But why, ungrateful, dwell on idle pain? To show what pleasures yet to me remain,1 Say, will my Friend, with unreluctant ear,2 The history of a poet's evening hear?

35

40

When, in the south, the wan noon, brooding still, Breathed a pale steam around the glaring hill, And shades of deep-embattled clouds were seen, Spotting the northern cliffs with lights between ; When crowding cattle, checked by rails that make A fence far stretched into the shallow lake, Lashed the cool water with their restless tails, Or from high points of rock looked out for fanning gales; When school-boys stretched their length upon the green; And round the broad-spread oak, a glimmering scene, 46 In the rough fern-clad park, the herded deer 4 Shook the still-twinkling tail and glancing ear; When horses in the sunburnt intake* stood,

1

The ray the cot of morning trav'ling nigh,
And sail that glides the well-known alders by.

1820.

Only in the edition of 1793.

Gazing the tempting shades to them deny'd,
When stood the shorten'd herds amid' the tide,
Where, from the barren wall's unshelter'd end,
Long rails into the shallow lake extend;

1793.

3

When, at the barren wall's unsheltered end,

Where long rails far into the lake extend,

Crowded the shortened herds, and beat the tides

With their quick tails, and lash'd their speckled sides;

4 1836.

1820.

And round the humming elm, a glimmering scene!
In the brown park, in flocks, the troubl'd deer

1793.

* The word intake is local, and signifies a mountain-inclosure.-W. W.

And vainly eyed below the tempting flood,
Or tracked the passenger, in mute distress,
With forward neck the closing gate to press- 1
Then, while I wandered where the huddling rill
Brightens with water-breaks the hollow ghyll * 2
As by enchantment, an obscure retreat3
Opened at once, and stayed my devious feet.
While thick above the rill the branches close,
In rocky basin its wild waves repose,

1 1820.

When horses in the wall-girt intake stood, Unshaded, eying far below, the flood, Crouded behind the swain, in mute distress, With forward neck the closing gate to press; And long, with wistful gaze, his walk survey'd, 'Till dipp'd his pathway in the river shade; 2 1845.

1793.

1793.

-Then Quiet led me up the huddling rill,
Bright'ning with water-breaks the sombrous gill;
-Then, while I wandered up the huddling rill
Brightening with water-breaks the sombrous ghyll, 1820.
Then, while I wandered where the huddling rill
Brightens with water-breaks the sombrous ghyll,

3 1820.

To where, while thick above the branches close,
In dark-brown bason its wild waves repose,

Inverted shrubs, and moss of darkest green,

1836.

Cling from the rocks, with pale wood-weeds between ;
Save that, atop, the subtle sunbeams shine,

On wither'd briars that o'er the craggs recline;

Sole light admitted here, a small cascade,
Illumes with sparkling foam the twilight shade.
Beyond, along the visto of the brook,
Where antique roots its bustling path o'erlook,
The eye reposes on a secret bridge

Half grey, half shagg'd with ivy to its ridge.

-Sweet rill, farewel!

1793.

50

55

* Gill is also, I believe, a term confined to this country. Glen, gill, and dingle, have the same meaning.-W. W. 1793.

The spelling "Ghyll" is first used in the edition of 1820 in the text. In the note to that edition it remains "gill." In 1827 the spelling in the note was "ghyll."-ED.

Inverted shrubs,* and moss of gloomy green,

1

Cling from the rocks, with pale wood-weeds between ; 60
And its own twilight softens the whole scene, †
Save where aloft the subtle sunbeams shine
On withered briars that o'er the crags recline ; 1
Save where, with sparkling foam, a small cascade,
Illumines, from within, the leafy shade; 2
Beyond, along the vista of the brook,

Where antique roots its bustling course 3 o'erlook,
The eye reposes on a secret bridge

Half grey, half shagged with ivy to its ridge;

1 1845.

But see aloft the subtle sunbeams shine,

On withered briars that o'er the crags recline;
Thus beautiful! as if the sight displayed,

By its own sparkling foam that small cascade;
Inverted shrubs, with moss of gloomy green

Cling from the rocks, with pale wood-weeds between.
Inverted shrubs with pale wood weeds between
Cling from the moss-grown rocks, a darksome green,
Save where aloft the subtle sunbeams shine

And its own twilight softens the whole scene.
And sparkling as it foams a small cascade
Illumines from within the impervious shade
Below, right in the vista of the brook,
Where antique roots, etc.

2 1845.

Sole light admitted here, a small cascade,

MS.

65

C.

Illumes with sparkling foam the impervious shade; 1820.

to page 31.-ED.

1793.

This line was first inserted in the edition of 1845. In the following line, the edition of

1793 has

Save that, atop, the subtle

Subsequent editions previous to 1845 have

Save that aloft.

The reader, who has made the tour of this country, will recognize, in this description, the features which characterize the lower waterfall in the gardens of Rydale.-W. W. 1793.

There, bending o'er the stream, the listless swain
Lingers behind his disappearing wain.1

-Did Sabine grace adorn my living line,

Blandusia's praise, wild stream, should yield to thine!
Never shall ruthless minister of death

'Mid thy soft glooms the glittering steel unsheath ;
No goblets shall, for thee, be crowned with flowers,
No kid with piteous outcry thrill thy bowers;
The mystic shapes that by thy margin rove
A more benignant sacrifice approve―

A mind, that, in a calm angelic mood

Of happy wisdom, meditating good,

Beholds, of all from her high powers required,
Much done, and much designed, and more desired,
Harmonious thoughts, a soul by truth refined,
Entire affection for all human kind.

Dear Brook, farewell! To-morrow's noon again
Shall hide me, wooing long thy wildwood strain ;
But now the sun has gained his western road,
And eve's mild hour invites my steps abroad.

While, near the midway cliff, the silvered kite
In many a whistling circle wheels her flight;
Slant watery lights, from parting clouds, apace
Travel along the precipice's base;
Cheering its naked waste of scattered stone,
By lichens grey, and scanty moss, o'ergrown ;
Where scarce the foxglove peeps, or3 thistle's beard;
And restless 4 stone-chat, all day long, is heard.

1 1845.

Whence hangs, in the cool shade, the listless swain
Lingering behind his disappearing wain.

70

75

80

85

90

95

2 1845.

-Sweet rill,

3 1820.

+1845.

And desert

1820.

1793.

100

105

How pleasant, as the sun declines, to view 1 The spacious landscape change in form and hue! Here, vanish, as in mist, before a flood Of bright obscurity, hill, lawn, and wood; There, objects, by the searching beams betrayed, Come forth, and here retire in purple shade; Even the white stems of birch, the cottage white, Soften their glare before the mellow light; The skiffs, at anchor where with umbrage wide Yon chestnuts half the latticed boat-house hide, Shed from their sides, that face the sun's slant beam, Strong flakes of radiance on the tremulous stream : Raised by yon travelling flock, a dusty cloud Mounts from the road, and spreads its moving shroud; The shepherd, all involved in wreaths of fire, Now shows a shadowy speck, and now is lost entire.

Into a gradual calm the breezes 2 sink,3

A blue rim borders all the lake's still brink;
There doth the twinkling aspen's foliage sleep,
And insects clothe, like dust, the glassy deep : 4

1 1820.

How pleasant, as the yellowing sun declines,
And with long rays and shades the landscape shines;
To mark the birches' stems all golden light,
That lit the dark slant woods with silvery white!
The willow's weeping trees, that twinkling hoar,
Glanc'd oft upturn'd along the breezy shore,

Low bending o'er the colour'd water, fold

115

Their moveless boughs and leaves like threads of gold;
The skiffs with naked masts at anchor laid,

Before the boat-house peeping thro' the shade;

Th' unwearied glance of woodman's echo'd stroke;

And curling from the trees the cottage smoke.
Their pannier'd train

2 1845.

zephyrs

1793.

1820.

3 This stanza was added in the edition of 1820.

4 1845.

This couplet was added in 1845.