The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 4 (of 8)

Name: The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 4 (of 8)
Author: Wordsworth, William

Wordsworth, William

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

With her Companion, in such frame
    Of mind, to Rylstone back she came;
    And, ranging[197] through the wasted groves,
    Received the memory of old loves,
    Undisturbed and undistrest,                                205
    Into a soul which now was blest
    With a soft spring-day of holy,
    Mild, and grateful, melancholy:[198]
    Not sunless gloom or unenlightened,
    But by tender fancies brightened.                          210

      When the bells of Rylstone played
    Their sabbath music--"=God us ayde!="[TT]
    That was the sound they seemed to speak;
    Inscriptive legend which I ween
    May on those holy bells be seen,                           215
    That legend and her Grandsire's name;
    And oftentimes the Lady meek
    Had in her childhood read the same;
    Words which she slighted at that day;
    But now, when such sad change was wrought,                 220
    And of that lonely name she thought,
    The bells of Rylstone seemed to say,
    While she sate listening in the shade,
    With vocal music, "=God us ayde;="
    And all the hills were glad to bear                        225
    Their part in this effectual prayer.

      Nor lacked she Reason's firmest power;
    But with the White Doe at her side
    Up would she climb to Norton Tower,
    And thence look round her far and wide,                    230
    Her fate there measuring;--all is stilled,--
    The weak One hath subdued her heart;[199]
    Behold the prophecy fulfilled,
    Fulfilled, and she sustains her part!
    But here her Brother's words have failed;                  235
    Here hath a milder doom prevailed;
    That she, of him and all bereft,
    Hath yet this faithful Partner left;
    This one Associate[200] that disproves
    His words, remains for her, and loves.                     240
    If tears are shed, they do not fall
    For loss of him--for one, or all;
    Yet, sometimes, sometimes doth she weep
    Moved gently in her soul's soft sleep;
    A few tears down her cheek descend                         245
    For this her last and living Friend.

      Bless, tender Hearts, their mutual lot,
    And bless for both this savage spot;
    Which Emily doth sacred hold
    For reasons dear and manifold--                            250
    Here hath she, here before her sight,
    Close to the summit of this height,
    The grassy rock-encircled Pound[UU]
    In which the Creature first was found.
    So beautiful the timid Thrall                              255
    (A spotless Youngling white as foam)
    Her youngest Brother brought it home;
    The youngest, then a lusty boy,
    Bore it, or led, to Rylstone-hall
    With heart brimful of pride and joy![201]                  260

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 4 (of 8)Wordsworth, William

General

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 4 (of 8)

Wordsworth, William

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

With her Companion, in such frame
    Of mind, to Rylstone back she came;
    And, ranging[197] through the wasted groves,
    Received the memory of old loves,
    Undisturbed and undistrest,                                205
    Into a soul which now was blest
    With a soft spring-day of holy,
    Mild, and grateful, melancholy:[198]
    Not sunless gloom or unenlightened,
    But by tender fancies brightened.                          210

      When the bells of Rylstone played
    Their sabbath music--"=God us ayde!="[TT]
    That was the sound they seemed to speak;
    Inscriptive legend which I ween
    May on those holy bells be seen,                           215
    That legend and her Grandsire's name;
    And oftentimes the Lady meek
    Had in her childhood read the same;
    Words which she slighted at that day;
    But now, when such sad change was wrought,                 220
    And of that lonely name she thought,
    The bells of Rylstone seemed to say,
    While she sate listening in the shade,
    With vocal music, "=God us ayde;="
    And all the hills were glad to bear                        225
    Their part in this effectual prayer.

      Nor lacked she Reason's firmest power;
    But with the White Doe at her side
    Up would she climb to Norton Tower,
    And thence look round her far and wide,                    230
    Her fate there measuring;--all is stilled,--
    The weak One hath subdued her heart;[199]
    Behold the prophecy fulfilled,
    Fulfilled, and she sustains her part!
    But here her Brother's words have failed;                  235
    Here hath a milder doom prevailed;
    That she, of him and all bereft,
    Hath yet this faithful Partner left;
    This one Associate[200] that disproves
    His words, remains for her, and loves.                     240
    If tears are shed, they do not fall
    For loss of him--for one, or all;
    Yet, sometimes, sometimes doth she weep
    Moved gently in her soul's soft sleep;
    A few tears down her cheek descend                         245
    For this her last and living Friend.

      Bless, tender Hearts, their mutual lot,
    And bless for both this savage spot;
    Which Emily doth sacred hold
    For reasons dear and manifold--                            250
    Here hath she, here before her sight,
    Close to the summit of this height,
    The grassy rock-encircled Pound[UU]
    In which the Creature first was found.
    So beautiful the timid Thrall                              255
    (A spotless Youngling white as foam)
    Her youngest Brother brought it home;
    The youngest, then a lusty boy,
    Bore it, or led, to Rylstone-hall
    With heart brimful of pride and joy![201]                  260

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 4 (of 8)

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 4 (of 8)

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