The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 5 (of 8)

Name: The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 5 (of 8)
Author: Wordsworth, William

Wordsworth, William

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

That promises to the end a blest old age!"

      "Yet," with a smile of triumph thus exclaimed              390
    The Solitary, "in the life of man,
    If to the poetry of common speech
    Faith may be given, we see as in a glass
    A true reflection of the circling year,
    With all its seasons. Grant that Spring is there,            395
    In spite of many a rough untoward blast,
    Hopeful and promising with buds and flowers;
    Yet where is glowing Summer's long rich day,
    That _ought_ to follow faithfully expressed?
    And mellow Autumn, charged with bounteous fruit,             400
    Where is she imaged? in what favoured clime
    Her lavish pomp, and ripe magnificence?
    --Yet, while the better part is missed, the worse
    In man's autumnal season is set forth
    With a resemblance not to be denied,                         405
    And that contents him; bowers that hear no more
    The voice of gladness, less and less supply
    Of outward sunshine and internal warmth;
    And, with this change, sharp air and falling leaves,
    Foretelling aged Winter's desolate sway.[454]                410

      "How gay the habitations that bedeck[455]
    This fertile valley! Not a house but seems
    To give assurance of content within;[GN]
    Embosomed happiness, and placid love;
    As if the sunshine of the day were met                       415
    With answering brightness in the hearts of all
    Who walk this favoured ground. But chance-regards,
    And notice forced upon incurious ears;
    These, if these only, acting in despite
    Of the encomiums by my Friend pronounced                     420
    On humble life, forbid the judging mind
    To trust the smiling aspect of this fair
    And noiseless commonwealth. The simple race
    Of mountaineers (by nature's self removed
    From foul temptations, and by constant care                  425
    Of a good shepherd tended as themselves
    Do tend their flocks) partake man's general lot[456]
    With little mitigation. They escape,
    Perchance, the heavier woes of guilt; feel not[457]
    The tedium of fantastic idleness:                            430
    Yet life, as with the multitude, with them
    Is fashioned like an ill-constructed tale;
    That on the outset wastes its gay desires,
    Its fair adventures, its enlivening hopes,
    And pleasant interests--for the sequel leaving               435
    Old things repeated with diminished grace;
    And all the laboured novelties at best
    Imperfect substitutes, whose use and power
    Evince the want and weakness whence they spring."

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

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The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 5 (of 8)Wordsworth, William

General

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 5 (of 8)

Wordsworth, William

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

That promises to the end a blest old age!"

      "Yet," with a smile of triumph thus exclaimed              390
    The Solitary, "in the life of man,
    If to the poetry of common speech
    Faith may be given, we see as in a glass
    A true reflection of the circling year,
    With all its seasons. Grant that Spring is there,            395
    In spite of many a rough untoward blast,
    Hopeful and promising with buds and flowers;
    Yet where is glowing Summer's long rich day,
    That _ought_ to follow faithfully expressed?
    And mellow Autumn, charged with bounteous fruit,             400
    Where is she imaged? in what favoured clime
    Her lavish pomp, and ripe magnificence?
    --Yet, while the better part is missed, the worse
    In man's autumnal season is set forth
    With a resemblance not to be denied,                         405
    And that contents him; bowers that hear no more
    The voice of gladness, less and less supply
    Of outward sunshine and internal warmth;
    And, with this change, sharp air and falling leaves,
    Foretelling aged Winter's desolate sway.[454]                410

      "How gay the habitations that bedeck[455]
    This fertile valley! Not a house but seems
    To give assurance of content within;[GN]
    Embosomed happiness, and placid love;
    As if the sunshine of the day were met                       415
    With answering brightness in the hearts of all
    Who walk this favoured ground. But chance-regards,
    And notice forced upon incurious ears;
    These, if these only, acting in despite
    Of the encomiums by my Friend pronounced                     420
    On humble life, forbid the judging mind
    To trust the smiling aspect of this fair
    And noiseless commonwealth. The simple race
    Of mountaineers (by nature's self removed
    From foul temptations, and by constant care                  425
    Of a good shepherd tended as themselves
    Do tend their flocks) partake man's general lot[456]
    With little mitigation. They escape,
    Perchance, the heavier woes of guilt; feel not[457]
    The tedium of fantastic idleness:                            430
    Yet life, as with the multitude, with them
    Is fashioned like an ill-constructed tale;
    That on the outset wastes its gay desires,
    Its fair adventures, its enlivening hopes,
    And pleasant interests--for the sequel leaving               435
    Old things repeated with diminished grace;
    And all the laboured novelties at best
    Imperfect substitutes, whose use and power
    Evince the want and weakness whence they spring."

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

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 5 (of 8)

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 5 (of 8)

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