The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth Volume Iii Part 16

Composed 1805.--Published 1807

[This dog I knew well. It belonged to Mrs. Wordsworth's brother, Mr.

Thomas Hutchinson, who then lived at Sockburn-on-the-Tees, a beautiful retired situation, where I used to visit him and his sisters before my marriage. My sister and I spent many months there after my return from Germany in 1799--I. F.]

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

On his morning rounds the Master Goes to learn how all things fare; Searches pasture after pasture, Sheep and cattle eyes with care; And, for silence or for talk, 5 He hath comrades in his walk; Four dogs, each pair of different breed, Distinguished two for scent, and two for speed.

See a hare before him started!

--Off they fly in earnest chase; 10 Every dog is eager-hearted, All the four are in the race: And the hare whom they pursue, Knows from instinct [1] what to do; Her hope is near: no turn she makes; 15 But, like an arrow, to the river takes.

Deep the river was, and crusted Thinly by a one night's frost; But the nimble Hare hath trusted To the ice, and safely crost; so 20 She hath crost, and without heed All are following at full speed, When, lo! the ice, so thinly spread, Breaks--and the greyhound, DART, is over-head!

Better fate have PRINCE and SWALLOW--25 See them cleaving to the sport!

MUSIC has no heart to follow, Little MUSIC, she stops short.

She hath neither wish nor heart, Hers is now another part: 30 A loving creature she, and brave!

And fondly strives [2] her struggling friend to save.

From the brink her paws she stretches, Very hands as you would say!

And afflicting moans she fetches, 35 As he breaks the ice away.

For herself she hath no fears,-- Him alone she sees and hears,-- Makes efforts with complainings; nor gives o'er Until her fellow sinks to re-appear no more. [3] 40

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1837.

Hath an instinct ... 1807.]

[Variant 2:

1815.

And doth her best ... 1807.]

[Variant 3:

1837.

Makes efforts and complainings; nor gives o'er Until her Fellow sunk, and reappear'd no more. 1807.

... sank, ... 1820.]

FOOTNOTE ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: In 1807 and 1815 the t.i.tle was 'Incident, Characteristic of a favourite Dog, which belonged to a Friend of the Author'.--Ed.]

TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE SAME DOG

Composed 1805.--Published 1807

[Was written at the same time, 1805. The Dog Music died, aged and blind, by falling into a draw-well at Gallow] Hill, to the great grief of the family of the Hutchinsons, who, as has been before mentioned, had removed to that place from Sockburn.--I. F.]

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

Lie [1] here, without a record of thy worth, Beneath a [2] covering of the common earth!

It is not from unwillingness to praise, Or want of love, that here no Stone we raise; More thou deserv'st; but _this_ man gives to man, 5 Brother to brother, _this_ is all we can.

Yet [3] they to whom thy virtues made thee dear Shall find thee through all changes of the year: This Oak points out thy grave; the silent tree Will gladly stand a monument of thee. 10

We grieved for thee, and wished thy end were past; [4]

And willingly have laid thee here at last: For thou hadst lived till every thing that cheers In thee had yielded to the weight of years; Extreme old age had wasted thee away, 15 And left thee but a glimmering of the day; Thy ears were deaf, and feeble were thy knees,-- I saw thee stagger in the summer breeze, Too weak to stand against its sportive breath, And ready for the gentlest stroke of death. 20 It came, and we were glad; yet tears were shed; Both man and woman wept when thou wert dead; Not only for a thousand thoughts that were, Old household thoughts, in which thou hadst thy share; But for some precious boons vouchsafed to thee, 25 Found scarcely any where in like degree!

For love, that comes wherever life and sense Are given by G.o.d, in thee was most intense; [5]

A chain of heart, a feeling of the mind, A tender sympathy, which did thee bind 30 Not only to us Men, but to thy Kind: Yea, for thy fellow-brutes in thee we saw A soul [6] of love, love's intellectual law:-- Hence, if we wept, it was not done in shame; Our tears from pa.s.sion and from reason came, 35 And, therefore, shalt thou be an honoured name!