Familiar with forgotten years, that shows Inscribed upon its visionary sides,[39] The history of many a winter storm, Or obscure records of the path of fire.[AL] And thus before his eighteenth year was told, 280 Accumulated feelings pressed his heart With still increasing weight;[40] he was o'erpowered By Nature; by the turbulence subdued Of his own mind; by mystery and hope, And the first virgin passion of a soul 285 Communing with the glorious universe.[AM] Full often wished he that the winds might rage When they were silent: far more fondly now Than in his earlier season did he love Tempestuous nights--the conflict and the sounds 290 That live in darkness. From his intellect And from the stillness of abstracted thought He asked repose; and, failing oft to win[41] The peace required, he scanned the laws of light Amid the roar of torrents, where they send 295 From hollow clefts up to the clearer air A cloud of mist, that smitten by the sun Varies its rainbow hues.[42] But vainly thus, And vainly by all other means, he strove To mitigate the fever of his heart. 300 In dreams, in study, and in ardent thought, Thus was he reared; much wanting to assist The growth of intellect, yet gaining more,[43] And every moral feeling of his soul Strengthened and braced, by breathing in content 305 The keen, the wholesome, air of poverty, And drinking from the well of homely life.[AN] --But, from past liberty, and tried restraints, He now was summoned to select the course Of humble industry that[44] promised best 310 To yield him no unworthy maintenance. Urged by his Mother, he essayed to teach A village-school--but wandering thoughts were then A misery to him; and the Youth resigned[45] A task he was unable to perform. 315