"Now, in a well-known and often-quoted passage in Wordsworth's letter in answer to Mathetes (_Friend_, vol. iii. 35, etc.), he speaks of the '_sullen_ light' which survives the extinguished flame of the candle that the schoolboy has blown out. 'It continues,' he says, 'to shine with an endurance which in its apparent weakness is a mystery; it protracts its existence so long ... that the observer who had lain down in his bed so easy-minded, becomes sad and melancholy,' etc. etc. etc. "In the sonnet the same ideas occur, only the 'melancholy' is here predicated figuratively of the 'light' itself:-- the sky, Muffled in clouds, affords no company To mitigate and cheer its loneliness. Yet, round the body of that joyless Thing Which sends so far its melancholy light, Perhaps are seated, etc. etc. "This paper in _The Friend_ was written in 1810; and it is possible that the sonnet was written at about the same time.--W. A. HARRISON."--ED. VARIANTS: [Footnote 76: 1827. Sullenly ... 1815. ] [Footnote 77: 1827. ... 'mid its ... 1815. ] "MARK THE CONCENTRED HAZELS THAT ENCLOSE" Published 1815 [Suggested in the wild hazel wood at the foot of Helm-crag, where the stone still lies, with others of like form and character, though much of the wood that veiled it from the glare of day has been felled. This beautiful ground was lately purchased by our friend Mrs. Fletcher; the ancient owners, most respected persons, being obliged to part with it in consequence of the imprudence of a son. It is gratifying to mention that, instead of murmuring and repining at this change of fortune, they offered their services to Mrs. Fletcher, the husband as an outdoor labourer, and the wife as a domestic servant. I have witnessed the pride and pleasure with which the man worked at improvements of the ground round the house. Indeed he expressed those feelings to me himself, and the countenance and manner of his wife always denoted feelings of the same character. I believe a similar disposition to contentment under change of fortune is common among the class to which these good people belong. Yet, in proof that to part with their patrimony is most painful to them, I may refer to those stanzas entitled _Repentance_, no inconsiderable part of which was taken verbatim from the language of the speaker herself.--I. F.] One of the "Miscellaneous Sonnets."--ED.