She had a tall man's height or more; A garment for her stature meet, And for a vagrant life, she wore A mantle reaching to her feet. Nor hood, nor bonnet screened her lofty brow, C.] [Variant 2: 1827. In all my walks, through field or town, Such Figure had I never seen: Her face was of Egyptian brown: Fit person was she for a Queen, 1807. Such figure had I never seen In all my walks through field or town, Fit person seemed she for a Queen, C.] [Variant 3: 1836. To head ... 1807.] [Variant 4: 1845. Before me begging did she stand, Pouring out sorrows like a sea; Grief after grief:--on English Land Such woes I knew could never be; 1807. Her suit no faltering scruples checked; Forth did she pour, in current free, Tales that could challenge no respect But from a blind credulity; 1827. She begged an alms; no scruple checked The current of her ready plea, Words that could challenge ... 1832. Before me begging did she stand And boldly urged a doleful plea, Grief after grief, on English land Such woes I knew could never be. C.] [Variant 5: 1807. With yellow flowers around, as with a golden band. C.] [Variant 6: 1827. And they both ... 1807.] [Variant 7: 1820. Two Brothers seem'd they, eight and ten years old; And like that Woman's face as gold is like to gold. 1807.] [Variant 8: This stanza was added in the edition of 1827.] [Variant 9: 1836. Precursors of ... 1827.] [Variant 10: 1827. They bolted on me thus, and lo! 1807.] [Variant 11: 1827. "Nay but I gave her pence, and she will buy you bread." 1807.] [Variant 12: 1845. "Sweet Boys, you're telling me a lie; 1807. ... Heaven hears that rash reply; 1827. The text of 1807 was resumed in 1836.] [Variant 13: 1827. ... they both together flew. 1807. ... the thoughtless vagrants flew. C.] * * * * * FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT [Footnote A: The spot is easily identified, as the quarry still exists.--Ed.] [Footnote B: In the MS. of this poem (1807) the words, "a weed of glorious feature," are placed within inverted commas. The quotation is from Spenser's 'Muiopotmos' ('The Fate of the Butterflie'), stanza 27; and is important, as it affects the meaning of the phrase. It is curious that Wordsworth dropped the commas in his subsequent editions.--Ed.] [Footnote C: In Wordsworth's letter to Barron Field, of 24th October 1828 (see the volumes containing his correspondence), a detailed account is given of the reasons which had led him to alter the text of this poem.--Ed.] * * * * * SEQUEL TO THE FOREGOING, COMPOSED MANY YEARS AFTER Composed 1817.--Published 1827