II. AN EVENING VOLUNTARY. youth we love the darksome lawn rush'd by the owlet's wing; en Twilight is preferr'd to Dawn, nd Autumn to the Spring. d fancies do we then affect, luxury of disrespect > our own prodigal excess too familiar happiness.coris, (if such name befit ee, thee my life's celestial sign!) eased with the harvest hope that runs the resplendent miracle. III. at something whispers to my heart hose smiles, diffused o'er land and sea, y pensive Autumn ne'er present ile blossoms and the budding spray pire us in our own decay, 1, as we nearer draw to life's dark goal, hopeful Spring the favourite of the Soul! 5 AN EVENING VOLUNTARY, 109 COMPOSED ON AN EVENING OF EXTRAOR- I. HAD this effulgence disappear'd But 'tis endued with power to stay, Or, crowning, star-like, each some sover- Warbled, for Heaven above and Earth be- Methinks, if audibly repeated now And solemn harmony pervades coris, which-with some readers who That this magnificence is wholly thine! III. And, if there be whom broken ties Yon hazy ridges to their eyes [raise Appears to shine, by miracle restored: THE SOMNAMBULIST. LIST, ye who pass by Lyulph's Tower Speak from the woody glen! Fit music for a solemn vale! And holier seems the ground Not far from that fair site whereon Come forth, ye drooping old men, look The Pleasure-house is rear'd, [bound! abroad, And wake him with such gentle heed IV. Such hues from their celestial Urn This glimpse of glory, why renew'd? As story says, in antique days A stern-brow'd house appear'd; There set, and guarded well; To win this bright Bird from her cage, Sir Eglamore was he:- Their mutual loyalty; Known chiefly, Aira! to thy glen, 7 In his Notes, the author tells us that 6 The multiplication of mountain-ridg- this poem was "felt and in a great meas es, here described as a kind of Jacob's-ure composed upon the little mount in Ladder, leading to Heaven, is produced front of our abode at Rydal."-The last either by watery vapours, or sunny haze; in the present instance by the latter cause. -The author says that in these lines he is "under obligation to the exquisite picture of Jacob's-Dream," by our American artist, Washington Allston. Wordsworth regards Allston as "a man of genius," and the two were warm friends. stanza is fraught with allusions to the Poet's celebrated Ode on Immortality, which is given in a subsequent part of this volume. 8 Lyulph's Tower is a pleasure-house situated upon the banks of Ullswater.Force is used in the Lake District for wa ter-fall. THE SOMNAMBULIST. ble hours that wing'd their way, rough an immortal day se Sun could never set. old times Love dwelt not long ester'd with repose; rove the fire of chaste desire, d by the breath of foes. quering lance is beauty's test, proves the Lover true:" e Sir Eglamore, and press'd Doping Emma to his breast, ook'd a blind adieu. arted.- Well with him it fared ugh wide-spread regions errant; nt of proof in love's behoof, irst of fame his warrant: e her happiness can build oman's quiet hours; [shield, faint, compared with spear and ace beads and masses yield, needlework and flowers. st was Emma when she heard hampion's praise recounted; brain would swim, and eyes grow igh her blushes mounted; [dim, a bold heroic lay arbled from full heart; Ful blossoms for the May nce! but they will not stay, only to depart. anes with her, while lustre fills ever path he chooses; orb, that owns no curb, Es not back; an ampler space e may spread, but in the past ht She has of what he was, at would now content her. he my devoted Knight?" ar in answer flows; [weight; Falls on month with heavier ens round her, and the night ty of repose. She sometimes walk'd abroad, 111 L'he that pale Queen whose hands are With fancied spots contending: [seen But she is innocent of blood; The Moon is not more pure That shines aloft, while through the wood She thrids her way, the sounding Flood Her melancholy lure! While 'mid the fern-brake sleeps the doe, In white array'd, glides on the Maid, And to a holly bower: By whom on this still night descried? A wandering Ghost, so thinks the Knight, As if they from the holly tree What means the Spectre? Why intent To violate the Tree, Thought Eglamore, by which I swore Unfading constancy? Here am I, and to-morrow's Sun, To her I left, shall prove So, from the spot whereon he stood, He recognised the face; Soul-shatter'd was the Knight, nor knew Ofalumbone shrieking lack she fell And the Stream whirl'd her down the dell Blithe Flora from her couch upstarts, Along its foaming bed. In plunged the Knight! When on firm ground The rescued Maiden lay, Her eyes grew bright with blissful light, She heard, ere to the throne of grace His voice, beheld his speaking face; She felt that he was true. So he was reconciled to life: Brief words may speak the rest: And there was Sorrow's guest; Wild stream of Aira, hold thy course, Though minister of sorrow; ODE, COMPOSED ON MAY MORNING. [1833. WHILE from the purpling East departs For May is on the lawn. A quickening hope, a freshening glee, All Nature welcomes Her whose sway Time was, blest Power! when youths and Thy feather'd Lieges bill and wings Warm'd by thy influence, creeping things Awake to silent joy: Queen art thou still for each gay plant Cloud-piercing peak and trackless heath Nor wants the dim-lit cave a wreath Their puniest flower-pot-nursling dares 9 This delectable poem, so steeped in the purest grace of romance, shows what the author could do at the age of sixtythree. For the story of it, he had a slight hint, related in his notes as follows: "While we were making an excursion in 1 The meaning here is somewhat hidthis part of the Lake District, we heard den. The "freshening glee," I take it, is that Mr. Glover, the artist, while lodging a heavy dew or a rain, which impearled at Lyulph's Tower, had been disturbed "bush and tree" with drops of water. by a loud shriek, and upon rising he had The "expected Power" is May-Day dawn; learnt that it had come from a young and the "first-drawn breath "is the breeze woman in the house who was in the habit which, started by the rising Sun, shakes of walking in her sleep. In that state she off those drops of dew or rain. had gone down stairs, and, while attempt- 2 The poet is here illustrating the ubiing to open the outer door, either from quitous virtue of May: her revivifying some difficulty or the effect of the cold efficacy penetrates the deepest and thickstone upon her feet, had uttered the cry est forests, where the shyest and timidest which alarmed him. It seemed to us all animals seek to hide themselves.-Observe that this might serve as a hint for a poem," how the clogged expression of this line, &c.-The persons here included under owing to the two spondees, "Slim wild the pronoun we were Sir George Beau-deer roves," images the difficulty of mov. mont and Rogers the poet. ing in a dense and tangled forest. if, on this thy natal morn, pole, from which thy name not departed, stands forlorn song and dance and game; rom the village-green a vow ires to thee addrest, ever peace is on the brow, Ove within the breast. TO MAY. 113 Earth, sea, thy presence feel; nor less, If yon ethereal blue With its soft smile the truth express, And eyes that cannot but be sad Let fall a brighten'd tear. where Love nestles thou canst teach Since thy return, through days and weeks soul to love the more; also shall thy lessons reach never loved before. s the haughty one of pride, pashful freed from fear, ising, like the ocean-tide, ws the joyous year. Feeble lyre! weak words refuse ervice to prolong: exulting thrush the Muse sts th' imperfect song; ce shall chant, in accents clear, ghout the live-long day first silver star appear, -vereignty of May.3 TO MAY. many suns have risen and set hou, blithe May, wert born, ds, who hail'd thee, may forget fts, thy beauty scorn; e who to a birthday strain not harp and voice, nore throughout thy reign teful and rejoice! odours! music sweet, et to pass away! eathless song to meet I's desire,—a lay n a thousand years are told, praise thee, genial Power! ummer heat, autumnal cold, nter's dreariest hour. and the following poem originalines, "How delicate the leafy -My daughter and I left Rydal na tour through our mountains nd Mrs. Carr in the month of and as we were going up the wlands I was struck with the e of the little chapel gleaming e veil of half-opened leaves; ling then conveyed to my mind Of hope that grew by stealth, How many wan and faded cheeks Have kindled into health! The Old, by thee revived, have said, "Another year is ours;" And wayworn Wanderers, poorly fed, Have smiled upon thy flowers. Who tripping lisps a merry song Amid his playful peers? The tender Infant who was long But now, when every sharp-edged blast His Mother leaves him free to taste Thy help is with the weed that creeps Thy favours may be found; That our own hands have drest, Thou and thy train are proud to look, And seem to love it best. And yet how pleased we wander forth When May is whispering, "Come! Choose from the bowers of virgin earth The happiest for your home; [spread Heaven's bounteous love through me is From sunshine, clouds, winds, waves, Drops on the mouldering turret's head, And on your turf-clad graves!" Such greeting heard, away with sighs Are linked in endless chase; 4 The quotation here made is from Mil |