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

On the 2nd of February 1820 Wordsworth wrote to the Earl of Lonsdale: "I
sincerely condole with you on the lamented death of our most gracious
and venerable Sovereign.... The best consolation for us all lies in the
reflection that George the Third will be ranked by posterity among the
best and wisest kings that ever sat upon the throne of England."--ED.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 396: 1832.

    ON THE DEATH OF HIS LATE MAJESTY.                           1820.
]

[Footnote 397: 1827.

    Yet haply cheered with some faint glimmering                1820.
]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote EI: His predecessor, George II., died in 1760.--ED.]


"THE STARS ARE MANSIONS BUILT BY NATURE'S HAND"

Composed 1820.--Published 1820

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

    The stars are mansions built by Nature's hand,
    And, haply, there the spirits of the blest
    Dwell, clothed in radiance, their immortal vest;[398]
    Huge Ocean shows, within his yellow strand,[399]
    A habitation marvellously planned,                             5
    For life to occupy in love and rest;
    All that we see--is dome, or vault, or nest,
    Or fortress, reared at Nature's sage command.[400]
    Glad thought for every season! but the Spring[401]
    Gave it while cares were weighing on my heart,                10
    'Mid song of birds, and insects murmuring;
    And while the youthful year's prolific art--
    Of bud, leaf, blade, and flower--was fashioning
    Abodes where self-disturbance hath no part.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 398: 1845 and C.

    And, haply, there the spirits of the blest
    Live, clothed in radiance, their immortal vest;             1820.

    The Sun is peopled; and with Spirits blest,
    Say, can the gentle Moon be unpossest?                      1827.

    The Sun, perchance, a Palace where the blest
    Live clothed in radiance, their immortal vest;   MS. 1817.

    The text of 1840 returns to that of 1820.
]

[Footnote 399: 1827.

    Huge Ocean frames, ...                                      1820.
]

[Footnote 400: 1837.

    Or fort, erected at her sage command.          1820 and MS. 1817.
]

[Footnote 401: 1832.

    Is this a vernal thought? Even so, the Spring
                                                   1820 and MS. 1817.
]


TO THE LADY MARY LOWTHER[EJ]

With a selection from the Poems of Anne, Countess of Winchelsea; and
extracts of similar character from other Writers; transcribed[402] by a
female friend.

Composed 1820.--Published 1820

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

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

On the 2nd of February 1820 Wordsworth wrote to the Earl of Lonsdale: "I
sincerely condole with you on the lamented death of our most gracious
and venerable Sovereign.... The best consolation for us all lies in the
reflection that George the Third will be ranked by posterity among the
best and wisest kings that ever sat upon the throne of England."--ED.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 396: 1832.

    ON THE DEATH OF HIS LATE MAJESTY.                           1820.
]

[Footnote 397: 1827.

    Yet haply cheered with some faint glimmering                1820.
]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote EI: His predecessor, George II., died in 1760.--ED.]


"THE STARS ARE MANSIONS BUILT BY NATURE'S HAND"

Composed 1820.--Published 1820

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

    The stars are mansions built by Nature's hand,
    And, haply, there the spirits of the blest
    Dwell, clothed in radiance, their immortal vest;[398]
    Huge Ocean shows, within his yellow strand,[399]
    A habitation marvellously planned,                             5
    For life to occupy in love and rest;
    All that we see--is dome, or vault, or nest,
    Or fortress, reared at Nature's sage command.[400]
    Glad thought for every season! but the Spring[401]
    Gave it while cares were weighing on my heart,                10
    'Mid song of birds, and insects murmuring;
    And while the youthful year's prolific art--
    Of bud, leaf, blade, and flower--was fashioning
    Abodes where self-disturbance hath no part.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 398: 1845 and C.

    And, haply, there the spirits of the blest
    Live, clothed in radiance, their immortal vest;             1820.

    The Sun is peopled; and with Spirits blest,
    Say, can the gentle Moon be unpossest?                      1827.

    The Sun, perchance, a Palace where the blest
    Live clothed in radiance, their immortal vest;   MS. 1817.

    The text of 1840 returns to that of 1820.
]

[Footnote 399: 1827.

    Huge Ocean frames, ...                                      1820.
]

[Footnote 400: 1837.

    Or fort, erected at her sage command.          1820 and MS. 1817.
]

[Footnote 401: 1832.

    Is this a vernal thought? Even so, the Spring
                                                   1820 and MS. 1817.
]


TO THE LADY MARY LOWTHER[EJ]

With a selection from the Poems of Anne, Countess of Winchelsea; and
extracts of similar character from other Writers; transcribed[402] by a
female friend.

Composed 1820.--Published 1820

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

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)

No reviews yet