The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 2 (of 8)

Name: The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 2 (of 8)
Author: Wordsworth, William

Wordsworth, William

English poetry -- 18th century; English poetry -- 19th century

And Peter turns his steps aside
  Into a shade of darksome trees,
  Where he sits down, he knows not how,
  With his hands pressed against his brow,
  His elbows on [116] his tremulous knees.                1090

  There, self-involved, does Peter sit
  Until no sign of life he makes,
  As if his mind were sinking deep
  Through years that have been long asleep!
  The trance is passed away--he wakes;                    1095

  He lifts [117] his head--and sees the Ass
  Yet standing in the clear moonshine;
  "When shall I be as good as thou?
  Oh! would, poor beast, that I had now
  A heart but half as good as thine!"                     1100

  But _He_--who deviously hath sought
  His Father through the lonesome woods,
  Hath sought, proclaiming to the ear
  Of night his grief and sorrowful fear--[118]
  He comes, escaped from fields and floods;--1105

  With weary pace is drawing nigh;
  He sees the Ass--and nothing living
  Had ever such a fit of joy
  As hath [119] this little orphan Boy,
  For he has no misgiving!                                1110

  Forth to [120] the gentle Ass he springs,
  And up about his neck he climbs;
  In loving words he talks to him,
  He kisses, kisses face and limb,--
  He kisses him a thousand times!                         1115

  This Peter sees, while in the shade
  He stood beside the cottage-door;
  And Peter Bell, the ruffian wild,
  Sobs loud, he sobs even like a child,
  "Oh! God, I can endure no more!"                        1120

--Here ends my Tale: for in a trice
  Arrived a neighbour with his horse;
  Peter went forth with him straightway;
  And, with due care, ere break of day,
  Together they brought back the Corse.                   1125

  And many years did this poor Ass,
  Whom once it was my luck to see
  Cropping the shrubs of Leming-Lane,
  Help by his labour to maintain
  The Widow and her family.                               1130

  And Peter Bell, who, till that night,
  Had been the wildest of his clan,
  Forsook his crimes, renounced [121] his folly,
  And, after ten months' melancholy,
  Became a good and honest man. [K]                       1135



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VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1: 1827.

  And something               1819.]



[Variant 2:

1849.

  Whose shape is like         1819.

  For shape just like         1845.]


[Variant 3:

1845.

  The noise of danger fills     1819.]


[Variant 4:

1827.

  Meanwhile I from the helm admire      1819.

              ... I soberly admire       C.]


[Variant 5:

1827.

  Or deep into the heavens     1819.
  Or into massy clouds         1820.]


[Variant 6:

1820.

  ... between ...         1819.]


[Variant 7:

1827.

  ... are ill-built,
  But proud let him be who has seen them;      1819.]


[Variant 8:

1827.

  ... between ...      1819.]


[Variant 9:

1827.

  That darling speck ...      1819.]


[Variant 10:

1836.

  And there it is, ...      1819.]


[Variant 11:

1827

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The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 2 (of 8)

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