The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 7 (of 8)

Name: The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 7 (of 8)
Author: Wordsworth, William

Wordsworth, William

English poetry -- 18th century; English poetry -- 19th century

As aptly, also, might be given                                     5
    A Pencil to her hand;
    That, softening objects, sometimes even
    Outstrips the heart's demand;

    That smooths foregone distress, the lines
    Of lingering care subdues,                                        10
    Long-vanished happiness refines,
    And clothes in brighter hues;

    Yet, like a tool of Fancy, works
    Those Spectres to dilate
    That startle Conscience, as she lurks                             15
    Within her lonely seat.

    O! that our lives, which flee so fast,
    In purity were such,
    That not an image of the past
    Should fear that pencil's touch!                                  20

    Retirement then might hourly look
    Upon a soothing scene,
    Age steal to his allotted nook
    Contented and serene;

    With heart as calm as lakes that sleep,                           25
    In frosty moonlight glistening;
    Or mountain rivers, where they creep
    Along a channel smooth and deep,
    To their own far-off murmurs listening.




"NOT LOVE, NOT WAR, NOR THE TUMULTUOUS SWELL"


                     Composed 1823.--Published 1827

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

    Not Love, not[366] War, nor the tumultuous swell
    Of civil conflict, nor the wrecks of change,
    Nor[367] Duty struggling with afflictions strange--
    Not these _alone_ inspire the tuneful shell;
    But where untroubled peace and concord dwell,                      5
    There also is the Muse not loth to range,
    Watching the twilight smoke of cot or grange,[368]
    Skyward ascending from a woody dell.[369][370]
    Meek aspirations please her, lone endeavour,
    And sage content, and placid melancholy;                          10
    She loves to gaze upon a crystal river--
    Diaphanous because it travels slowly;[371]
    Soft is the music that would charm for ever;[372]
    The flower of sweetest smell is shy and lowly.

FOOTNOTES:

[366] 1832.

    ... nor ... 1823.

[367] 1827.

    And ... 1823.[373]

[368] 1837.

    Watching the blue smoke of the elmy grange, 1823.

[369] 1837.

    ... from the twilight dell, 1823.

[370] Compare _Tintern Abbey_, II. 17, 18.--ED.

[371] _e. g._ The Rothay, or the Duddon.--ED.

[372] 1827.

    ... please for ever, 1823.

[373] See the same reading in _The Poetical Album_, 1829, vol. i. p.
43, edited by Alaric Watts.--ED.




"A VOLANT TRIBE OF BARDS ON EARTH ARE FOUND"


                     Composed 1823.--Published 1827

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 7 (of 8)Wordsworth, William

Religion

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 7 (of 8)

Wordsworth, William

English poetry -- 18th century; English poetry -- 19th century

As aptly, also, might be given                                     5
    A Pencil to her hand;
    That, softening objects, sometimes even
    Outstrips the heart's demand;

    That smooths foregone distress, the lines
    Of lingering care subdues,                                        10
    Long-vanished happiness refines,
    And clothes in brighter hues;

    Yet, like a tool of Fancy, works
    Those Spectres to dilate
    That startle Conscience, as she lurks                             15
    Within her lonely seat.

    O! that our lives, which flee so fast,
    In purity were such,
    That not an image of the past
    Should fear that pencil's touch!                                  20

    Retirement then might hourly look
    Upon a soothing scene,
    Age steal to his allotted nook
    Contented and serene;

    With heart as calm as lakes that sleep,                           25
    In frosty moonlight glistening;
    Or mountain rivers, where they creep
    Along a channel smooth and deep,
    To their own far-off murmurs listening.




"NOT LOVE, NOT WAR, NOR THE TUMULTUOUS SWELL"


                     Composed 1823.--Published 1827

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

    Not Love, not[366] War, nor the tumultuous swell
    Of civil conflict, nor the wrecks of change,
    Nor[367] Duty struggling with afflictions strange--
    Not these _alone_ inspire the tuneful shell;
    But where untroubled peace and concord dwell,                      5
    There also is the Muse not loth to range,
    Watching the twilight smoke of cot or grange,[368]
    Skyward ascending from a woody dell.[369][370]
    Meek aspirations please her, lone endeavour,
    And sage content, and placid melancholy;                          10
    She loves to gaze upon a crystal river--
    Diaphanous because it travels slowly;[371]
    Soft is the music that would charm for ever;[372]
    The flower of sweetest smell is shy and lowly.

FOOTNOTES:

[366] 1832.

    ... nor ... 1823.

[367] 1827.

    And ... 1823.[373]

[368] 1837.

    Watching the blue smoke of the elmy grange, 1823.

[369] 1837.

    ... from the twilight dell, 1823.

[370] Compare _Tintern Abbey_, II. 17, 18.--ED.

[371] _e. g._ The Rothay, or the Duddon.--ED.

[372] 1827.

    ... please for ever, 1823.

[373] See the same reading in _The Poetical Album_, 1829, vol. i. p.
43, edited by Alaric Watts.--ED.




"A VOLANT TRIBE OF BARDS ON EARTH ARE FOUND"


                     Composed 1823.--Published 1827

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

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 7 (of 8)

The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 7 (of 8)

No reviews yet