1 1837. The crags repeat the raven's croak,* Thither the rainbow comes- -the cloud- Not free from boding thoughts,2 a while Nor far had gone before he found From those abrupt and perilous rocks He instantly recalled the name,5 And who he was, and whence he came ; On which the Traveller passed this way. 40 45 * Compare The Excursion, book iv. ll. 1185-94.-ED. But hear a wonder, for whose sake A lasting monument of words This wonder merits well. The Dog, which still was hovering nigh, This Dog, had been through three months' space Yes, proof was plain that, since the day 50 55 When this ill-fated Traveller died,2 The Dog had watched about the spot, 60 Or by his master's side: How nourished here through such long time 65 Thomas Wilkinson-referred to in the notes to The Solitary Reaper, vol. ii. pp. 399, 400, and the verses To the Spade of a Friend, in vol. iv. alludes to this incident at some length in his poem, Emont Vale. Wilkinson attended the funeral of young Gough, and writes of the incident with feeling, but without inspiration. Gough perished early in April, and his body was not found till July 22nd, 1805. A reference to his fate will be found in Lockhart's Life of Scott (vol. ii. p. 274); also in a letter of Mr. Luff of Patterdale, to his wife, July 23rd, 1805. Henry Crabb Robinson records (see his Diary, Reminiscences, etc., vol. ii. p. 25) a conversation with Wordsworth, in which he said of this poem, that "he purposely made the narrative as prosaic as possible, in order that no discredit might be thrown on the truth of the incident."-Ed. INCIDENT CHARACTERISTIC OF A FAVOURITE DOG * Composed 1805.-Published 1807 [This dog I knew well. It belonged to Mrs. Wordsworth's brother, Mr. Thomas Hutchinson, who then lived at Sockburnon-the-Tees, a beautiful retired situation, where I used to visit him and his sisters before my marriage. My sister and I spent many months there after my return from Germany in 1799.– I. F.] One of the "Poems of Sentiment and Reflection."-ED. ON his morning rounds the Master Searches pasture after pasture, And, for silence or for talk, He hath comrades in his walk; Four dogs, each pair of different breed, Distinguished two for scent, and two for speed. See a hare before him started! -Off they fly in earnest chase ; Deep the river was, and crusted Thinly by a one night's frost ; 1 1837. Hath an instinct 1807. * In 1807 and 1815 the title was Incident, Characteristic of a favourite Dog, which belonged to a Friend of the Author.-ED. But the nimble Hare hath trusted She hath crost, and without heed All are following at full speed, When, lo! the ice, so thinly spread, Breaks—and the greyhound, DART, is over-head! Better fate have PRINCE and SWALLOW— See them cleaving to the sport ! MUSIC has no heart to follow, Little MUSIC, she stops short. She hath neither wish nor heart, Hers is now another part: A loving creature she, and brave! And fondly strives 1 her struggling friend to save. From the brink her paws she stretches, Very hands as you would say ! And afflicting moans she fetches, For herself she hath no fears,— Him alone she sees and hears, Makes efforts with complainings; nor gives o'er 20 25 30 35 40 TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE SAME DOG Composed 1805.-Published 1807 [Was written at the same time, 1805. The Dog Music died, aged and blind, by falling into a draw-well at Gallow 1 1815. And doth her best 2 1837. Makes efforts and complainings; nor gives o'er VOL. III sank, 1807. 1807. 1820. E Hill, to the great grief of the family of the Hutchinsons, who, as has been before mentioned, had removed to that place from Sockburn.-I. F.] One of the "Poems of Sentiment and Reflection."-ED. LIE1 here, without a record of thy worth, Beneath a 2 covering of the common earth! Or want of love, that here no Stone we raise ; 3 Yet they to whom thy virtues made thee dear 5 IO We grieved for thee, and wished thy end were past; And willingly have laid thee here at last : 4 For thou hadst lived till every thing that cheers In thee had yielded to the weight of years; Extreme old age had wasted thee away, I saw thee stagger in the summer breeze, It came, and we were glad; yet tears were shed; 15 20 1 In the editions of 1807 to 1820 the following lines began They were withdrawn in 1827. the poem. I pray'd for thee, and that thy end were past; 1807. I grieved for thee, and wished thy end were past; 1820. |