I think it probable that the “incident” occurred near Racedown, Dorsetshire, where, in the autumn of 1795 Wordsworth settled with his sister. The following is Dorothy’s account of the composition of the poem:--“Tuesday, April 20, 1802.--We sate in the orchard and repeated _The Glowworm_, and other poems. Just when William came to a well, or trough, which there is in Lord Darlington’s park, he began to write that poem of _The Glowworm_; interrupted in going through the town of Staindrop, finished it about two miles and a-half beyond Staindrop. He did not feel the jogging of the horse while he was writing; but, when he had done, he felt the effect of it.… So much for _The Glowworm_. It was written coming from Middleham, on Monday, April 12, 1802.”--ED. Among all lovely things my Love had been; Had noted well the stars, all flowers that grew About her home; but she had never seen A glow-worm, never one, and this I knew. While riding near her home one stormy night 5 A single glow-worm did I chance to espy; I gave a fervent welcome to the sight, And from my horse I leapt; great joy had I. Upon a leaf the glow-worm did I lay, To bear it with me through the stormy night: 10 And, as before, it shone without dismay; Albeit putting forth a fainter light. When to the dwelling of my Love I came, I went into the orchard quietly; And left the glow-worm, blessing it by name, 15 Laid safely by itself, beneath a tree. The whole next day I hoped, and hoped with fear; At night the glow-worm shone beneath the tree; I led my Lucy to the spot, “Look here,” Oh! joy it was for her, and joy for me! 20 “ALONG THE MAZES OF THIS SONG I GO” This, and the next two fragments, by Wordsworth, are extracted from his sister’s Grasmere Journal.--ED. Along the mazes of this song I go As inward motions of the wandering thought Lead me, or outward circumstance impels. Thus do I urge a never-ending way Year after year, with many a sleep between, Through joy and sorrow; if my lot be joy More joyful if it be with sorrow sooth’d. “THE RAINS AT LENGTH HAVE CEAS’D, THE WINDS ARE STILL’D” The rains at length have ceas’d, the winds are still’d, The stars shine brightly between clouds at rest, And as a cavern is with darkness fill’d, The vale is by a mighty sound possess’d “WITNESS THOU” Witness thou The dear companion of my lonely walk, My hope, my joy, my sister, and my friend, Or something dearer still, if reason knows A dearer thought, or in the heart of love There be a dearer name.[356] [356] Compare Byron’s _Epistle to Augusta_-- My sister! my sweet sister! if a name Dearer and purer were, it should be thine. It is a mere coincidence, as Byron could not have seen the Wordsworth MS.--ED.