The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume I Part 123

Fear thou no more the wintry storm, Sweet Flowret, blest by LAURA'S song: She gaz'd upon thy slender form, The mild Enchantress gaz'd so long; That trembling as she saw thee droop, Poor Trembler! o'er thy snowy bed, With imitation's sympathy She too inclin'd her head.

2

She droop'd her head, she stretch'd her arm, She whisper'd low her witching rhymes: A gentle Sylphid heard the charm, And bore thee to Pierian climes!

Fear thou no more the sparkling Frost, The Tempest's Howl, the Fog-damp's gloom: For thus mid laurels evergreen Immortal thou shalt bloom!

3 [Stanza 2]

With eager [*feelings*] unreprov'd With [*steady eye and brooding thought*]

Her eye with tearful meanings fraught, [*My Fancy saw her gaze at thee*]

She gaz'd till all the body mov'd [*Till all the moving body caught,*]

Interpreting, the Spirit's sympathy-- The Spirit's eager sympathy Now trembled with thy trembling stem, And while thou drooped'st o'er thy bed, With sweet unconscious sympathy Inclin'd { her [*portraiture*]

{ the drooping head.

First draft of Stanzas 1-3. _MS. S. T. C._

[357:1] The second stanza of Mrs. Robinson's ('Perdita') 'Ode to the Snow-drop' runs thus:

All weak and wan, with head inclin'd, Its parent-breast the drifted snow, It trembles, while the ruthless wind Bends its slim form; the tempest lowers, Its em'rald eye drops crystal show'rs On its cold bed below.

_The Poetical Works of the late Mrs. Mary Robinson_, 1806, i. 123.

LINENOTES:

[36] insuperable] unvoyageable MS. erased.

[53-4]

Along that marge does Laura lie Full oft where Slumber heaves her breast

MS. erased.

[64] With Beauty's morning gleams MS. erased.

ON REVISITING THE SEA-Sh.o.r.e[359:1]

AFTER LONG ABSENCE, UNDER STRONG MEDICAL RECOMMENDATION NOT TO BATHE

G.o.d be with thee, gladsome Ocean!

How gladly greet I thee once more!

Ships and waves, and ceaseless motion, And men rejoicing on thy sh.o.r.e.

Dissuading spake the mild Physician, 5 'Those briny waves for thee are Death!'

But my soul fulfilled her mission, And lo! I breathe untroubled breath!

Fashion's pining sons and daughters, That seek the crowd they seem to fly, 10 Trembling they approach thy waters; And what cares Nature, if they die?

Me a thousand hopes and pleasures A thousand recollections bland, Thoughts sublime, and stately measures, 15 Revisit on thy echoing strand:

Dreams (the Soul herself forsaking), Tearful raptures, boyish mirth; Silent adorations, making A blessed shadow of this Earth! 20

O ye hopes, that stir within me, Health comes with you from above!

G.o.d is with me, G.o.d is in me!

I cannot die, if Life be Love.

_August_, 1801.

FOOTNOTES:

[359:1] First published in the _Morning Post_ (signed ?st?se), September 15, 1801: included in the _Sibylline Leaves_, 1817, 1828, 1829, and 1834. The lines were sent in an unpublished letter to Southey dated August 15, 1801. An autograph MS. is in the possession of Miss Arnold of Foxhow.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] A flowering weed on the sweet Hill of Poesy MS. Letter, 1801: Ode After Bathing in the Sea, Contrary to Medical Advice M. P. After bathing in the Sea at Scarborough in company with T. Hutchinson. Aug. 1801 MS.

A.

[3] ceaseless] endless MS. Letter, M. P., MS. A.

[4] men] life MS. Letter, M. P., MS. A.

[5]

{ mild MS. A.

Gravely said the { sage Physician MS. Letter:

Mildly said the mild Physician M. P.

[6] To bathe me on thy sh.o.r.es were death MS. Letter, M. P., MS. A.

[10] That love the city's gilded sty MS. Letter, M. P., MS. A.

[13] hopes] loves MS. Letter, MS. A.

[16] echoing] sounding MS. Letter, M. P., MS. A.

[18] Grief-like transports MS. Letter, M. P., MS. A.

ODE TO TRANQUILLITY[360:1]