, 1829. In 1834 the footnote ends with the word 'Milton', the last sentence being omitted. LINENOTES: _Note._ In the Table of Contents of 1828 and 1829 'The Nightingale' is omitted. Title] The Nightingale; a Conversational Poem, written in April, 1798 L. B. 1798: The Nightingale, written in April, 1798 L. B. 1800: The Nightingale A Conversation Poem, written in April, 1798 S. L., 1828, 1829. [21] sorrow] sorrows L. B. 1798, 1800. [40] My Friend, and my Friend's sister L. B. 1798, 1800. [58] song] songs L. B. 1798, 1800, S. L. [61] And one, low piping, sounds more sweet than all--S. L. 1817: (punctuate thus, reading _Sound_ for _sounds_:--And one low piping Sound more sweet than all--_Errata_, S. L., p. [xii]). [62] a] an all editions to 1884. [64-9] On moonlight . . . her love-torch om. L. B. 1800. [79] those] these S. L. 1817. [81] As if one quick and sudden gale had swept L. B. 1798, 1800, S. L. 1817. [82] A] An all editions to 1834. [84] blossomy] blosmy L. B. 1798, 1800, S. L. 1817. [102] beheld] beholds L. B. 1798, 1800.