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

"William and I went to Grace Dieu last week. We were enchanted with the
little valley and its nooks, and the rocks of Charnwood upon the
hill."--Dorothy Wordsworth to Lady Beaumont, November 17, 1806.

This "Inscription" was composed at Grasmere, November 19, 1811, as the
following extract from a letter of Wordsworth's to Lady Beaumont
indicates:--"Grasmere, Wednesday, November 20, 1811.--My Dear Lady
Beaumont--When you see this you will think I mean to overrun you with
inscriptions. I do not mean to tax you with putting them up, only with
reading them. The following I composed yesterday morning in a walk from
Brathay, whither I had been to accompany my sister:--

        FOR A SEAT IN THE GROVES OF COLEORTON.

      Beneath yon eastern ridge, the craggy bound.

The thought of writing this inscription occurred to me many years
ago."--ED.

VARIANTS:

[1] 1820.

      ... that ...                                       1815.

[2] 1815.

      But, when the formal Mass had long been stilled,
      And wise and mighty changes were fulfilled;
      That Ground gave birth to men of various Parts
      For Knightly Services and liberal Arts.

    MS. letter to Lady Beaumont, 20th November, 1811.

[3] 1815.

      With which his skill inspired ...                    MS.

[4] 1815.

      But Truth and Intellectual Power can raise,

    MS. letter to Lady Beaumont, 20th November, 1811.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] In the editions of 1815 and 1820, Wordsworth appended the following
line from Daniel, as a note to the third last line of this "Inscription"--

      Strait all that holy was unhallowed lies.

                                         DANIEL.           ED.

SONG AT THE FEAST OF BROUGHAM CASTLE,

UPON THE RESTORATION OF LORD CLIFFORD, THE SHEPHERD, TO THE ESTATES AND
  HONOURS OF HIS ANCESTORS

Composed 1807.--Published 1807

[See the note. This poem was composed at Coleorton while I was walking
to and fro along the path that led from Sir George Beaumont's
Farmhouse, where we resided, to the Hall, which was building at that
time.--I. F.]

One of the "Poems of the Imagination."--ED.

    High in the breathless Hall the Minstrel sate,
    And Emont's murmur mingled with the Song.--
    The words of ancient time I thus translate,
    A festal strain that hath been silent long:--

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

Opening the text

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

"William and I went to Grace Dieu last week. We were enchanted with the
little valley and its nooks, and the rocks of Charnwood upon the
hill."--Dorothy Wordsworth to Lady Beaumont, November 17, 1806.

This "Inscription" was composed at Grasmere, November 19, 1811, as the
following extract from a letter of Wordsworth's to Lady Beaumont
indicates:--"Grasmere, Wednesday, November 20, 1811.--My Dear Lady
Beaumont--When you see this you will think I mean to overrun you with
inscriptions. I do not mean to tax you with putting them up, only with
reading them. The following I composed yesterday morning in a walk from
Brathay, whither I had been to accompany my sister:--

        FOR A SEAT IN THE GROVES OF COLEORTON.

      Beneath yon eastern ridge, the craggy bound.

The thought of writing this inscription occurred to me many years
ago."--ED.

VARIANTS:

[1] 1820.

      ... that ...                                       1815.

[2] 1815.

      But, when the formal Mass had long been stilled,
      And wise and mighty changes were fulfilled;
      That Ground gave birth to men of various Parts
      For Knightly Services and liberal Arts.

    MS. letter to Lady Beaumont, 20th November, 1811.

[3] 1815.

      With which his skill inspired ...                    MS.

[4] 1815.

      But Truth and Intellectual Power can raise,

    MS. letter to Lady Beaumont, 20th November, 1811.

FOOTNOTES:

[A] In the editions of 1815 and 1820, Wordsworth appended the following
line from Daniel, as a note to the third last line of this "Inscription"--

      Strait all that holy was unhallowed lies.

                                         DANIEL.           ED.

SONG AT THE FEAST OF BROUGHAM CASTLE,

UPON THE RESTORATION OF LORD CLIFFORD, THE SHEPHERD, TO THE ESTATES AND
  HONOURS OF HIS ANCESTORS

Composed 1807.--Published 1807

[See the note. This poem was composed at Coleorton while I was walking
to and fro along the path that led from Sir George Beaumont's
Farmhouse, where we resided, to the Hall, which was building at that
time.--I. F.]

One of the "Poems of the Imagination."--ED.

    High in the breathless Hall the Minstrel sate,
    And Emont's murmur mingled with the Song.--
    The words of ancient time I thus translate,
    A festal strain that hath been silent long:--

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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