epitaph, a part of it at least, is in the church at Bromsgrove, where she resided after her marriage.-I. F.

Date uncertain; first published 1835. Text unchanged, except that the name "Vernon" in 1. 2 was first given in 1837, asterisks only appearing in 1835.—ED.

Six months to six years added" (page 136).

Date uncertain; first published 1837. This epitaph was inscribed upon the tombstone of Thomas, the poet's son, who died Dec. 1, 1812. It may therefore have been written long before publication. Text unchanged.—ED.

Cenotaph (page 137).

See "Elegiac Stanzas. Addressed to Sir G. H. B. upon the death of his Sister-in-Law."-I. F.

Written 1824; first published 1842 (in “Poems chiefly of Early and Late Years"). Text unchanged. The "Elegiac Stanzas (addressed to Sir G. Beaumont upon the Death of his Sister-in-Law ") p. 152, has the date 1824. Professor Knight quotes from a letter of Mary Wordsworth to Lady Beaumont with reference to these "Cenotaph" stanzas, which gives a manuscript version having the title "Inscription in the Church at Coleorton,” and the word "cenotaph" in place of "tablet" in 1. 7. She writes, "To fit the lines, intended for an urn, for a Monument, William has altered the closing stanza, which (though they are not what he would have produced had he first cast them with a view to the Church) he hopes you will not disapprove."-Ed.

Epitaph (page 137).

Owen Lloyd, the subject of this epitaph, was born at Old Brathay, near Ambleside, and was the son of Charles Lloyd and his wife Sophia (née Pemberton), both of Birmingham, who came to reside in this part of the country soon after their marriage. They had many children, both sons and daughters, of whom the most remarkable was the subject of this epitaph. He was educated under Mr. Dawes, at Ambleside, Dr. Butler, of Shrewsbury, and lastly at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he would have been greatly distinguished as a scholar but for inherited infirmities of bodily constitution, which, from early childhood, affected his mind. His love for the neighbourhood in which he was born, and his sympathy with the habits

and characters of the mountain yeomanry, in conjunction with irregular spirits, that unfitted him for facing duties in situations to which he was unaccustomed, induced him to accept the retired curacy of Langdale. How much he was beloved and honoured there, and with what feelings he discharged his duty under the oppression of severe malady, is set forth, though imperfectly, in the epitaph. -I. F.

Written 1841; first published 1842 (in "Poems chiefly of Early and Late Years"). Text unchanged. The Rev. Owen Lloyd, son of Charles Lloyd, was born March 31, 1803, and died at Manchester, April 18, 1841. I owe my information to the kindness of Mr. Gordon Wordsworth, who examined for me the tombstone.-ED.

Address to the Scholars of the Village School of— (page 138).

Composed at Goslar, in Germany.—I. F.

Dated by Wordsworth 1798; having been written at Goslar late in that year; first published 1842 (in " Poems chiefly of Early and Late Years"). Text unchanged. Wordsworth's note, p. 140, shows that the "Address" belongs to the "Matthew " group of poems. The original of Matthew was the Rev. William Taylor, master of Hawkshead Grammar School, 1782-1786; but, as was usual with him, Wordsworth brought together features from more persons than one.-ED.

Elegiac Stanzas suggested by a Picture of Peele Castle, in a Storm, painted by Sir George Beaumont (page 141).

Sir George Beaumont painted two pictures of this subject, one of which he gave to Mrs. Wordsworth, saying she ought to have it; but Lady Beaumont interfered, and after Sir George's death she gave it to Sir Uvedale Price, in whose house at Foxley I have seen it.-I. F.

Dated by Wordsworth 1805; first published 1807. The sorrow spoken of in the poem was the loss at sea of his brother, Captain John Wordsworth. There is a Peele Castle in the Isle of Man, and a Peel Castle in Lancashire, just south of Barrow in Furness. It is all but certain that the Peele Castle of the " Elegiac Stanzas" was that in Lancashire. The late Bishop of Lincoln--a very accurate writer-in "Memoirs of Wordsworth," vol. i. p. 299, commenting on the line, "I was thy neighbour once,

thou rugged pile!" says "He had spent four weeks there of a college summer vacation, at the house of his cousin, Mrs. Barker." I learn from Mr. Gordon Wordsworth that Mrs. Barker lived at Rampside, the nearest village on the mainland to Peel Castle, Lancashire. My friend the Rev. R. P. Graves, who spoke to Wordsworth about the poem and picture, is also satisfied that the castle was that near Barrow in Furness. "I may add," writes Mr. Gordon Wordsworth, "that Miss Arnold tells me there has never been any doubt in the Arnold family on the point, in which Mrs. W. E. Forster bears her out. The former stayed at Rampside in 1843, and the Castle there she remembers being pointed out to her as the one of the poem, and in more recent years she accompanied her brother, Matthew Arnold, to the same spot solely as a pilgrimage to see the rugged pile."" I know of no evidence to connect the poem or picture with Peele Castle, Isle of Man.

Sir G. Beaumont's picture, engraved by S. W. Reynolds, appears as frontispiece of Wordsworth's Poems, vol. ii. ed. 1815, and again vol. iv., 1820.

There are two facts of much interest with reference to the text. The best known lines of the poem, 11. 14-16, stand now as in 1807 and in edd. 1832-1850; but they were nearly lost, for in 1820 the reading was :

"and add a gleam,

Of lustre, known to neither sea nor land,

But borrowed from the youthful Poet's dream." --which reappeared in 1827 with the slight change, "the gleam, The lustre."

The sixth stanza (ll. 21-24) instead of " a treasure-house divine Of peaceful years," had in 1807-1815 " a treasurehouse, a mine Of peaceful years.' Wordsworth perhaps did not like "a mine of years," for the stanza disappeared from edd. 1820-1843, being restored, with its present readings, in 1845. The only other textual variations are 1. 31,"delusion (1807), where "illusion" subsequently stood; and 1. 32 (1837); previously "A faith, a trust that could not be betrayed."-ED.

To the Daisy (page 143).

Dated by Wordsworth 1805; first published 1815. The few changes of text were made in 1837. L. 30 (1837); previously "From her long course returns" (altered probably lest "from" might be connected with the preceding

gone." L. 41, "To reach" (1837); previously "Towards." Ll. 46-48 (1837); previously :

"A few appear by morning light,
Preserved upon the tall mast's height:
Oft in my Soul I see that sight;

altered to dwell rather upon the night than on the coming of morning, after John Wordsworth's loss. Ed. 1827 makes a reference in a note to the poem, "When to the attractions of the busy world" (see vol. i. p. 348). -ED.

Elegiac Verses (page 145).

Composed near the Mountain track that leads from Grasmere through Grisdale Hawes, where it descends towards Paterdale.

"Here did we stop; and here looked round,
While each into himself descends."

The point is two or three yards below the outlet of Grisdale tarn, on a foot-road by which a horse may pass to Paterdale—a ridge of Helvellyn on the left, and the summit of Fairfield on the right.-I. F.

Dated by Wordsworth 1805; first published 1842 (in "Poems chiefly of Early and Late Years "). Text unchanged. The parting between the brothers near Grisdale Tarn took place on Michaelmas day, 1800. The Words

worth Society erected in 1881 a small memorial at the parting place. For further information about John Wordsworth, see Knight, "Life," vol. i. pp. 367-380. -ED.

Moss Campion (Silene acaulis) (page 148).

This most beautiful plant is scarce in England, though it is found in great abundance upon the mountains of Scotland. The first specimen I ever saw of it, in its native bed, was singularly fine, the tuft or cushion being at least eight inches in diameter, and the root proportionably thick. I have only met with it in two places among our mountains, in both of which I have since sought for it in vain.

Botanists will not, I hope, take it ill, if I caution them against carrying off, inconsiderately, rare and beautiful plants. This has often been done, particularly from Ingle

borough and other mountains in Yorkshire, till the species have totally disappeared, to the great regret of lovers of nature living near the places where they grew.-W. W.

Sonnet (page 148).

Dated by Wordsworth 1846; first published 1850. Occasioned by the death of Wordsworth's grandchild, a boy of five, who died at Rome. Sent to Henry Reed in manuscript, Jan. 23, 1846, Wordsworth stating that his state of feeling vented itself "the other day" in this sonnet and that beginning "Where lies the truth?"-ED.

Lines (page 149).

Composed at Grasmere, during a walk one Evening, after a stormy day, the author having just read in a Newspaper that the dissolution of Mr. Fox was hourly expected.-I. F.

Written in 1806 (probably just before the death of Fox, Sept. 13); first published 1807. Text unchanged except 1. 19 (1837); previously "But when the Mighty pass away."-Ed.

Invocation to the Earth (page 150).

Composed immediately after the "Thanksgiving Ode," to which it may be considered as a second part.-I. F. See vol. iii. p 178.

Dated by Wordsworth Feb. 1816; first published 1816 (with the "Thanksgiving Ode"). In edd. 1820-1827 this poem was placed immediately before "Ode. Intimations of Immortality," etc. Text unchanged except 1. 7, "And" (1837); previously "To."-ED.

Lines (page 151).

Written (as mentioned in ed. 1815) Nov. 13, 1814; first published 1815. Text unchanged. The Rev. Matthew Murfitt died Nov. 7, 1814.-ED.

Elegiac Stanzas (page 152).

On Mrs. Fermor. This lady had been a widow long before I knew her. Her husband was of the family of the lady celebrated in the "Rape of the Lock,” and was, I believe, a Roman Catholic. The sorrow which his death