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

Lady! I rifled a Parnassian cave
    (But seldom trod) of mildly-gleaming ore;
    And culled, from sundry beds, a lucid store
    Of genuine crystals, pure as those that pave
    The azure brooks, where Dian joys to lave                      5
    Her spotless limbs; and ventured to explore
    Dim shades--for reliques, upon Lethe's shore,
    Cast up at random by the sullen wave.
    To female hands the treasures were resigned;
    And lo this Work!--a grotto bright and clear                  10
    From stain or taint; in which thy blameless mind
    May feed on thoughts though pensive not austere;
    Or, if thy deeper spirit be inclined
    To holy musing, it may enter here.

In the "Essay Supplementary to the Preface" of the Second Edition of
_Lyrical Ballads_ (see "Prose Works," vol. ii. p. 240), Wordsworth
wrote, "it is remarkable that, excepting _The Nocturnal Reverie_ of Lady
Winchelsea, and a passage or two in the _Windsor Forest_ of Pope, the
Poetry of the period intervening between the publication of _Paradise
Lost_ and _The Seasons_ does not contain a single new image of external
nature." _The Nocturnal Reverie_ was written by Anne, Countess of
Winchelsea, daughter of Sir William Kingsmill, Southampton.--ED.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 402: 1827.

    the whole transcribed ...                                   1820.
]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote EJ: In 1820 (first edition) the title was "To ----."--ED.]


ON THE DETRACTION WHICH FOLLOWED THE PUBLICATION OF A CERTAIN POEM

Composed 1820.--Published 1820

See Milton's Sonnet, beginning, "A book was writ of late called
_Tetrachordon_."

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

    A book came forth of late, called PETER BELL;
    Not negligent the style;--the matter?--good
    As aught that song records of Robin Hood;
    Or Roy, renowned through many a Scottish dell;
    But some (who brook those hackneyed themes full well,
    Nor heat,[403] at Tam o' Shanter's name, their blood)          6
    Waxed wroth, and with foul claws, a harpy brood,
    On Bard and Hero clamorously fell.
    Heed not, wild Rover once through heath and glen,
    Who mad'st at length the better life thy choice,              10
    Heed not such onset! nay, if praise of men
    To thee appear not an unmeaning voice,
    Lift up that grey-haired forehead, and rejoice
    In the just tribute of thy Poet's pen!

It may be useful, for comparison, to quote Milton's sonnet in full.

_On the Detraction which followed upon my writing certain Treatises_

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

Lady! I rifled a Parnassian cave
    (But seldom trod) of mildly-gleaming ore;
    And culled, from sundry beds, a lucid store
    Of genuine crystals, pure as those that pave
    The azure brooks, where Dian joys to lave                      5
    Her spotless limbs; and ventured to explore
    Dim shades--for reliques, upon Lethe's shore,
    Cast up at random by the sullen wave.
    To female hands the treasures were resigned;
    And lo this Work!--a grotto bright and clear                  10
    From stain or taint; in which thy blameless mind
    May feed on thoughts though pensive not austere;
    Or, if thy deeper spirit be inclined
    To holy musing, it may enter here.

In the "Essay Supplementary to the Preface" of the Second Edition of
_Lyrical Ballads_ (see "Prose Works," vol. ii. p. 240), Wordsworth
wrote, "it is remarkable that, excepting _The Nocturnal Reverie_ of Lady
Winchelsea, and a passage or two in the _Windsor Forest_ of Pope, the
Poetry of the period intervening between the publication of _Paradise
Lost_ and _The Seasons_ does not contain a single new image of external
nature." _The Nocturnal Reverie_ was written by Anne, Countess of
Winchelsea, daughter of Sir William Kingsmill, Southampton.--ED.

VARIANTS:

[Footnote 402: 1827.

    the whole transcribed ...                                   1820.
]

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote EJ: In 1820 (first edition) the title was "To ----."--ED.]


ON THE DETRACTION WHICH FOLLOWED THE PUBLICATION OF A CERTAIN POEM

Composed 1820.--Published 1820

See Milton's Sonnet, beginning, "A book was writ of late called
_Tetrachordon_."

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

    A book came forth of late, called PETER BELL;
    Not negligent the style;--the matter?--good
    As aught that song records of Robin Hood;
    Or Roy, renowned through many a Scottish dell;
    But some (who brook those hackneyed themes full well,
    Nor heat,[403] at Tam o' Shanter's name, their blood)          6
    Waxed wroth, and with foul claws, a harpy brood,
    On Bard and Hero clamorously fell.
    Heed not, wild Rover once through heath and glen,
    Who mad'st at length the better life thy choice,              10
    Heed not such onset! nay, if praise of men
    To thee appear not an unmeaning voice,
    Lift up that grey-haired forehead, and rejoice
    In the just tribute of thy Poet's pen!

It may be useful, for comparison, to quote Milton's sonnet in full.

_On the Detraction which followed upon my writing certain Treatises_

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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