The following stanza occurs only in the editions of 1798 to 1805:

My heart is touched to think that men like these,
The rude earth's tenants, were my first relief:
How kindly did they paint their vagrant ease!
And their long holiday that feared not grief,
For all belonged to all, and each was chief.
No plough their sinews strained; on grating road
No wain they drove, and yet, the yellow sheaf
In every vale for their delight was stowed:
For them, in nature's meads, the milky udder flowed.

My heart is touched to think that men like these,
Wild houseless Wanderers, were my first relief:

In every field, with milk their dairy overflow'd.







1798


1802

1802

My heart is touched to think that men like these,
The rude earth's tenants, were my first relief:
How kindly did they paint their vagrant ease!
And their long holiday that feared not grief,
For all belonged to all, and each was chief.
No plough their sinews strained; on grating road
No wain they drove, and yet, the yellow sheaf
In every vale for their delight was stowed:
For them, in nature's meads, the milky udder flowed.
My heart is touched to think that men like these,
Wild houseless Wanderers, were my first relief:
In every field, with milk their dairy overflow'd.

[return]

[Variant 58:]

1836
Semblance, with straw and pannier'd ass, they made
Of potters wandering on from door to door:
But life of happier sort to me pourtrayed,

They with their pannier'd Asses semblance made
Of Potters ...

1798


1802

Semblance, with straw and pannier'd ass, they made
Of potters wandering on from door to door:
But life of happier sort to me pourtrayed,
They with their pannier'd Asses semblance made
Of Potters ...

[return]

[Variant 59:]

1836
In depth of forest glade, when ...

Among the forest glades when ... 		1798

1802