The poems belonging to the years 1809 and 1810 were mainly sonnets--although _The Excursion_ was being added to at intervals. Of twenty-four which were included by Wordsworth, in the final arrangement of his poems, among those "dedicated to National Independence and Liberty," fourteen belong to the year 1809, and ten to 1810. It is difficult to ascertain the principle which guided him in determining the succession of these sonnets. They were not placed in chronological order; nor is there any historical or topographical reason for their being arranged as they were. I have therefore felt at liberty to depart from his order, to the following extent. The six sonnets referring to the Tyrolese have been brought together in one group. Those containing allusions to Spain might have been similarly treated; but the sonnets on Schill, the King of Sweden, and Napoleon--as arranged by Wordsworth himself--do not break the continuity of the series on Spain, in the same way that the insertion of those on Palafox and Zaragoza interferes with the unity of the Tyrolean group; and the re-arrangement of the latter series enables me more conveniently to append to it a German translation of the sonnets, and a paper upon them, by Alois Brandl.--ED. TYROLESE SONNETS I HOFFER Composed 1809.--Published 1809[A] The six sonnets of this Tyrolean group were placed among the "Sonnets dedicated to Liberty."--ED. Of mortal parents is the Hero born By whom the undaunted Tyrolese are led? Or is it Tell's great Spirit, from the dead Returned to animate an age forlorn? He comes like Phoebus through the gates of morn 5 When dreary darkness is discomfited, Yet mark his modest[1] state! upon his head, That simple crest, a heron's plume, is worn.[2] O Liberty! they stagger at the shock From van to rear--and with one mind would flee, 10 But half their host is buried:[3]--rock on rock Descends:--beneath this godlike Warrior, see! Hills, torrents, woods, embodied to bemock The Tyrant, and confound his cruelty. The expectation that the Germans would rise against the French in 1807 was realised only in the Tyrol. Andreas Hofer, an innkeeper in the Passeierthal, was the chief of the Tyrolese leaders. More than once he called his countrymen to arms, and was successful for a time. The Bavarians, however, defeated him, in October 1809. He was tried by court-martial, and shot in 1810.--ED. VARIANTS: [1] 1815. ... simple ... 1809. [2] 1815. A Heron's feather for a crest is worn. 1809. [3] 1837. ... at the shock; The Murderers are aghast; they strive to flee And half their Host is buried:-- ... 1809. FOOTNOTES: [A] In _The Friend_, October 26.--ED. II "ADVANCE--COME FORTH FROM THY TYROLEAN GROUND" Composed 1809.--Published 1809[A]