The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth Volume Ii Part 32

Mr. Taylor was buried in Cartmell Churchyard. In 'The Prelude', Wordsworth writes of him as "an honoured teacher of my youth;" and there describes, with some minuteness, a visit to his grave. (See book x. l.

532.) It will be seen, however, from the Fenwick note to 'Matthew', that the Hawkshead Schoolmaster, like the Wanderer in 'The Excursion', was "made up of several both of his cla.s.s and men of other occupations;" but of the four masters who taught Wordsworth at Hawkshead--Peake, Christian, Taylor, and Bowman--Taylor was far the ablest, the most interesting, and the most beloved by the boys, and it was doubtless the memory of this man that gave rise to the above poem, and the four which follow it. He was but thirty-two years old when he died, 12th June, 1786. This fact, taken in connection with line 14 of the 'Address', may ill.u.s.trate the composite character of 'Matthew'.--Ed.

MATTHEW

Composed 1799.--Published 1800

In the School of--is a tablet on which are inscribed, in gilt letters, the names of the several persons who have been Schoolmasters there since the foundation of the School, with the time at which they entered upon and quitted their office. Opposite one of those names the Author wrote the following lines.--W. W. 1800.

[Such a tablet as is here spoken of continued to be preserved in Hawkshead School, though the inscriptions were not brought down to our time. This, and other poems connected with Matthew, would not gain by a literal detail of facts. Like the Wanderer in 'The Excursion' this Schoolmaster was made up of several, both of his cla.s.s and men of other occupations. I do not ask pardon for what there is of untruth in such verses, considered strictly as matters of fact. It is enough, if, being true and consistent in spirit, they move and teach in a manner not unworthy of a Poet's calling.--I.F.] [A]

In the editions of 1800 to 1820 this poem had no t.i.tle except the note prefixed to it above, although in the Table of Contents it was called 'Lines written on a Tablet in a School'. From 1820-32 "Matthew" is the page heading, though there is no t.i.tle. In the editions of 1827 and 1832 it was named, in the Table of Contents, by its first line, "If Nature, for a favourite child." In 1837 it was ent.i.tled 'Matthew'. It was included among the "Poems of Sentiment and Reflection." The Tablet, with the names of the Masters inscribed on it, still exists in Hawkshead School.--Ed.

If Nature, for a favourite child, In thee hath tempered so her clay, That every hour thy heart runs wild, Yet never once doth go astray,

Read o'er these lines; and then review 5 This tablet, that thus humbly rears In such diversity of hue Its history of two hundred years.

--When through this little wreck of fame, Cipher and syllable! thine eye 10 Has travelled down to Matthew's name, Pause with no common sympathy.

And; if a sleeping tear should wake, Then be it neither checked nor stayed: For Matthew a request I make 15 Which for himself he had not made.

Poor Matthew, all his frolics o'er, Is silent as a standing pool; Far from the chimney's merry roar, And murmur of the village school. 20

The sighs which Matthew heaved were sighs Of one tired out with fun and madness; The tears which came to Matthew's eyes Were tears of light, the dew [1] of gladness.

Yet, sometimes, when the secret cup 25 Of still and serious thought went round, It seemed as if he drank it up-- He felt with spirit so profound.

--Thou soul of G.o.d's best earthly mould!

Thou happy Soul! and can it be 30 That these two words of glittering gold Are all that must remain of thee? [2]

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1815.

... the oil ... 1800.]

[Variant 2:

1800.

... to thee? 1805, and MS.

The text of 1815 returns to that of 1800.]

FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: On the 27th March 1843, Wordsworth wrote to Professor Henry Reed of Philadelphia:

"The character of the schoolmaster, had like the Wanderer in 'The Excursion' a solid foundation in fact and reality, but like him it was also in some degree a composition: I will not, and need not, call it an invention--it was no such thing."

Ed.]

THE TWO APRIL MORNINGS

Composed 1799.--Published 1800

One of the "Poems of Sentiment and Reflection."--Ed.