The Poem
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| She had a tall man's height or more; Her face from summer's noontide heat No bonnet shaded, but she wore A mantle, to her very feet Descending with a graceful flow, And on her head a cap as white as new-fallen snow. Her skin was of Egyptian brown: Haughty, as if her eye had seen Its own light to a distance thrown, She towered, fit person for a Queen To lead those ancient Amazonian files; Or ruling Bandit's wife among the Grecian isles. Advancing, forth she stretched her hand And begged an alms with doleful plea That ceased not; on our English land Such woes, I knew, could never be; And yet a boon I gave her, for the creature Was beautiful to see—a weed of glorious feature. I left her, and pursued my way; And soon before me did espy A pair of little Boys at play, Chasing a crimson butterfly; The taller followed with his hat in hand, Wreathed round with yellow flowers the gayest of the land. The other wore a rimless crown With leaves of laurel stuck about; And, while both followed up and down, Each whooping with a merry shout, In their fraternal features I could trace Unquestionable lines of that wild Suppliant's face. Yet they, so blithe of heart, seemed fit For finest tasks of earth or air: Wings let them have, and they might flit Precursors to Aurora's car, Scattering fresh flowers; though happier far, I ween, To hunt their fluttering game o'er rock and level green. They dart across my path—but lo, Each ready with a plaintive whine! Said I, "not half an hour ago Your Mother has had alms of mine." "That cannot be," one answered—"she is dead:"— I looked reproof—they saw—but neither hung his head. "She has been dead, Sir, many a day."— "Hush, boys! you're telling me a lie; It was your Mother, as I say!" And, in the twinkling of an eye, "Come! come!" cried one, and without more ado, Off to some other play the joyous Vagrants flew! [Contents 1802] [Main Contents] | [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] | [B] [C] | 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 |
| 1845 | |
| She had a tall Man's height, or more; No bonnet screen'd her from the heat; A long drab-colour'd Cloak she wore, A Mantle reaching to her feet: What other dress she had I could not know; Only she wore a Cap that was as white as snow. | 1807 |
| Before me as the Wanderer stood, No bonnet screened her from the heat; Nor claimed she service from the hood Of a blue mantle, to her feet Depending with a graceful flow; Only she wore a cap pure as unsullied snow. | 1827 |
| Before my eyes a Wanderer stood; Her face from summer's noon-day heat Nor bonnet shaded, nor the hood Of that blue cloak which to her feet Depended with a graceful flow; Only she wore a cap as white as new-fallen snow. | 1832 |
| No bonnet shaded, nor the hood Of the blue cloak ... | 1836 |
| She had a tall man's height or more; And while, 'mid April's noontide heat, A long blue cloak the vagrant wore, A mantle reaching to her feet, No bonnet screened her lofty brow, Only she wore a cap as white as new-fallen snow. | C. |
| She had a tall man's height or more; A garment for her stature meet, And for a vagrant life, she wore A mantle reaching to her feet. Nor hood, nor bonnet screened her lofty brow, | C. |
She had a tall Man's height, or more;
No bonnet screen'd her from the heat;
A long drab-colour'd Cloak she wore,
A Mantle reaching to her feet:
What other dress she had I could not know;
Only she wore a Cap that was as white as snow.
Before me as the Wanderer stood,
No bonnet screened her from the heat;
Nor claimed she service from the hood
Of a blue mantle, to her feet
Depending with a graceful flow;
Only she wore a cap pure as unsullied snow.
Before my eyes a Wanderer stood;
Her face from summer's noon-day heat
Nor bonnet shaded, nor the hood
Of that blue cloak which to her feet
Depended with a graceful flow;
Only she wore a cap as white as new-fallen snow.
No bonnet shaded, nor the hood
Of the blue cloak ...
She had a tall man's height or more;
And while, 'mid April's noontide heat,
A long blue cloak the vagrant wore,
A mantle reaching to her feet,
No bonnet screened her lofty brow,
Only she wore a cap as white as new-fallen snow.
She had a tall man's height or more;
A garment for her stature meet,
And for a vagrant life, she wore
A mantle reaching to her feet.
Nor hood, nor bonnet screened her lofty brow,
| 1827 | |
| In all my walks, through field or town, Such Figure had I never seen: Her face was of Egyptian brown: Fit person was she for a Queen, | 1807 |
| Such figure had I never seen In all my walks through field or town, Fit person seemed she for a Queen, | C. |
In all my walks, through field or town,
Such Figure had I never seen:
Her face was of Egyptian brown:
Fit person was she for a Queen,
Such figure had I never seen
In all my walks through field or town,
Fit person seemed she for a Queen,
| 1836 | |
| To head ... | 1807 |
To head ...
| 1845 | |
| Before me begging did she stand, Pouring out sorrows like a sea; Grief after grief:—on English Land Such woes I knew could never be; | 1807 |
| Her suit no faltering scruples checked; Forth did she pour, in current free, Tales that could challenge no respect But from a blind credulity; | 1827 |
| She begged an alms; no scruple checked The current of her ready plea, Words that could challenge ... | 1832 |
| Before me begging did she stand And boldly urged a doleful plea, Grief after grief, on English land Such woes I knew could never be. | C. |
Before me begging did she stand,
Pouring out sorrows like a sea;
Grief after grief:—on English Land
Such woes I knew could never be;
Her suit no faltering scruples checked;
Forth did she pour, in current free,
Tales that could challenge no respect
But from a blind credulity;
She begged an alms; no scruple checked
The current of her ready plea,
Words that could challenge ...
Before me begging did she stand
And boldly urged a doleful plea,
Grief after grief, on English land
Such woes I knew could never be.
| 1807 | |
| With yellow flowers around, as with a golden band. | C. |
With yellow flowers around, as with a golden band.
| 1827 | |
| And they both ... | 1807 |
And they both ...
| 1820 | |
| Two Brothers seem'd they, eight and ten years old; And like that Woman's face as gold is like to gold. | 1807 |
Two Brothers seem'd they, eight and ten years old;
And like that Woman's face as gold is like to gold.
| This stanza was added in the edition of 1827. |
| 1836 | |
| Precursors of ... | 1827 |
Precursors of ...
| 1827 | |
| They bolted on me thus, and lo! | 1807 |
They bolted on me thus, and lo!
| 1827 | |
| "Nay but I gave her pence, and she will buy you bread." | 1807 |
"Nay but I gave her pence, and she will buy you bread."
| 1845 | |
| "Sweet Boys, you're telling me a lie; | 1807 |
| ... Heaven hears that rash reply; | 1827 |
"Sweet Boys, you're telling me a lie;
... Heaven hears that rash reply;
The text of 1807 was resumed in 1836.
| 1827 | |
| ... they both together flew. | 1807 |
| ... the thoughtless vagrants flew. | C. |
... they both together flew.
... the thoughtless vagrants flew.
The spot is easily identified, as the quarry still exists.—Ed.
In the MS. of this poem (1807) the words, "a weed of glorious feature," are placed within inverted commas. The quotation is from Spenser's Muiopotmos (The Fate of the Butterflie), stanza 27; and is important, as it affects the meaning of the phrase. It is curious that Wordsworth dropped the commas in his subsequent editions.—Ed.
In Wordsworth's letter to Barron Field, of 24th October 1828 (see the volumes containing his correspondence), a detailed account is given of the reasons which had led him to alter the text of this poem.—Ed.
[Contents 1802]
[Main Contents]
Sequel to the Foregoing
Composed Many Years After
Composed 1817.—Published 1827
In the edition of 1840 the year assigned to this Sequel is 1817. It does not occur in the edition of 1820, but was first published in 1827. It was one of the "Poems of the Imagination."—Ed.