The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)

Name: The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)
Author: Wordsworth, William

Wordsworth, William

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

Much did it taunt the humble Light[305]                       25
    That now, when day was fled, and night
    Hushed the dark earth, fast closing weary eyes,[306]
    A very reptile could presume
    To show her taper in the gloom,
    As if in rivalship with One                                   30
    Who sate a ruler on his throne
    Erected in the skies.

    "Exalted Star!" the Worm replied,
    "Abate this unbecoming pride,
    Or with a less uneasy lustre shine;                           35
    Thou shrink'st as momently thy rays
    Are mastered by the breathing haze;
    While neither mist, nor thickest cloud
    That shapes in heaven its murky shroud,
    Hath power to injure mine.                                    40

    But[307] not for this do I aspire
    To match the spark of local fire,
    That at my will burns on the dewy lawn,
    With thy acknowledged glories;--No!
    Yet, thus upbraided, I may show[308]                          45
    What favours do attend me here,
    Till, like thyself, I disappear
    Before the purple dawn."

    When this in modest guise was said,
    Across the welkin seemed to spread                            50
    A boding sound--for aught but sleep unfit!
    Hills quaked, the rivers backward ran;
    That Star, so proud of late, looked wan;
    And reeled with visionary stir
    In the blue depth, like Lucifer                               55
    Cast headlong to the pit!

    Fire raged: and, when the spangled floor
    Of ancient ether was no more,
    New heavens succeeded, by the dream brought forth:
    And all the happy Souls that rode                             60
    Transfigured through that fresh[309] abode
    Had heretofore, in humble trust,
    Shone meekly 'mid their native dust,
    The Glow-worms of the earth!

    This knowledge, from an Angel's voice                         65
    Proceeding, made the heart rejoice
    Of Him who slept upon the open lea:
    Waking at morn he murmured not;
    And, till life's journey closed, the spot
    Was to the Pilgrim's soul endeared,                           70
    Where by that[310] dream he had been cheered
    Beneath the shady tree.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 302: 1820.

                        ... Convent's roof;
    But him the haughty Abbot spurned,
    And from the sumptuous gate he turned                         MS.

]

[Footnote 303: 1820.

    The heath or rocky holt might yield,
    Or leafy ...                                                  MS.
]

[Footnote 304: 1827.

    And _That_ whose radiance gleamed from far;                 1820.
        ... streamed ...                                          MS.
]

[Footnote 305: 1845.

    ... the humbler Light                                       1820.
]

[Footnote 306: 1820.

    That now, while sleep to solemn Night
    Was offering gifts of duteous sacrifice,                      MS.
]

[Footnote 307: 1827.

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

Opening the text

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)Wordsworth, William

General

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)

Wordsworth, William

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

Much did it taunt the humble Light[305]                       25
    That now, when day was fled, and night
    Hushed the dark earth, fast closing weary eyes,[306]
    A very reptile could presume
    To show her taper in the gloom,
    As if in rivalship with One                                   30
    Who sate a ruler on his throne
    Erected in the skies.

    "Exalted Star!" the Worm replied,
    "Abate this unbecoming pride,
    Or with a less uneasy lustre shine;                           35
    Thou shrink'st as momently thy rays
    Are mastered by the breathing haze;
    While neither mist, nor thickest cloud
    That shapes in heaven its murky shroud,
    Hath power to injure mine.                                    40

    But[307] not for this do I aspire
    To match the spark of local fire,
    That at my will burns on the dewy lawn,
    With thy acknowledged glories;--No!
    Yet, thus upbraided, I may show[308]                          45
    What favours do attend me here,
    Till, like thyself, I disappear
    Before the purple dawn."

    When this in modest guise was said,
    Across the welkin seemed to spread                            50
    A boding sound--for aught but sleep unfit!
    Hills quaked, the rivers backward ran;
    That Star, so proud of late, looked wan;
    And reeled with visionary stir
    In the blue depth, like Lucifer                               55
    Cast headlong to the pit!

    Fire raged: and, when the spangled floor
    Of ancient ether was no more,
    New heavens succeeded, by the dream brought forth:
    And all the happy Souls that rode                             60
    Transfigured through that fresh[309] abode
    Had heretofore, in humble trust,
    Shone meekly 'mid their native dust,
    The Glow-worms of the earth!

    This knowledge, from an Angel's voice                         65
    Proceeding, made the heart rejoice
    Of Him who slept upon the open lea:
    Waking at morn he murmured not;
    And, till life's journey closed, the spot
    Was to the Pilgrim's soul endeared,                           70
    Where by that[310] dream he had been cheered
    Beneath the shady tree.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 302: 1820.

                        ... Convent's roof;
    But him the haughty Abbot spurned,
    And from the sumptuous gate he turned                         MS.

]

[Footnote 303: 1820.

    The heath or rocky holt might yield,
    Or leafy ...                                                  MS.
]

[Footnote 304: 1827.

    And _That_ whose radiance gleamed from far;                 1820.
        ... streamed ...                                          MS.
]

[Footnote 305: 1845.

    ... the humbler Light                                       1820.
]

[Footnote 306: 1820.

    That now, while sleep to solemn Night
    Was offering gifts of duteous sacrifice,                      MS.
]

[Footnote 307: 1827.

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

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 6 (of 8)

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