The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth Volume Ii Part 62

To find the pool referred to in the Fenwick note, I have carefully examined the course of Rydal beck, all the way up to the foot of the Fell. There is a pool beyond the enclosures of the Hall property, about five hundred feet above Rydal Mount, which partly corresponds to the description in the poem, but there is no wood around it now; and the trees which skirt its margin are birch, ash, oak, and hazel, but there are no beeches. It is a short way below some fine specimens of ice-worn rocks, which are to the right of the stream as you ascend it, and above these rocks is a well-marked moraine. It is a deep crystal pool, and has a "firm margin" of (artificially placed) stones. This may be the spot described in the poem; or another, within the grounds of the Hall, may be the place referred to. It is a sequestered nook, beside the third waterfall as you ascend the beck--this third cascade being itself a treble fall. Seen two or three days after rain, when the stream is full enough to break over the whole face of the rock in showers of snowy brightness, yet low enough to shew the rock behind its transparent veil, it is specially beautiful. Trees change so much in eighty years that the absence of "beeches" now would not make this site impossible. In a MS.

copy of the poem (of date Dec. 28, 1800), the last line is

'With all its poplars, we have named from you.'

Of the circular pool beneath this fall it may be said, as Wordsworth describes it, that

'... both flocks and herds might drink On its firm margin, even as from a well;'

and a "small slip of lawn" might easily have existed there in his time.

We cannot, however, be confident as to the locality, and I add the opinion of several, whose judgment may be deferred to. Dr. Cradock writes:

"As to Mary Hutchinson's pool, I think that it was not on the beck anywhere, but some detached little pool, far up the hill, to the eastwards of the Hall, in 'the woods.' The description does not well suit any part of Rydal beck; and no spot thereon could long 'remain unknown,' as the brook was until lately much haunted by anglers."

My difficulty as to a site "far up the hill" is, that it must have been a pool of some size, if "both flocks and herds might drink" all round it; and there is no stream, scarce even a rill that joins Rydal beck on the right, all the way up from its junction with the Rothay. The late Mr. Hull of Rydal Cottage, wrote:

"Although closely acquainted with every nook about Rydal Park, I have never been able to discover any spot corresponding to that described in Wordsworth's lines to M. H. It is possible, however, that the 'small bed of water' may have been a temporary rain pool, such as sometimes lodges in the hollows on the mountain-slope after heavy rain."

Mr. F. M. Jones, the agent of the Rydal property, writes:

"I do not know of any pool of water in the Upper Rydal Park. There are some pools up the river, 'Mirror Pool' among them; but I hardly think there can ever have been 'beech-trees' growing near them."

There are many difficulties, and the place cannot now be identified.

Wordsworth's own wish will doubtless be realised,

'The travellers know it not, and 'twill remain Unknown to them.'

Ed.

THE WATERFALL AND THE EGLANTINE

Composed 1800.--Published 1800

[Suggested nearer to Grasmere, in the same mountain track as that referred to in the following note. The Eglantine remained many years afterwards, but is now gone.--I.F.]

Included among the "Poems of the Fancy."--Ed.

I "Begone, thou fond presumptuous Elf,"

Exclaimed an angry Voice, [1]

"Nor dare to thrust thy foolish self Between me and my choice!"

A small Cascade fresh swoln with snows 5 Thus threatened a poor Briar-rose, [2]

That, all bespattered with his foam, And dancing high and dancing low, Was living, as a child might know, In an unhappy home. 10

II "Dost thou presume my course to block?

Off, off! or, puny Thing!

I'll hurl thee headlong with the rock To which thy fibres cling."

The Flood was tyrannous and strong; [A] 15 The patient Briar suffered long, Nor did he utter groan or sigh, Hoping the danger would be past; But, seeing no relief, at last, He ventured to reply. 20

III "Ah!" said the Briar, "blame me not; Why should we dwell in strife?

We who in this sequestered spot [3]

Once lived a happy life!

You stirred me on my rocky bed--25 What pleasure through my veins you spread The summer long, from day to day, My leaves you freshened and bedewed; Nor was it common grat.i.tude That did your cares repay. 30

IV "When spring came on with bud and bell, [B]

Among these rocks did I Before you hang my wreaths [4] to tell That gentle days were nigh!

And in the sultry summer hours, 35 I sheltered you with leaves and flowers; And in my leaves--now shed and gone, The linnet lodged, and for us two Chanted his pretty songs, when you Had little voice or none. 40

V "But now proud thoughts are in your breast-- What grief is mine you see, Ah! would you think, even yet how blest Together we might be!

Though of both leaf and flower bereft, 45 Some ornaments to me are left-- Rich store of scarlet hips is mine, With which I, in my humble way, Would deck you many a winter day, [5]

A happy Eglantine!" 50

VI What more he said I cannot tell, The Torrent down the rocky dell Came thundering loud and fast; [6]

I listened, nor aught else could hear; The Briar quaked--and much I fear 55 Those accents were his last.

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1836.

... a thundering Voice, 1800.]

[Variant 2:

1820.

A falling Water swoln with snows Thus spake to a poor Briar-rose, 1800.]