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

And, if there be whom broken ties[336]
    Afflict, or injuries assail,
    Yon hazy ridges to their eyes
    Present a glorious scale,[DG]
    Climbing suffused with sunny air,                             45
    To stop--no record hath told where!
    And tempting Fancy to ascend,
    And with immortal Spirits blend![337]
    --Wings at my shoulders[338] seem to play;[DH]
    But, rooted here, I stand and gaze                            50
    On those bright steps that heaven-ward raise[339]
    Their practicable way.
    Come forth, ye drooping[340] old men, look abroad,
    And see to what fair countries ye are bound!
    And if some traveller, weary of his road,                     55
    Hath slept since noontide on the grassy ground,
    Ye Genii! to his covert speed;[341]
    And wake him with such gentle heed[342]
    As may attune his soul to meet the dower
    Bestowed on this transcendent hour!                           60

    IV

    Such hues from their celestial Urn
    Were wont to stream before mine eye,[343]
    Where'er it[344] wandered in the morn
    Of blissful infancy.[DI]
    This glimpse of glory, why renewed?                           65
    Nay, rather speak with[345] gratitude;
    For, if a vestige of those gleams
    Survived, 'twas only in my dreams.
    Dread Power! whom peace and calmness serve
    No less than Nature's threatening voice,[346]                 70
    If aught unworthy be my choice,
    From THEE if I would swerve;
    Oh, let thy grace remind me of the light
    Full early lost, and fruitlessly deplored;
    Which, at this moment, on my waking sight                     75
    Appears to shine, by miracle restored;
    My soul, though yet confined to earth,
    Rejoices in a second birth!
    --'Tis past, the visionary splendour fades;
    And night approaches with her shades.                         80

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 326: 1827.

    ... with suppliant knee;                                    1820.
]

[Footnote 327: 1827.

    But faith, and hope, and extacy!                            1820.
]

[Footnote 328: 1820.

    And solemnize ...                                             MS.
]

[Footnote 329: 1820.

    ... rang
    Of harp and voice while angels sang
    Amid the umbrageous grove,                                    MS.
]

[Footnote 330: 1832.

    Or, ranged like stars along some sovereign height, MS. and 1820.
]

[Footnote 331: 1820.

    ... both.--Ye sons of Light
    If such communion were repeated now
    Nor harp nor seraph's voice could move                        MS.
]

[Footnote 332: 1820.

    ... holier ...                                                MS.
]

[Footnote 333: 1820.

    What though no sound be heard--a deep                         MS.
]

[Footnote 334: 1820.

    Herds graze ...                                               MS.
]

[Footnote 335: 1820.

    From worlds unquicken'd ...                                   MS.
]

[Footnote 336: 1820.

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

And, if there be whom broken ties[336]
    Afflict, or injuries assail,
    Yon hazy ridges to their eyes
    Present a glorious scale,[DG]
    Climbing suffused with sunny air,                             45
    To stop--no record hath told where!
    And tempting Fancy to ascend,
    And with immortal Spirits blend![337]
    --Wings at my shoulders[338] seem to play;[DH]
    But, rooted here, I stand and gaze                            50
    On those bright steps that heaven-ward raise[339]
    Their practicable way.
    Come forth, ye drooping[340] old men, look abroad,
    And see to what fair countries ye are bound!
    And if some traveller, weary of his road,                     55
    Hath slept since noontide on the grassy ground,
    Ye Genii! to his covert speed;[341]
    And wake him with such gentle heed[342]
    As may attune his soul to meet the dower
    Bestowed on this transcendent hour!                           60

    IV

    Such hues from their celestial Urn
    Were wont to stream before mine eye,[343]
    Where'er it[344] wandered in the morn
    Of blissful infancy.[DI]
    This glimpse of glory, why renewed?                           65
    Nay, rather speak with[345] gratitude;
    For, if a vestige of those gleams
    Survived, 'twas only in my dreams.
    Dread Power! whom peace and calmness serve
    No less than Nature's threatening voice,[346]                 70
    If aught unworthy be my choice,
    From THEE if I would swerve;
    Oh, let thy grace remind me of the light
    Full early lost, and fruitlessly deplored;
    Which, at this moment, on my waking sight                     75
    Appears to shine, by miracle restored;
    My soul, though yet confined to earth,
    Rejoices in a second birth!
    --'Tis past, the visionary splendour fades;
    And night approaches with her shades.                         80

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 326: 1827.

    ... with suppliant knee;                                    1820.
]

[Footnote 327: 1827.

    But faith, and hope, and extacy!                            1820.
]

[Footnote 328: 1820.

    And solemnize ...                                             MS.
]

[Footnote 329: 1820.

    ... rang
    Of harp and voice while angels sang
    Amid the umbrageous grove,                                    MS.
]

[Footnote 330: 1832.

    Or, ranged like stars along some sovereign height, MS. and 1820.
]

[Footnote 331: 1820.

    ... both.--Ye sons of Light
    If such communion were repeated now
    Nor harp nor seraph's voice could move                        MS.
]

[Footnote 332: 1820.

    ... holier ...                                                MS.
]

[Footnote 333: 1820.

    What though no sound be heard--a deep                         MS.
]

[Footnote 334: 1820.

    Herds graze ...                                               MS.
]

[Footnote 335: 1820.

    From worlds unquicken'd ...                                   MS.
]

[Footnote 336: 1820.

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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