The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth Volume I Part 83

1827.

And all the summer dry, 1798.]

[Variant 6:

1836.

The little Maiden did reply, 1798.]

FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: It was in June, after leaving Alfoxden finally.--Ed.]

[Footnote B: The whole of this stanza was written by Coleridge. In a MS.

copy of the poem, transcribed by him, after 1806, Wordsworth gave it the t.i.tle 'We are Seven, or Death', but afterwards restored the original t.i.tle.--Ed.]

ANECDOTE FOR FATHERS

Composed 1798.--Published 1798.

'Retine vim istam, falsa enim dicam, si coges.'

EUSEBIUS. [A]

[This was suggested in front of Alfoxden. The boy was a son of my friend, Basil Montagu, who had been two or three years under our care.

The name of Kilve is from a village on the Bristol Channel, about a mile from Alfoxden; and the name of Liswyn Farm was taken from a beautiful spot on the Wye, where Mr. Coleridge, my sister, and I had been visiting the famous John Thelwall, who had taken refuge from politics, after a trial for high treason, with a view to bring up his family by the profits of agriculture, which proved as unfortunate a speculation as that he had fled from. Coleridge and he had both been public lecturers; Coleridge mingling, with his politics, Theology, from which the other elocutionist abstained, unless it was for the sake of a sneer. This quondam community of public employment induced Thelwall to visit Coleridge at Nether Stowey, where he fell in my way.

He really was a man of extraordinary talent, an affectionate husband, and a good father. Though brought up in the city, on a tailor's board, he was truly sensible of the beauty of natural objects. I remember once, when Coleridge, he, and I were seated together upon the turf, on the brink of a stream in the most beautiful part of the most beautiful glen of Alfoxden, Coleridge exclaimed, 'This is a place to reconcile one to all the jarrings and conflicts of the wide world.' 'Nay,' said Thelwall, 'to make one forget them altogether.' The visit of this man to Coleridge was, as I believe Coleridge has related, the occasion of a spy being sent by Government to watch our proceedings; which were, I can say with truth, such as the world at large would have thought ludicrously harmless.--I. F.]

In the editions 1798 to 1843 the t.i.tle of this poem is 'Anecdote for Fathers, showing how the practice [1] of lying may be taught'. It was placed among the "Poems referring to the Period of Childhood."--Ed.

THE POEM

I have a boy of five years old; His face is fair and fresh to see; His limbs are cast in beauty's mould, And dearly he loves me.

One morn we strolled on our dry walk, 5 Our quiet home [2] all full in view, And held such intermitted talk As we are wont to do.

My thoughts on former pleasures ran; I thought of Kilve's delightful sh.o.r.e, 10 Our [3] pleasant home when spring began, A long, long year before.

A day it was when I could bear Some fond regrets to entertain; [4]

With so much happiness to spare, 15 I could not feel a pain.

The green earth echoed to the feet Of lambs that bounded through the glade, From shade to sunshine, and as fleet From sunshine back to shade.[5] 20

Birds warbled round me--and each trace Of inward sadness had its charm; Kilve, thought I, was a favoured place,[6]

And so is Liswyn farm.

My boy beside me tripped, so slim 25 And graceful in his rustic dress!

And, as we talked, I questioned him, [7]

In very idleness.

"Now tell me, had you rather be,"

I said, and took him by the arm, 30 "On Kilve's smooth sh.o.r.e, by the green sea, Or here at Liswyn farm?" [8]

In careless mood he looked at me, While still I held him by the arm, And said, "At Kilve I'd rather be 35 Than here at Liswyn farm."

"Now, little Edward, say why so: My little Edward, tell me why."-- "I cannot tell, I do not know."-- "Why, this is strange," said I; 40

"For, here are woods, hills smooth and warm: [9]

There surely must some reason be Why you would change sweet Liswyn farm For Kilve by the green sea."

At this, my boy hung down his head, 45 He blushed with shame, nor made reply; [10]

And three times to the child I said, [11]

"Why, Edward, tell me why?"

His head he raised--there was in sight, It caught his eye, he saw it plain-- 50 Upon the house-top, glittering bright, A broad and gilded vane.

Then did the boy his tongue unlock, And eased his mind with this reply: [12]

"At Kilve there was no weather-c.o.c.k; 55 And that's the reason why."

O dearest, dearest boy! my heart For better lore would seldom yearn, Could I but teach the hundredth part Of what from thee I learn. [B] 60