Composed 1824.—Published 1827

[Written at Rydal Mount. On Mrs. Wordsworth.—I.F.]

One of the "Poems founded on the Affections."—Ed.

Let other bards of angels sing,
Bright suns without a spot;
But thou art no such perfect thing:
Rejoice that thou art not!
[377]

Heed not tho' none should call thee fair;[378] 5
So, Mary, let it be
If nought in loveliness compare
With what thou art to me.

True beauty dwells in deep retreats,
Whose veil is unremoved 10
Till heart with heart in concord beats,
And the lover is beloved.

FOOTNOTES:

[377]

Such if thou wert in all men's view,
A universal show,
What would my Fancy have to do,
My Feelings to bestow?
A second (additional) stanza in the editions of 1827-43.

[378] 1832.