September, 1815 (page 29).

"For me who under kindlier laws." This conclusion has more than once, to my great regret, excited painfully sad feelings in the hearts of young persons fond of poetry and poetic composition, by contrast of their feeble and declining health with that state of robust constitution which prompted me to rejoice in a season of frost and snow as more favourable to the Muses than summer itself.-I.F.

Written December, 1815; first published, with somewhat different text, in "The Examiner," Feb. 11, 1816; and in the same year with "Thanksgiving Ode." See note on Part II., Sonnet III. This sonnet is dated September, 1815, because its origin in feeling belongs to that date, though it was not written for some months later. In 1. 2, "harvest" (1820)," harvests" (1816); l. 11 (1827); previously "Through the green leaves."-ÉD.

November 1 (page 30).

Suggested on the banks of the Brathay by the sight of Langdale Pikes. It is delightful to remember these moments of far-distant days, which probably would have been forgotten if the impression had not been transferred to verse. The same observation applies to the next.-I. F. Written December, 1815. See note on Part II., Sonnet III.; first published in “The Examiner,” Jan. 28, 1816, and published in the same year in "Thanksgiving Ode, &c." L. 3 (1837); as smooth as Heaven can shed" (1816); snow smooth as the heaven can shed" (1832); 1. 14, "Has" (1838); previously "Have."-ED.

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"One who was suffering tumult in his soul" (page 30). Written in Rydal Woods, by the side of a torrent.— I. F.

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Written Feb., 1819; published with "Peter Bell," 1819, having a note prefixed which states that it and three other sonnets there printed lately appeared__in_Periodical Publications." The title in the "Peter Bell" volume is Composed during one of the most awful of the late storms, Feb. 1819;" title in 1820, "Composed during a Severe Storm." Ll. 9, 10 (1827); previously:

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"he lifted high

His head and in a moment did appear." L. 12, "disc" (1838); previously "orb.”—ED.

To a Snow-Drop (page 31).

Date uncertain; first published with "The Waggoner," 1819. Ll. 2-4 (1827); previously:

"But hardier far, tho' modestly thou bend

Thy front as if such presence could offend!

Who guards thy slender stalk, while, day by day," with note of interrogation at end of 1. 6. L. 7 (1827); previously "Accept the greeting that befits a friend." L. 12 (1827); previously "Yet will I not."-Ed.

To the Lady Mary Lowther (page 32).

Date uncertain; first published 1820. Text unchanged. On Lady Winchilsea's Poems, see Gosse's criticism in Ward's "English Poets,” and in “Gossip in a Library.” --ED.

To Lady Beaumont (page 32).

The winter garden of Coleorton, fashioned out of an old quarry under the superintendence and direction of Mrs. Wordsworth and my sister Dorothy, during the winter and spring we resided there-I. F.

Written 1807; first published 1807. In a letter with postmark Feb. 17, 1807, Dorothy Wordsworth writes from Coleorton to Lady Beaumont: "If William had but waited a few days it would have been no anticipation when he said to you the songs of spring were in the grove."" L. 2, (1827);" framing beds of" (1807), "framing beds for" (1815). Framing" is frequently rejected else

where.--ED.

"There is a pleasure,” etc. (page 33).

Date uncertain; first published 1827. Text unchanged. The opening words in italics are from Cowper.—ED.

"The Shepherd, looking eastward” (page 33). Date uncertain; first published 1815. Text unchanged. -ED.

"When haughty expectations," etc. (page 34).

Date uncertain; first published 1820, with the title, "On seeing a Tuft of Snowdrops in a Storm." In 1827 it was placed after "To a Snow-Drop,” and headed “Com

"To a Snow

posed a few days after the foregoing." Drop" having been printed in 1819, this cannot be later than that year, if we accept Wordsworth's statement as literal. But if so, why was this sonnet not published with "To a Snow-Drop"? Text unchanged.-ED.

"Hail, Twilight," etc. (page 34).

Date uncertain; first published 1815. Text unchanged, except 1. 13," flood" (1837); previously "floods."-ED.

"With how sad steps, O Moon" (page 35).

Date uncertain; first published 1807. Not originally a sonnet nor classed as such; reduced from fifteen lines to fourteen in 1820. Originally 11. 1, 2 were in quotation marks, and the note added, " From a sonnet of Sir Philip Sydney" (Sonnet xxxi. of" Astrophel and Stella"). L. 3 (1837); previously "Where art Thou? Thou whom I have seen on high." L. 10 (1837) replacing,

"And all the Stars, now shrouded up in heaven" (1807-15). "And the keen stars, fast as the clouds were riven " (1820). L. 11 is a return in 1837 to the text of 1807-15, from— "Should sally forth, an emulous company" (1820-32). L. 12 (1843) represents two lines of edd. 1807-15: "What strife would then be yours, fair Creatures, driv'n Now up, now down, and sparkling in your glee!"

In 1820, and again in 1838, "Sparkling, and hurrying through the clear blue heaven;" with (1820 onwards) "Now up," etc., omitted; in 1832, "All hurrying with thee through the clear blue heaven; " in 1837, "In that keen sport along the plain of heaven."-ED.

"Even as a dragon's eye," etc. (page 35).

Date uncertain ; first published 1815. A curious variation occurs in 1. 3, "Suddenly glaring" (1827-49, with the exception of 1838); "Sullenly glaring" (1815-20, 1838). L. 4, a black recess" (1827); previously "its black recess." The Rev. W. A. Harrison calls attention to the fact that Wordsworth's letter in answer to Mathetes ("The Friend," iii. 35), speaks of the "sullen light " which survives a blown-out candle. See "Sullen fire," note, p. 342, and a taper compared to sion" B. iv.-ED.

а sullen star" in "Excur

"The stars are mansions," etc. (page 36).

Date uncertain; first published 1820. In 1827-1838 11. 2, 3 were:

"The Sun is peopled; and with spirits blest,

Say, can the gentle Moon be unpossest ? "

In 1820 the present text of these lines appears with "Live" for "Dwell" in 1. 3. To this reading ed. 1843 returns; and in 1845 "Dwell" replaces "Live." L. 4, "shows" (1827); "frames" (1820). L. 8 (1837); previously “Or fort, erected at her sage command." L. 9 (1832); previously "Is this a Vernal thought? Even so, the Spring." -ED.

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Desponding Father!” (page 36). Date uncertain; first published 1835. Text unchanged. -ED.

Captivity.-Mary Queen of Scots (page 37).

Date uncertain; first published 1819 (with "The Waggoner"). L. 12, "Reflected in " 1827; previously "Burning within."-ED.

St. Catherine of Ledbury (page 37).

Written on a journey from Brinsop Court, Herefordshire.-I. F.

Date uncertain; first published 1835. Text unchanged. -ED.

"Though narrow be that old Man's cares” (page 38).

Written at Coleorton. This old man's name was Mitchell. He was, in all his ways and conversation, a great curiosity, both individually and as a representative of past times. His chief employment was keeping watch at night by pacing round the house, at that time building, to keep off depredators. He has often told me gravely of having seen the Seven Whistlers and the Hounds as here described. Among the groves of Coleorton, where I became familiar with the habits and notions of old Mitchell, there was also a labourer of whom, I regret, I had no personal knowledge; for, more than forty years after, when he was become an old man, I learnt that while I was composing verses, which I usually did aloud, he took

much pleasure, unknown to me, in following my steps that he might catch the words I uttered; and, what is not a little remarkable, several lines caught in this way kept their place in his memory. My volumes have lately been given to him by my informant, and surely he must have been gratified to meet in print his old acquaintances. -I. F.

Date uncertain; first published 1807. Text unchanged. Ed. 1807 gives a note on 1. 10-"Both these superstitions are prevalent in the midland Counties of England: that of Gabriel's Hounds' appears to be very general over Europe; being the same as the one upon which the German Poet, Burger, has founded his ballad of the 'Wild Huntsman.""-ED.

"Four fiery steeds impatient of the rein " (page 39).

Suggested on the road between Preston and Lancaster where it first gives a view of the Lake country, and composed on the same day, on the roof of the coach.-I. F. Date uncertain; first published 1835. Ll. 12, 13 (1837); in 1835:

"While Soldiers, of the weapons that they wield
Weary, and sick of strifeful Christendom."-ED.

"Brook! whose society," etc. (page 39)

Date uncertain; first published 1815. L. 6 (1827); previously:

"If I some type of thee did wish to view." L. 13, "safer" (1845); previously "better."-ED.

Composed on the banks of a rocky stream (page 40). Date uncertain; first published 1820. Text unchanged. -ED.

"Pure element of waters!" (page 40).

Written 1818 or 1819; first published among Wordsworth's poems 1819 (with "Peter Bell"); and, with the next two sonnets, a little earlier "in Periodical Publications." See note on Sonnet XV. of the present Part II. Westall's "Views of the Caves" was published 1818. Text unchanged.-ED.