The Poem
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| I have a boy of five years old; His face is fair and fresh to see; His limbs are cast in beauty's mould, And dearly he loves me. One morn we strolled on our dry walk, Our quiet home all full in view, And held such intermitted talk As we are wont to do. My thoughts on former pleasures ran; I thought of Kilve's delightful shore, Our pleasant home when spring began, A long, long year before. A day it was when I could bear Some fond regrets to entertain; With so much happiness to spare, I could not feel a pain. The green earth echoed to the feet Of lambs that bounded through the glade, From shade to sunshine, and as fleet From sunshine back to shade. Birds warbled round me—and each trace Of inward sadness had its charm; Kilve, thought I, was a favoured place, And so is Liswyn farm. My boy beside me tripped, so slim And graceful in his rustic dress! And, as we talked, I questioned him, In very idleness. "Now tell me, had you rather be," I said, and took him by the arm, "On Kilve's smooth shore, by the green sea, Or here at Liswyn farm?" In careless mood he looked at me, While still I held him by the arm, And said, "At Kilve I'd rather be Than here at Liswyn farm." "Now, little Edward, say why so: My little Edward, tell me why."— "I cannot tell, I do not know."— "Why, this is strange," said I; "For, here are woods, hills smooth and warm: There surely must some reason be Why you would change sweet Liswyn farm For Kilve by the green sea." At this, my boy hung down his head, He blushed with shame, nor made reply; And three times to the child I said, "Why, Edward, tell me why?" His head he raised—there was in sight, It caught his eye, he saw it plain— Upon the house-top, glittering bright, A broad and gilded vane. Then did the boy his tongue unlock, And eased his mind with this reply: "At Kilve there was no weather-cock; And that's the reason why." O dearest, dearest boy! my heart For better lore would seldom yearn, Could I but teach the hundredth part Of what from thee I learn. | [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] | [B] | 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 |
| 1800 | |
| the art ... | 1798 |
the art ...
| 1802 | |
| ... house ... | 1798 |
... house ...
| 1802 | |
| My ... | 1798 |
My ...
| 1827 | |
| To think, and think, and think again; | 1798 |
To think, and think, and think again;
| 1827. | |
| The young lambs ran a pretty race; The morning sun shone bright and warm; "Kilve," said I, "was a pleasant place, And so is Liswyn farm." | 1798 |
The young lambs ran a pretty race;
The morning sun shone bright and warm;
"Kilve," said I, "was a pleasant place,
And so is Liswyn farm."
| 1836 | |
| ...—every trace Of inward sadness had its charm; "Kilve," said I, ... | 1827 |
...—every trace
Of inward sadness had its charm;
"Kilve," said I, ...
This verse was introduced in 1827.
| 1836 | |
| My boy was by my side, so slim And graceful in his rustic dress! And oftentimes I talked to him, | 1798 |
My boy was by my side, so slim
And graceful in his rustic dress!
And oftentimes I talked to him,
This was stanza v. from 1798 to 1820.
| And, as we talked, I questioned him, | 1827 |
| 1827 | |
| "My little boy, which like you more," I said and took him by the arm— "Our home by Kilve's delightful shore, Or here at Liswyn farm?" "And tell me, had you rather be," I said and held him by the arm, "At Kilve's smooth shore by the green sea, Or here at Liswyn farm?" | 1798 |
"My little boy, which like you more,"
I said and took him by the arm—
"Our home by Kilve's delightful shore,
Or here at Liswyn farm?"
"And tell me, had you rather be,"
I said and held him by the arm,
"At Kilve's smooth shore by the green sea,
Or here at Liswyn farm?"
These two stanzas were compressed into one in 1827.
| 1836 | |
| For, here are woods and green-hills warm; | 1798 |
For, here are woods and green-hills warm;
| 1800 | |
| At this, my boy, so fair and slim, Hung down his head, nor made reply; | 1798 |
At this, my boy, so fair and slim,
Hung down his head, nor made reply;
| 1845. | |
| And five times did I say to him, And five times to the child I said, | 1798 1800 |
And five times did I say to him,
And five times to the child I said,
| 1836 | |
| And thus to me he made reply; | 1798 |
And thus to me he made reply;
See
—Ed.
Mr. Ernest H. Coleridge writes to me of this poem:
"The Fenwick note is most puzzling.
- If Coleridge went to visit Thelwall, with Wordsworth and Dorothy in July 1798, this is the only record; but I suppose that he did.
- How could the poem have been suggested in front of Alfoxden? The visit to Liswyn took place after the Wordsworths had left Alfoxden never to return. If little Montagu ever did compare Kilve and Liswyn Farm, he must have done so after he left Alfoxden. The scene is laid at Liswyn, and if the poem was written at Alfoxden, before the party visited Liswyn, the supposed reply was invented to a supposed question which might be put to the child when he got to Liswyn. How unlike Wordsworth.
- Thelwall came to Alfoxden at the commencement of Wordsworth's tenancy; and the visit to Wales took place when the tenancy was over, July 3-10."
- If Coleridge went to visit Thelwall, with Wordsworth and Dorothy in July 1798, this is the only record; but I suppose that he did.
- How could the poem have been suggested in front of Alfoxden? The visit to Liswyn took place after the Wordsworths had left Alfoxden never to return. If little Montagu ever did compare Kilve and Liswyn Farm, he must have done so after he left Alfoxden. The scene is laid at Liswyn, and if the poem was written at Alfoxden, before the party visited Liswyn, the supposed reply was invented to a supposed question which might be put to the child when he got to Liswyn. How unlike Wordsworth.
- Thelwall came to Alfoxden at the commencement of Wordsworth's tenancy; and the visit to Wales took place when the tenancy was over, July 3-10."
Ed.