Lord, And, proud of her award, Confiding in that Star serene, Welcomes the Consort of a happy Queen. 70 Who deigns to grace our festal rite, XXIII. QUINZAIN CONJECTURALLY ASSIGNED TO WORDSWORTH. [Composed?.-Published 1802 (Morning Post); never reprinted by W.] A writer (E. H. C.) in the Athenæum of November 4, 1893, suggests that the following lines, which appeared in the Morning Post on February 9, 1802, were probably composed by Wordsworth. "It may be remembered," writes E. H. C.," that the phrase 'monthly grave' is to be found in Lines to the Moon (1835); and in one of Wordsworth's latest sonnets, that To Lucca Giordano, the aged poet turns with pleasure to the delightful vision of 'young Endymion, couched on Latmos Hill.'" The suggestion is undoubtedly a happy one. The rhyme-arrangement of these lines resembles that of the piece beginning. With how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb'st the Sky, which first appeared in Poems in Two Volumes (1807), but may have been written in or about 1802. Both pieces appear to be experiments in metre. They are neither sonnets nor quatorzains, but quinzains, or stanzas consisting of fifteen lines each; though that published in 1807 was subsequently curtailed OR, Growth of a Poet's Mind; AN AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL POEM. ADVERTISEMENT. [BY THE EDITOR OF 1850.] THE following Poem was commenced in the beginning of the year 1799, and completed in the summer of 1805 1. The design and occasion of the work are described by the Author in his Preface to the "Excursion," first published in 1814, where he thus speaks :— "Several years ago, when the Author retired to his native mountains with the hope of being enabled to construct a literary work that might live, it was a reasonable thing that he should take a review of his own mind, and examine how far Nature and Education had qualified him for such an employment. "As subsidiary to this preparation, he undertook to record, in verse, the origin and progress of his own powers, as far as he was acquainted with them. "That work, addressed to a dear friend, most distinguished for his knowledge and genius, and to whom the Author's intellect is deeply indebted, has been long finished; and the result of the investigation which gave rise to it, was a determination to compose a philosophical Poem, containing views of Man, Nature, and Society, and to be entitled the "Recluse;" as having for its principal subject the sensations and opinions of a poet living in retirement. "The preparatory poem is biographical, and conducts the history of the Author's mind to the point when he was emboldened to hope that his faculties were sufficiently matured for entering upon the arduous labour which he had proposed to himself; and the two works have the same kind of relation to each other, if he may so express himself, as the Ante-chapel has to the body of a Gothic Church. Continuing this allusion, he may be permitted to add, that his minor pieces, which have been long before the public, when they shall be properly arranged, will be found by the attentive reader to have such connection with the main work as may give them claim to be likened to the little cells, oratories, and sepulchral recesses, ordinarily included in those edifices." Such was the Author's language in the year 1814. It will thence be seen, that the present Poem was intended to be introductory to the "Recluse," and that the "Recluse," if completed, would have consisted of Three Parts. Of these, the Second Part alone, viz. the "Excursion," was finished, and given to the world by the Author. The First Book of the First Part of the "Recluse" still [1850] remains in manuscript; but the Third Part was only planned. The materials of which it would have been formed have, however, been incorporated, for the most part, in the Author's other Publications, written subsequently to the "Excursion." The Friend, to whom the present Poem is addressed, was the late SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, who was resident in Malta, for the restoration of his health, when the greater part of it was composed. Mr. Coleridge read a considerable portion of the Poem while he was abroad; and his feelings, on hearing it recited by the Author (after his return to his own country) are recorded in his Verses, addressed to Mr. Wordsworth, which will be found in the "Sibylline Leaves," p. 197, ed. 1817, or "Poetical Works, by S. T. Coleridge," vol. i., p. 206. RYDAL MOUNT, July 13th, 1850. 1 For further information regarding the dates of composition of the several Books of The Prelude, see the Chronological Table of the Life of Wordsworth, under the years 1799, 1800, 1804, and 1805.-ED. The Prelude. BOOK FIRST. INTRODUCTION-CHILDHOOD AND SCHOOL-TIME. OH THERE is blessing in this gentle breeze, Are mine in prospect; whither shall I A visitant that while it fans my cheek turn, Doth seem half-conscious of the joy it By road or pathway, or through trackless brings field, From the green fields, and from yon Up hill or down, or shall some floating azure sky. Whate'er its mission, the soft breeze can come thing 29 Upon the river point me out my course? 5 To none more grateful than to me; es caped Dear Liberty! Yet what would it avail But for a gift that consecrates the joy? From the vast city, where I long had For I, methought, while the sweet breath Shall I take up my home? and what Vexing its own creation. Thanks to both, clear stream Shall with its murmur lull me into rest? they join In breaking up a long-continued frost, 40 Bring with them vernal promises, the hope Of active days urged on by flying hours,Be nothing better than a wandering Days of sweet leisure, taxed with patient cloud, thought Abstruse, nor wanting punctual service high, 44 f Matins and vespers of harmonious verse! Two hours declined towards the west; a day With silver clouds, and sunshine on the grass, And lastly utter silence! "Be it so; And in the sheltered and the sheltering Why think of anything but present Encouraged and dismissed, till choice was made Mild influence; nor left in me one wish Of a known Vale, whither my feet should Again to bend the Sabbath of that time turn, To a servile yoke. What need of many Now here, now there, an acorn, from its New stores, or rescue from decay the old cup By timely interference: and therewith |