APPENDIX I The following is the full text of the original edition of Descriptive Sketches, first published in 1793 :— DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES. | IN VERSE. | TAKEN DURING A PEDESTRIAN TOUR ¦ IN THE | ITALIAN, GRISON, Swiss, AND SAVOYARD | ALPS. | BY | W. WORDSWORTH, B.A. | OF ST. JOHN'S, Cambridge. | "LOCA PASTORUM DESERTA ATQUE OTIA DIA." | Lucret. | "CASTELLA IN TUMULIS – | ET LONGE SALTUS LATEQUE VACANTES." | Virgil. | LONDON PRINTED FOR J. JOHNSON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. | 1793. TO THE REV. ROBERT JONES, fellow of ST. JOHN'S COLlege, CAMBRIDGE. DEAR SIR, However desirous I might have been of giving you proofs of the high place you hold in my esteem, I should have been cautious of wounding your delicacy by thus publicly addressing you, had not the circumstance of my having accompanied you amongst the Alps, seemed to give this dedication a propriety sufficient to do away any scruples which your modesty might otherwise have suggested. In inscribing this little work to you I consult my heart. You know well how great is the difference between two companions lolling in a post chaise, and two travellers plodding slowly along the road, side by side, each with his little knapsack of necessaries upon his shoulders. How much more of heart between the two latter ! I am happy in being conscious I shall have one reader who will approach the conclusion of these few pages with regret. You they must certainly interest, in reminding you of moments to which you can hardly look back without a pleasure not the less dear from a shade of melancholy. You will meet with few images without recollecting the spot where we observed them together, consequently, whatever is feeble in my design, or spiritless in my colouring, will be amply supplied by your own memory. With still greater propriety I might have inscribed to you a description of some of the features of your native mountains, through which we have wandered together, in the same manner, with so much pleasure. But the seasunsets which give such splendour to the vale of Clwyd, Snowdon, the chair of Idris, the quiet village of Bethkelert, Menai and her druids, the Alpine steeps of the Conway, and the still more interesting windings of the wizard stream of the Dee remain yet untouched. Apprehensive that my pencil may never be exercised on these subjects, I cannot let slip this opportunity of thus publicly assuring you with how much affection and esteem, I am Dear Sir, Your most obedient very humble Servant ARGUMENT W. WORDSWORTH. Happiness (if she had been to be found on Earth) amongst the Charms of Nature-Pleasures of the pedestrian Traveller-Author crosses France to the Alps-Present state of the Grande Chartreuse -Lake of Como-Time, Sunset-Same Scene, Twilight-Same Scene, Morning, it's Voluptuous Character; Old Man and Forest Cottage Music-River Tusa - Via Mala and Grison Gypsey. Valley of Schellenen-thal-Lake of Uri. Stormy Sunset-Chapel of William Tell-force of Local Emotion-Chamois Chaser-View of the higher Alps-Manner of Life of a Swiss Mountaineer interspersed with views of the higher Alps-Golden Age of the Alps -Life and Views continued-Ranz des Vaches famous Swiss Air -Abbey of Einsiedlen and it's Pilgrims-Valley of Chamouny Mont Blanc-Slavery of Savoy-Influence of Liberty on Cottage Happiness-France-Wish for the extirpation of Slavery-Con clusion. DESCRIPTIVE SKETCHES * WERE there, below, a spot of holy ground, Sure, Nature's GOD that spot to man had giv'n, All the notes to this reprint of the edition of 1793 are Wordsworth's own, as given in that edition.-ED. Where murmuring rivers join the song of ev'n; Where rocks and groves the power of waters shakes But doubly pitying Nature loves to show'r 5 ΙΟ 15 20 25 In every babbling brook he finds a friend, While chast'ning thoughts of sweetest use, bestow'd By Wisdom, moralize his pensive road. 30 Host of his welcome inn, the noon-tide bow'r, To his spare meal he calls the passing poor; He views the Sun uprear his golden fire, Or sink, with heart alive like * Memnon's lyre; 35 To light him shaken by his viewless way. 40 * The lyre of Memnon is reported to have emitted melancholy or chearful tones, as it was touched by the sun's evening or morning rays. Me, lur'd by hope her sorrows to remove, 45 50 Ev'n now I sigh at hoary Chartreuse' doom 55 60 And Blasphemy the shuddering fane alarms; Nod the cloud-piercing pines their troubl'd heads, Spires, rocks, and lawns, a browner night o'erspreads. 65 And swells the groaning torrent with his tears. More pleas'd, my foot the hidden margin roves 70 75 80 There are few people whom it may be necessary to inform, that the sides of many of the post-roads in France are planted with a row of trees. Alluding to crosses seen on the tops of the spiry rocks of the Chartreuse, which have every appearance of being inaccessible. Names of rivers at the Chartreuse. § Name of one of the vallies of the Chartreuse. Tower, bare or sylvan, from the narrow deeps. * To towns, whose shades of no rude sound complain, As up th' opposing hills, with tortoise foot, they creep. 85 90 95 100 106 ΙΙΟ 115 120 Thy open beauties, or thy lone retreats; * If any of my readers should ever visit the Lake of Como, I recommend it to him to take a stroll along this charming little pathway: he must chuse the evening, as it is on the western side of the Lake. We pursued it from the foot of the water to it's head: it is once interrupted by a ferry. |