'For lo, the sea that fleets about the land, And like a girdle clips her solid waist, Music and measure both doth understand; For his great crystal eye is always cast Up to the moon, and on her fixed fast: And as she danceth in her palid sphere So danceth he about his centre here.' DAVIES 'Still as a slave before his lord, The ocean hath no blast; His great bright eye most silently Up to the moon is cast-- If he may know which way to go; For she guides him smooth or grim. See, brother, see! how graciously She looketh down on him.' COLERIDGE. These extracts show how both Wordsworth and Coleridge assimilated past literary products, and how they glorified them by reproduction. There was little, however, in the poetic imagery of previous centuries that Wordsworth reproduced. His imagination worked in a sphere of its own, free from the trammels of precedent; and he was more original than any other nineteenth century poet in his use of symbol and metaphor. The poem 'To Joanna' was probably composed on August 22, 1800, as the following occurs in Dorothy Wordsworth's Journal under that date: "William was composing all the morning ... W. read us the poem of Joanna, beside the Rothay, by the roadside." Charles Lamb wrote to Wordsworth in January 1801, of "these continuous echoes in the story of 'Joanna's laugh,' when the mountains and all the scenery seem absolutely alive." Ed. * * * * * "THERE IS AN EMINENCE,--OF THESE OUR HILLS" Composed 1800.--Published 1800 [It is not accurate that the Eminence here alluded to could be seen from our orchard-seat. It rises above the road by the side of Grasmere Lake towards Keswick, and its name is Stone-Arthur.--I.F.] There is an Eminence,--of these our hills The last that parleys with the setting sun; We can behold it from our orchard-seat; And, when at evening we pursue our walk Along the public way, this Peak, [1] so high 5 Above us, and so distant in its height, Is visible; and often seems to send Its own deep quiet to restore our hearts. The meteors make of it a favourite haunt: The star of Jove, so beautiful and large 10 In the mid heavens, is never half so fair As when he shines above it. 'Tis in truth The loneliest place we have among the clouds. And She who dwells with me, whom I have loved With such communion, that no place on earth 15 Can ever be a solitude to me, Hath to this lonely Summit given my Name. [2] * * * * * VARIANTS ON THE TEXT [Variant 1: 1840. ... this Cliff, ... 1800.] [Variant 2: 1815. Hath said, this lonesome Peak shall bear my Name. 1800.] Stone-Arthur is the name of the hill, on the east side of the Vale of Grasmere, opposite Helm Crag, and between Green Head Ghyll and Tongue Ghyll.--Ed.