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

Aerial Rock--whose solitary brow
    From this low threshold daily meets my sight;
    When I step[360] forth to hail the morning light;
    Or quit the stars with a lingering farewell--how[361]
    Shall Fancy pay to thee a grateful vow?                        5
    How, with the Muse's aid, her love attest?
    --By planting on thy naked head the crest[362]
    Of an imperial Castle, which the plough
    Of ruin shall not touch. Innocent scheme!
    That doth presume no more than to supply                      10
    A grace the sinuous vale and roaring stream
    Want, through neglect of hoar Antiquity.
    Rise, then, ye votive Towers! and catch a gleam
    Of golden sunset, ere it fade and die.

Compare the sonnet No. XXVII. of the Duddon Series, beginning "Fallen,
and diffused into a shapeless heap," as it was evidently written with
reference to the old (traditional) Hall of Rydal. If an

    ... embattled House, whose massy Keep
    Flung from yon cliff a shadow large and cold,

stood in "the sinuous vale" of Rydal, there was no "neglect of hoar
Antiquity."--ED.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 358: 1827.

    As if the sun were not;--he lifted high
    His head--and in a moment did appear                        1819.
]

[Footnote 359: 1840.

    ... orb ...                                                 1819.
]

[Footnote 360: 1827.

    ... look ...                                                1819.
]

[Footnote 361: 1837.

    ... with lingering farewell--how                            1819.
]

[Footnote 362: 1827.

    Shall I discharge to thee a grateful vow?--
    By planting on thy head (in verse, at least,
    As I have often done in thought) the crest                  1819.
]


THE WILD DUCK'S NEST

Composed 1819.--Published 1819

[I observed this beautiful nest on the largest island of Rydal
Water.--I. F.]

One of the "Miscellaneous Sonnets."--ED.

    The imperial[363] Consort of the Fairy-king
    Owns not a sylvan bower; or gorgeous cell[364]
    With emerald floored, and with purpureal shell
    Ceilinged and roofed; that is so fair a thing[365]
    As this low structure, for the tasks of Spring,                5
    Prepared by one who loves the buoyant swell
    Of the brisk waves, yet here consents to dwell;
    And spreads[366] in steadfast peace her brooding wing.
    Words cannot paint the o'ershadowing yew-tree bough,
    And dimly-gleaming Nest,--a hollow crown                      10
    Of golden leaves inlaid with silver down,
    Fine as the mother's softest plumes allow:[367]
    I gazed--and, self-accused while gazing, sighed
    For human-kind, weak slaves of cumbrous pride![368]

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 363: 1819.

    Imperial ...                                                  MS.
]

[Footnote 364: 1819.

    Thy favourite home (albeit a bright cell                      MS.
]

[Footnote 365: 1819.

    ... is not so fair a thing                                    MS.
]

[Footnote 366: 1819.

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

Aerial Rock--whose solitary brow
    From this low threshold daily meets my sight;
    When I step[360] forth to hail the morning light;
    Or quit the stars with a lingering farewell--how[361]
    Shall Fancy pay to thee a grateful vow?                        5
    How, with the Muse's aid, her love attest?
    --By planting on thy naked head the crest[362]
    Of an imperial Castle, which the plough
    Of ruin shall not touch. Innocent scheme!
    That doth presume no more than to supply                      10
    A grace the sinuous vale and roaring stream
    Want, through neglect of hoar Antiquity.
    Rise, then, ye votive Towers! and catch a gleam
    Of golden sunset, ere it fade and die.

Compare the sonnet No. XXVII. of the Duddon Series, beginning "Fallen,
and diffused into a shapeless heap," as it was evidently written with
reference to the old (traditional) Hall of Rydal. If an

    ... embattled House, whose massy Keep
    Flung from yon cliff a shadow large and cold,

stood in "the sinuous vale" of Rydal, there was no "neglect of hoar
Antiquity."--ED.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 358: 1827.

    As if the sun were not;--he lifted high
    His head--and in a moment did appear                        1819.
]

[Footnote 359: 1840.

    ... orb ...                                                 1819.
]

[Footnote 360: 1827.

    ... look ...                                                1819.
]

[Footnote 361: 1837.

    ... with lingering farewell--how                            1819.
]

[Footnote 362: 1827.

    Shall I discharge to thee a grateful vow?--
    By planting on thy head (in verse, at least,
    As I have often done in thought) the crest                  1819.
]


THE WILD DUCK'S NEST

Composed 1819.--Published 1819

[I observed this beautiful nest on the largest island of Rydal
Water.--I. F.]

One of the "Miscellaneous Sonnets."--ED.

    The imperial[363] Consort of the Fairy-king
    Owns not a sylvan bower; or gorgeous cell[364]
    With emerald floored, and with purpureal shell
    Ceilinged and roofed; that is so fair a thing[365]
    As this low structure, for the tasks of Spring,                5
    Prepared by one who loves the buoyant swell
    Of the brisk waves, yet here consents to dwell;
    And spreads[366] in steadfast peace her brooding wing.
    Words cannot paint the o'ershadowing yew-tree bough,
    And dimly-gleaming Nest,--a hollow crown                      10
    Of golden leaves inlaid with silver down,
    Fine as the mother's softest plumes allow:[367]
    I gazed--and, self-accused while gazing, sighed
    For human-kind, weak slaves of cumbrous pride![368]

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 363: 1819.

    Imperial ...                                                  MS.
]

[Footnote 364: 1819.

    Thy favourite home (albeit a bright cell                      MS.
]

[Footnote 365: 1819.

    ... is not so fair a thing                                    MS.
]

[Footnote 366: 1819.

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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