“’TIS HE WHOSE YESTER-EVENING’S HIGH DISDAIN”
Composed 1838.—Published 1838
One of the “Miscellaneous Sonnets.”—Ed.
’Tis He whose yester-evening’s high disdain
Beat back the roaring storm—but how subdued
His day-break note, a sad vicissitude!
Does the hour’s drowsy weight his glee restrain?
Or, like the nightingale, her joyous vein 5
Pleased to renounce, does this dear Thrush attune
His voice to suit the temper of yon Moon
Doubly depressed, setting, and in her wane?
Rise, tardy Sun! and let the Songster prove
(The balance trembling between night and morn 10
No longer) with what ecstasy upborne
He can pour forth his spirit. In heaven above,
And earth below, they best can serve true gladness
Who meet most feelingly the calls of sadness.
COMPOSED AT RYDAL ON MAY MORNING, 1838[175]
Composed 1st May 1838.—Published 1838
[This and the following sonnet were composed on what we call the “Far Terrace” at Rydal Mount, where I have murmured out many thousands of verses.—I.F.]
This sonnet was first published in the Volume of Collected Sonnets in 1838. In 1842 it was classed among the “Miscellaneous Sonnets”; but in 1845 it was transferred to the “Memorials of a Tour in Italy, 1837.”—Ed.
If with old love of you, dear Hills! I share
New love of many a rival image brought
From far, forgive the wanderings of my thought:
Nor art thou wronged, sweet May! when I compare[176]
Thy present birth-morn with thy last,[177][178] so fair, 5
So rich to me in favours. For my lot
Then was, within the famed Egerian Grot
To sit and muse, fanned by its dewy air
Mingling with thy soft breath! That morning too,
Warblers I heard their joy unbosoming 10
Amid the sunny, shadowy, Coliseum;[179]
Heard them, unchecked by aught of saddening hue,[180]
For victories there won by flower-crowned Spring,[181]
Chant in full choir their innocent Te Deum.
[175] 1845.
The title in 1838 was “Composed on May-Morning, 1838”; and “Rydal Mount” was written at the foot of the sonnet.
[176] 1838.
May, if from these thy northern haunts I share
Fond looks of mind for images remote
Fetched out of milder climates, blame me not,
Nor that, upris’n thus early, I compare
MS.
Let those who will or can, dear May, forbear
To rise and hail thy coming, I could not.
The vivid images of scenes remote
Rushing on memory urge me to compare
MS.
Dear native Hills, the love of you I share
With …
MS.
Dear fields and native mountains, if I share
My love of youth with love of objects brought
{From far, by faithful memory, blame me not. }
{Fetched from a milder climate, blame me not.}
{From a distant land by memory, blame me not.}
{Nor that, upris’n thus early, }
{Nor be displeased, sweet May, if} I compare
{May,}
{Thy } present …
MS.
[177] 1838.
… past,
MS.
[178] On May morning, 1837, Wordsworth was in Rome with Henry Crabb Robinson.—Ed.
[179] The Flavian Amphitheatre, begun by Vespasian, A.D. 72, and continued by his son Titus, one of the noblest structures in Rome, now a ruin. —Ed.
[180] 1845.
… of sombre hue,
1838.
… by thoughts of sombre hue,
MS.
[181] 1838.
… too,
How my heart swelled when in the mighty ring,
The mouldering, shadowy, sunny Collosseum,
I heard with some sad thoughts of local hue
Warblers there lodged, for victories won by spring
MS.
… too,
Here did I a deathless joy embosoming,
{Mid } the shadowy Collosseum,
{Within}
Hear not without sad thoughts of local hue
MS.
… too,
Heard I, a deathless joy embosoming,
Tho’ not without sad thoughts of local hue,
Amid the shadowy, sunny, Collosseum,
Warblers there lodged, for victories won by Spring
MS.
COMPOSED ON A MAY MORNING, 1838[182]
Composed 1838.—Published 1838[183]
This was one of the “Miscellaneous Sonnets.”—Ed.
Life with yon Lambs, like day, is just begun,
Yet Nature seems to them a heavenly guide.[184]
Does joy approach? they meet the coming tide;
And sullenness avoid, as now they shun[185]
Pale twilight’s lingering glooms,—and in the sun 5
Couch near their dams, with quiet satisfied;[186]
Or gambol—each with his shadow at his side,[187]
Varying its shape wherever he may run.
As they from turf yet hoar with sleepy dew
All turn, and court the shining and the green, 10
Where herbs look up, and opening flowers are seen;
Why to God’s goodness cannot We be true,
And so, His[188] gifts and promises between,
Feed to the last on pleasures ever new?
[182] 1845.
The title, in 1838, was “Composed on the Same Morning”; referring to the previous sonnet in that edition, beginning—
If with old love of you, dear Hills! I share.
[183] There were so many tentative efforts in the construction of this sonnet, and the one which follows it, that I feel justified in printing them from MS. sources.—Ed.
[184] 1838.
Life with yon mountain lambs is just begun,
MS.
Yon mountain Lambs whose life is just begun
Some guidance know to Man’s grave years denied.
MS.
Your lives, ye mountain lambs, tho’ just begun
A guidance know to our best years denied.
MS. sent to Mr. Clarkson.
[185] 1838.
O that by Nature we were prompt the tide
Of joy to meet, as {they} are who {now } shun
{ye } {there}
MS. sent to Mr. Clarkson.
[186] 1838.
The lingering glooms of twilight, in the sun
To couch, with sober quiet satisfied.
MS. sent to Mr. Clarkson.
… shun
Hollows unbrightened by the {rising} sun
{morning}
On slopes to couch with quiet satisfied.
MS.
To couch on slopes where he his beams has tried,
Sporting and running wheresoe’er ye run.
MS.
[187] 1838.
Couch near their dams; or frisk in sportive pride
Each with his playful shadow at his side,
MS.
[188] 1838.
As they from turf hoary with unsunned dew
Turn and do one and all prefer the green
To chilly nooks, knolls cheered with glistening sheen,
Why may not we a kindred course pursue
And so, God’s …
MS.
… shun
Hollows {enlivened } by the rising sun
{unbrightened}
On slopes to couch with quiet satisfied,
Or gambol each, his shadow at his side,
Running in sport wherever he may run.
As from dull turf hoary with unsunned dew
They turn, and one and all prefer the green
To chilly nooks, knolls {warmed} with glistening sheen,
{cheered}
Why may not we a kindred course pursue
And so, Heaven’s …
MS.
… shun
The lingering gloom of twilight in the sun,
To couch with sober quiet satisfied,
Or gambol each, his shadow at his side,
Varying its shape wherever he may run.
MS.
As they from turf with thick and sleepy dew
{{Yet} whitened o’er, turn and}
{{All} } prefer the green
{Turn, and do one and all }
To chilly nooks, {slopes} warm with glistening sheen,
{knolls}
Why may not we thro’ life such course pursue
And so, God’s …
MS.
As they from turf with thick and sleepy dew
Yet whitened o’er, turn and prefer the green;
To chilly nooks, slopes warm with glistering sheen,
Why may not we such course through life pursue,
And so, God’s gifts and promises between,
Feed …
MS.