APPARELLED I N C E L EST I AL LIGHT .

O D E

INT IMA T I ONS OF IMMO RT A L I TY

FROM REC OLLECT IONS'

OF EARLY C H ILDHOOD

/ BY

W ILLIAM VVORDSWORTH

DOV E C OTTAGE , GRASMERE

w"WNW“

BOSTOND . LO THR OP AND C OMPANY

FRAN"L I N AND HA ‘VL EY STREE T S

W'

ILLI AM W'

ORDS RTH

[Ph o tograph ed from the pa inting by Mr . H enry Inf/nan

now in possess ion of flh'

s . Re ed ,Ph iladelph ia , Pm"

W ILLIAM \VORDS\VORTH

[Ph o tograph edfrom a portra it on ivory , pa in ted in 1841 byfiliss Alary a re t Gillies , and now in possess ion of

JII r . I’Villiam Wordswor t h ."

A"THOR’

S NOTE .

TH I S was com p o sed d u r i n g my r es id e n ce at Town - e nd , G r as

m e r e . Two yea r s at l east p ass e d betwee n t h e wr i t i n g of t h efo u r fi r s t s ta n zas a n d t h e r em ai n i n g p a r t . To t h e atte n t i v ea n d com p ete n t r ead e r t h e wh o l e suffi c ie n tl y ex p l ai n s i tsel f ; butt h e r e may be no h a rm in adve r t i n g h e r e t o p a r t i cu l a r fee l i n gsor experiences of my own m i n d on wh i c h t h e s t r uctu r e of t h ep o em p a r t l y r ests . No t h i n g was mo r e d iffi cu l t for m e in c h ildh o o d t h a n t o adm i t t h e n o t io n of deat h as a state a p p l i cab le

t o my own be i n g . I h av e s aid el s ewh e r e,

A s im p l e c h i ld ,T h at l ig h t l y d r aws it s b r eath,A nd feels it s l i fe ln ev e r y l imb

,

W h at s h o u ld it k n ow of deat h ""

B ut i t was n o t so muc h f rom feel i n gs of a n imal v iv ac ityt h at my d iffi cu l ty cam e as f rom a se n s e of t h e i n dom itablen es s of t h e s p i r i t wit h i n m e . I used t o b r o o d o ve r t h e s t o

ri es of E n o ch and E l ij a h , a n d almo st t o p e r s uad e mys e l f t h at ,W h atev e r m ig h t become of o t h e r s , I s h o u l d be t r a n s l ated , insom et h i n g of t h e sam e way , t o h eave n . W i t h a fee l i n g con

ge n i al t o t h is,I was o fte n u n ab l e t o t h i n k of e xte r n al t h i n gs

as h av i n g exte r n al exi s te n ce , a n d I commu n ed wi t h al l t h at Isaw as som et h i n g no t a p a r t f r om ,

bu t i n h e r e n t i n,my own

immate r i al n atu r e . Ma n y t imes wh i l e go i n g t o s c h o o l h av e I

g r as p ed at a wal l or t r e e t o r ecal l m yse l f f r om t h is abyss of

I O A "TH OR ’S NOTE .

ideal ism t o t h e r eal i ty . A t t h at t ime I was af r aid of su c hp r o cesses . I n l ate r p e r iod s o f l i fe I h ave d e p lo r ed

,as we h av e

al l r eas o n to do, a s ubj ugat io n of a n o p p o s i t e c h a r acte r

,a n d

h av e r ej o iced o ve r t h e r ememb r a n ces , as is ex p r essed in t h el i n es ,

Obs t i n ate qu es t io n i n g sOf se n s-

e and o u twa r d t h i n gs ,Fal l i n gs f r om u s , va n is h i n gs .

"

To t h at d r eam - l ike v iv id n ess and s p l e n do r wh i c h inv es t oh

j ec t s of s ig h t i n c h i l d h ood , ev e r y one,I bel i ev e

,i f h e wo u ld

lo ok back,co u ld bea r test imo n y, a n d I n eed no t dwel l u p o n

i t h e r e ; bu t h av i n g in t h e p o em r ega r d ed i t as 1t >re sumpt iv e

ev id e n ce of a p r io r s tate of ex is te n ce , I t h i n k i t r ig h t t o pro

test agai n s t a co n cl us ion , wh i c h has give n p ai n t o s om e go o da n d p io us p e r so n s , t h at I m ea n t t o i n cu l cate su c h a be l i ef .It is fa r t oo s h adowy a n o t io n t o be r ecomm e n d ed t o fait h

,

as m o r e t h a n a n e leme n t in o ur i n s t i n cts of imm o r t al i ty . Bu tl et u s bea r in m i n d t h at , tho -ug h t h e id ea is no t ad va n ced i nr e v el at io n

,t h e r e is n o t h i n g t h e r e t o co n t r ad ict i t

,a n d t h e fal l

of man p r ese n ts a n a n alogy in it s favo r . A cco r d i n gly,a p r e

ex iste n t s tate has e n te r ed i n to t h e p o p u l a r c r e eds of m a n yn at io n s ; a n d , amo n g al l p e r so n s acqu ai n ted wit h cl ass i c l i te r atu r e

,is k n own as

'

a n ing r ed i e n t i n Plato n i c p h i lo so p h y . A r c h im ed es said t h at h e co u l d mo ve t h e wo r l d if h e h ad a p o i n twh e r eo n t o r est his m ac h i n e . Who has no t fe l t the sam e as

p i r at io n s as r ega r ds t h e wo r l d of his own m i n d " Havmg to

wi e ld some of it s el eme n ts wh e n I was im p e l l ed t o wr i t e t h isp o em on t h e “ Immo r t al i ty of t h e S oul

,

"I to ok ho l d of t h e

n o t io n of p r e - ex iste n ce as h av i n g suffi c i e n t fo u n d atio n in hu

m a n i ty for au t h o r i zi n g me t o make for my p u r p o se t h e bestuse of i t I co u l d as a p o et .

ILL"STRATIONS .

S"BJE CT . A RT IST .

Do v e Co t t ag e , Gra s m ere

\VillaiamW’

ordswort h . Por tra it

RYilliam \Vordswor-th. Portra it

And while the y oung“

la m bs boundAs to time t abo r’s s oun d

And the Babe l eaps up on his Mo t h er‘

s arm

on. li t tle C h i’ld , y e t g l orio u s in t h e m ig h t XVM . ST . JOHNHARPER .

Of h eav en- born freedom on thy bemg’s h e ight

The t h o ug h t s of o ur pas t y ears in me do t h breedPerpe t ua l bene d i c t ion

Ye t h a t pipe and y e t ha t pl ay

The engrav ing by Georg e L. Cowee and Jo h n Schoele ‘

h.

F. C HILDE I‘ IA S SAM .

FROM ANETC H ING .

HENRY INMA N .

BIARGA IRET GILLIES .

Mi s s L. B. H"MPH REY .

EDM"ND H. GA RRETT .

Mi s s L. B. H"MPH REY .

“TM . T . SMEDLEY .

AC "NOW LEDGM ENT is d u e t h e “fo nD SW ORTH SOC IETY (Eng l and ) , t h roug h whos eco urt esy ,

by i ts Seu '

e'ta ry

,Pro fe s s o r \Villia>m "n ig h t , t h e two portra i t s of Words

wort h ih t h i s v o l ume are g i v en . T h ey m e from a s e t of fi v e ph o tograph s from t h eorig ina l s , prepared for t h e m e m bers of t h e Socie ty .

It may n o t be a m i ss to qu o t e h ere , from t h e Tra nsa ct ions of t h e Soc i e ty (Nowha t is sa i d of t h e Inman portra i t , wh i c h , ou t of so m e twenty - sexi er)

,

YVord'

swo rth him-s e l f cons i dere d t h e b e s t ll-ke '

IllCSS Z“ The tru e man

,“

I

ord'

sworth as

h e was , as h e l i v ed and m o v e d among t h e sons of men speak s in t h eInma-n pi c t u re . It is a l i k e ne s s . It is wi t h t h e fa ir- off g az e , who wro t ethrc po t

-ms .

"

FROM RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.

The Chi ld is fat h e r of t h e Ma n /;And I co u l d wish my d ays t o beBo u n d eac h t o eac h by n at u r al

tp i ety .

s t r eam

Apparel l ed i n celestial l ight

The g lo ry and the fre shn e s s of a d r eam .

1 6 INTI/11A Tfo‘

Ns OF iMMOfeTAM TV

Lo ok r ou n d he r whe n the he ave n s a r e ba r e

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FROM RECOLLECTI ONS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD.1 9

Now,whi le the bi r ds thus s i n g a j oyous so n g,

A nd whil e the you n g lambs bou n d

A s to'

the tabo r‘

s‘

s o u n d ,

To me alo n e the r e cam e a tho ught of g r ief

A timely utte r a n ce gave that tho ught r el ief,

A n d I again am s t r o n g

The cata r acts blow thei r t rumpets fr om the steep ;

No mo r e shal l g r i ef of m i n e the s eas o n w r o n g ;

I hea r the E cho es th r ough the mou n tai n s th r o n g

The W i n ds come to me fr om th e fields of s l eep

A n d all the ea r th is gay ;

La n d and s e a

G ive them s elves up to j oll ity,

A n d w ith the hea r t ofMay

2 0 [NTL’II A TZ ONS OF -[JLIAI OR TALI TV

Shout r ou n d me , l et me hea r th

happy Shepherd- boy"

This swee t May - mo r n i n g,

And the Child r e n are cu l l i n g

O n eve ry s ide ,

AND THE BABE LEABs "P ON H IS MOTHER ’S ARM .

FROM RE COLLE CTI O/VS OF EARL S" CHILDHOOD . 23

Fresh flowe r s ; whil e the s un shi n es wa rm,

A n d the B abe leaps up on his Mo the r ’s a rm :

I hea r,I hea r

,wi th j oy I hea r"

But the r e ’s a T r ee,of ma n y

, one,

A s i n gl e F iel d which I have lo oked upo n,

Bo th of them speak of s omethi n g that is go n e

The Pa n sy at my feet

Do th the same tale r epeat :

Whithe r ’

is fl ed the vis io n a ry g leam"

Whe r e i s 1t now,the g lo ry a n d the d r eam"

V .

bi r th is but a s l eep a n d a

s ou l that r is es wi th us , our l ife’s Sta r ,

Hathhad el s ewhe r e it s setti n g,

A nd cometh fr om a

No t i n e n t i r e fo rgetful n es s ,

A n d no t i n utte r n aked n ess ,

2 4 [NTL’l/A TI ONS OF [ill/MOR TALI TY

But t rail i n g clouds of g lo ry do we come

F r om God, who is our home

Heave n l ies about us i n our infaney'

Shades of the p r is o n - hous e begi n to close

But he beho lds the l ight, a n d whe n ce it flows

He s ees it i n his j oy ;

The Youth , who daily fa r the r from the eas t

Mus t t r avel , s til l is Natu r e’s Pr i est,

A n d by the vis io n sple n did

I s on his way atte n ded ;

At length the Ma n pe r ce ives i t die awa

And fade i n to the l ight of commo n day

Ea r th fill s he r lap with pl easu r es of he r own ;

Yea r n i n gs she hath i n he r own n atu r al k i n d ,

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FRO/W RE COLLE C T/O/VS OF EA RL Y CHILDHOOD .2 7

A n d eve n w ith somethi n g of a Mo the r’

s m i n d

A n d no u nwo r thy aim ,

The homely Nu r s e do th all she ca n

To make he r Fo s te r - child , he r I nmate Ma n ,

Fo rget. the glo r i es he hath k n ow n

A n d that impe r i al pal ace whe n ce he came

B eho l d the C hild amo n g his n ew - bo r n bl is ses

A Da r l i n g of a pigmy s i z e"

See , whe r e’m id wo rk of his own ha n d he l ies

,

F r etted by sall ies of his mo the r ’s k isses,

With light upo n h im fr om his fathe r ’s eyes"

See , at his feet, s ome l ittle pla n or chart,

Shaped by himse lf w ith n ewly - lea r n ed a r t :

28 INTI /IIA TI ONS OF f.Mfl[OR TAL[TY

A n d this hath now his hea r t,

A n d u n to this he frames his s o n g,

The n w il l h e fi t. his to n gue

But i t w il l no t be lo n g

A nd w ith n ew j oy a n d p r ide

The l ittl e Acto r co n s a n o the r pa r t ;

Fil l i n g fr om time to time his humo r ous s ta e

W ith al l th e Pe r so n s , down to pal s i ed Age ,

That Life b r i n gs w ith he r i n he r equ ipage ,

A s if his who l e vocatio n

We r e e n dles s im itatio n .

THO" L ITTLE CH I LD , YET GLOR I O"S IN TH E M IGHTOF H EAVEN—BORN FREEDOM ON THY BE ING ’S HE IGHT .

FRO/II RECOLLECTI ONS OF EARL Y CHILDHOOD . 3 T

Thou,who s e ex te r io r s embla n ce do th bel ie

Thy Soul’s imme n s ity ;

Thou bes t Philo sophe r , who yet do s t keep

Thy he r itage,thou Ey e amo n g the bl i n d

That,deaf a n d s il e n t

,read

’s t the ete r n al deep

,

Hau n ted fo r eve r by the ete r n al m i n d ,

Mighty p r ophet"See r bles t"

On whom tho se t ruths do r es t,

Which we a r e to il i n g al l our l ives to find,

In da r k n es s lo s t, the da rk n es s of the g r ave ;

Thou , ove r whom thy Immo r tal i ty

B r o o ds l ike the Day , a Mas te r o’er a Slave ,

A Pr es e n ce which is no t t o be put by ;

Thou l ittl e C hild , yet glo r ious i n the might

Of heave n - bo r n fr eedom on thy bei n g’s height,

32 INTI IIJA TI OIVS OF I IIL ’

II OR TALI TY

Why w ith such ea r n es t pa i n s do s t thou p r ovoke

The yea r s to b r i n g the i n evitabl e yoke,

Thus bl i n dly W i th thy bles s ed n e s s at s t r ife"

Ful l so o n thy Sou l shall have he r ea r thly f

A nd custom l i e upo n thee w ith a weight,

eavy as fr o st,a n d deep almos t as l ife"

O j oy"that i n our embe r s

I s somethi n g th at do th l iv e,

That Natu r e yet r em-embe r s

What was so fugitive"

The thought of our pas t yea r s i n me do th b r eed

Pe rpetual be n edictio n : no t i n deed

For that which is mos t wo r thy to be bl es t ;

D el ight a n d l ibe r ty,the s impl e c r eed

Of C hildho od,whethe r busy o r at r es t

With new- fl edg ed hopes s til l flutte r i n g i n his b r eas t

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PROA/ I i’

E C'

OLLE C TI O/VS OF EA RL Y CHILDHOOD . 35

No t fo r th es e I r ais e

The s o n g of tha n ks and p r ais e ;

Wh ich,be they what they may ,

A r e yet the fou n tai n l ight of al l our day ,

A r e yet a mas te r l ight of al l our seei n g ;

"pho l d u s,che r ish , and have powe r to make

Our n o isy yea r ‘s s eem mome n ts in the bei n g

Oui Soul s have s ight of that immo r tal se a

‘Vhich b r ought u s hithe r

A n d s e e th e C hild r e n spo r t upo n th e sho r e,

(I hea r the m

B i r ds,S i n g

,smg a Joyous s o n g"

l et the you n g l ambs bou n d

YE THAT PIPE. AND YE THAT PLAY.

Ye that th r ough yo u r h ea r ts to - day

Feel the glad n es s of the May"

“That though the r adia n ce which was o n ce so b r ight

Though n o thi n g ca n b r i n g back the hou r

Of sp le n do r i n the g r as s , of glo r y i n the flowe r :

We w i ll g r ieve no t , r athe r find

St r e n gth in what r emai n s beh i n d ;

In the p r imal sympathy

Which havi n g bee n mus t eve r be ;

In the s oo thi n g thoughts that sp r i n g

In the faith that lo oks thr ough death

In yea r s that b r i n g the philo s0phic m i n d .

And C,ye Fou n tains , Meadows , Hil ls , a n d G roves ,

Fo r bo de no t a n y s eve r i n g of our loves"

4 0 INTI /WA TI OIVS OF [Ill/MORTALI TY.

I o n ly have r eli nquished one del ight

Eve n mo r e tha n whe n I t ripped l ightly as they ;

I s lovely yet ;

The C lo uds that gathe r r ou n d the s etti n g sun

Do take a sobe r co lo r i n g from a n eye

That hat'h kept watch o’e r ma n ’s mo r tality ;

A n o the r race hath bee n , a n d o the r palms a r e won .

Tha n ks to the huma n hea r t by which we l ive ,

Tha n ks t o it s t e n de r n es s , its j oys , and fea r s,

To me the mea n es t flo we r that blows can give

Thoughts that do o fte n he to o deep fo r tea r s .

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NOTES .

[FROM t h e ed i t i on of \'Vordsworth’s Po e t i c a l Wo rk s (Ed inb urg h , ed i ted

by W i l l i a m "n ig h t , LL.D.,Se cre t ary of t h e \Vord sworth So c i e ty (England ) , and

Pro fessor of Mora l P h i losoph y ,S t . Andrews

,Sco t l and ."

THE ed itio n of 1807 co n c luded wit h t h is p o em , wh ic h Wo r d s

wo r th s im p ly n am e d Ocle, prefixing t o i t t h e mo tto , “ PauloIn 1815 , wh e n h e r e v ised t h e p o em t h r oug hmaj

-

ora canam us .

’

o ut , h e n amed it, in t h e c h a r acte r ist i c m a n n e r of m a n y of his

t i t l es—d iffus e a n d yet p r ec is e— Ode. I nt ima tions of Immor

tality from R ecollect ions of E arly Child/mod,a n d h e t h e n

p r efixed t o i t t h e l i n es of his own ea r l i e r p o em on t h e Rai nbow (Ma r c h , 1802)

The c h i l d is Fat h e r of t h e Ma n ;And I co uld wi s h my d ays t o beBo u n d eac h t o eac h by n atu r al p i ety .

T h is longe r t itl e a n d motto i t r eta i n ed in al l t h e subseque n ted i t io n s .

The Ode on I mmortali ty was wr itte n at i n te r v als , betwee nt h e yea r s 1803 a n d 1806 ; a n d i t was s ubj ected t o f r eque n ta n d ca r e fu l r e v is io n . No p o em of i 'Vo rd swo rth

’s bea r s mo r e

e v i de n t t r ac es in it s st r uct u r e at o n ce of i n s p i r at io n a n de l abo r at io n ; of o r igi n al fl ig h t of t h oug h t and qfila tu s on t h eone h a n d , a n d on t h e o t h e r of ca r efu l scu l p tu r e a n d fast i d io usc h o i ce of p h r ase . But i t is r ema r kabl e t h at t h e r e a r e v e r yfew c h a n ges of t ext in t h e s u cces s i v e ed it io n s . Mo st of t h e

4 4

alte r at io n s we r e m ad e befo r e 1815 , a n d t h e om i s s io n of s om efeebl e l i n es wh ic h o r ig i n al ly s to o d in s ta n za v i i i .

,in t h e

ed i t io n s of 1807 and 1815,was a g r eat adva n tage in d isen

cumbe r i n g t h e p o em . The m ai n r e v i s io n and e l abo r at io n of

t h is Ode , h owe v e r — an e l abo r at io n wh ic h s uggests t h e p assage oft h e g l ac ie r i ce o ve r t h e r o cks of W h i t e Mo s s Commo n

, wh e r et h e p o em was m u rm u r ed o ut s ta n za by s ta n za— was al l finished befo r e i t fi r st saw the l ig h t in 1 807 . In fo rm i t is i rr egu l a r a n d o r igi n al . A nd p e r h a p s t h e m o s t r em a r kabl e t h i n gin it s s t r u ctu r e is t h e f r eque n t c h a n ge of t h e key n o te , a n d t h eski l l a n d d el icacy wi t h wh i c h the t r a n s it io n s a r e m ade . “ The

fe et t h r o ug h ou t a r e i ambic . The l i n es v a r y in l e n gt h f r om t h eA l e x a n d r i n e t o t h e l i ne wi t h two acce n ts . T h e r e is a co n sta n tebb a n d fl ow in t h e fu l l t id e of s o n g

,bu t sca r ce two wav es

a r e al ike ." (Hawe s Tu r n e r,Selections from IVorclswort/t .)

t o t h e Select ion s j u s t r efe r r ed t o , t h e r e isIn t h e n o tes ’

an excel le n t comm e n ta r y on t h is Ode o n Immortality , almo stev e ry l i n e of wh i c h is wo r t h y of m i n ut e a n alys is a n d s tudy .

Se v e r al of t h e fo l lowi n g a r e s uggested by M r . T u r n e r .

(L) The winds come to me, from the fi elds of sleep ,

The mo r n i n g b r eeze b lowi n g f r om t h e fi e lds t h at we r e da r k

d u r i n g t h e h o u r s of s l e e p .

B u t there’

s a tree, of many , one,

Com p a r e B rown i n g’s Jllay and D ea th

O n ly one l ittl e S ig h t , one p l a n tWood s h av e in May , &c .

The pansy a t my feet

D o t/t the same tale repea t,

4 5

Fr e n c h Pe n s"e ."

If anzlet .

“ Pa n s ies , t h at’

s for t h o ug h ts .

"O p h e l i a in

Our birth is bu t a sleep and a forg ett ing) ,

T h is t h o ug h t Wo r d swo r t h owed , co n sc io u s l y o r u n co n sc io u s ly,

t o Plato . T h o ugh h e te l ls u s i n t h e Fe nwi ck n o te t h at h ed id no t mean t o inculca te the be l i ef , t h e r e is no d o ubt t h ath e cl u n g t o t h e n o t io n of a l i fe pie - ex is t i n g t h e p r es e n t

, on

g r o u n ds s im i l a r t o t h o se on wh i c h h e bel i e v ed i n a l i fe t o

come . Bu t t h e r e a r e som e d i ffe r e n ces in t h e way in wh i c ht h e i d ea comm e n ded i ts el f t o Plato a n d t o Wo r d swo r t h . The

st r ess was laid by Wo r d swo r t h on t h e effect of te r r es t r i a l l ifei n p utt i n g t h e h ig h e r facu l t i es t o s l e e p

,and m aki n g u s

“ fo r

get t h e glo r i es we h av e k n own ." Plato , on t h e o t h e r h a n d,

lo oked u p o n t h e m i n gl ed ex p e r i e n ces of m u n d a n e l i fe as i n d uci n g a g r ad ual but s low r ememb r a n ce of t h e p ast . Com p a r e

Te n n yso n ’s Two Vo ices , a n d Wo r d swo r t h ’s so n n et '

“ Ma n ’s l ife is l ike a s p a r r ow,m ig h ty k i n g .

Filling—fro m t ime to time his “ humorou s s tag e

IVith all the persons ,

i . e . wi t h t h e drama tis person te .

(6 ) Tho u ey e am ong the blind ,

Tha t, (leaf and s ilent, read

’s t the eternal deep ,

T h e r e is a n adm i r ab l e p a r al le l i l lust r at io n of VVordsworth’s use

of t h is figu r e (d esc r ib i n g one se n s e in t e rms of a n o t h e r ) , i nthe l i n e s in A ira Force V alley

“ A so ft eye-mu s i c of s low wav i n g bo ug h s .

Full s oon thy S oul shall have her earthly freight,

A nd cu s tom lie upon thee wi th a a ieight,

fleavy as fros t,and deep almos t a s life "

46 NOTE S .

Com p a r e wit h t h is t h e l i n es in t h e fo u r t h book of The E ’

cursion, begi n n i n g

A las"t h e e n d owm e n t of immo r tal Pa i nIs m atc h ed u n e qu al ly with cu stom,

t ime .

(8 ) Falling s from u s,

vanishing s ,

The o utwa r d se n s ibl e u n i v e r se, v is ib l e a n d ta ng ibl e, s eem i n gt o fal l away f rom us , as u n r eal , t o v a n is h in u n substa n t i al i ty .

See t h e ex p l a n atio n of t h is yo ut h fu l ex p e r ie n ce in t h e Fenwi ck n o te . T h at co n fess i o n of his boy is h d ays at Hawk s h ead ,“ m a n y t imes

, wh i l e gowg t o sc h oo l,h av e I g r as p ed at a wa l l

or t r e e , t o r e cal l m y sel f f r om t h i s abys s of i d eal ism t o t h er eal i ty " (by wh i c h h e ex p lai n s t h ose

fallmg s f r om u s , v am shmg s ,

suggests a s im i l a r ex p e r i e n ce a n d co n fess io n of Ca r d i n al Newm a n ’s i n his Ap olog ia (S ee p .The Re v . Robe r t Pe r ceval G r aves , late of VVindermere

,now

of D ubl i n, wr o te t h u s in 1850 : “ I r emembe r M r . W o r d s

wo r t h sayi n g t h at , at a p a r t i cu l a r s tage of his m e n t al p r og r ess ,h e u sed t o be f r eque n t ly s o r a p t i n to an u n r eal t ranscendental wo r l d of i d eas t h at t h e ex t e r n al wo r l d s eemed no lo n ge rt o exist i n r el at io n t o him ,

a n d h e h ad t o r e co n v i n ce him

sel f of its ex i ste n ce by cla s’ping a tree, o r som et h i n g t h ath a p p e n e d t o be n ea r him . I cou l d no t h el p co n n e ct i n g t h isfact wi t h t h at obscu r e p assag e in his g r eat Od e on t h e ‘ In

t imat ions of Im-mo r tal i ty ,’ i n wh i c h h e s p eaks of

T h ose obst i n ate quest io n i n gsOf se n se a n d o utwa r d t h i n gs

,

Fal l i n gs f r om u s , v a n i s h i n gs .

"

P ro fesso r Bonamy P r i ce fa r t h e r co n fi rms t h e ex p la n at io n

NOTE S . 4 7

wh ic h Wo r d swo r t h gav e of t h e p as s age, in a n acco u n t of aco n v e r sat io n h e h ad wi t h t h e p o et . It was an experi

e n ce,h owe v e r , no t , I t h i n k , as M r . Pr ice imagi n es , p ecu l i a r

t o VVo rdsworth— a n d it s v al ue wo u ld be m uc h les s e n ed i f it

we r e so — bu t one t o wh ic h (as t h e p o et s aid t o Miss Fen

wi ck) “ ev e r y one , i f h e wo uld look back , co u l d bea r t est i

mo n y .

OX FORD , April 21 , 1881 .

“ MY DEAR S IR.

,—You wi l l b e gl ad , I am su r e , t o r ece i ve

a n i n te r p r e tat io n, wh i c h c h a n ce e n abl ed me t o obtai n f r om

Wo r d swo r t h h imse lf, of a p assage in t h e immo r tal Ode t o Im

mo r tal i ty .“ It h a p p e n ed one day t h at t h e p o et, my wi fe , a n d I we r etaki n g a wal k toget h e r by t h e s id e of Rydal Wate r . We we r et h e n by t h e sycamo r es u n d e r Nab S ca r . The aged p o et wasi n a mo s t ge n ial m ood

,a n d i t sudd e n ly o ccu r r ed to me t h at

I m ig h t, wit h ou t u nwa r r a n tab l e p r esum p t ion , se i ze t h e go l d e nO p p o r tu n i ty t h u s offe r ed

,a n d ask him t o ex p l ai n t h ese my s

t e rio us wo r d s . So I add r essed him wi t h a n a p o logy, a n dbegged him t o ex p lai n , wh at my own feeb le mo t h e r -Wit wasu n ab l e t o u n r av e l

,a n d for wh i c h I had in rai n so ug h t t h e

ass i sta n ce of o t h e r s , wh at we r e t h o se “ failing s f r om us , ran

for wh i c h, abo v e al l o t h e r t h i n gs

,h e gav e Godishings ,

t h a n ks . The v e n e r abl e o ld m an r a is ed his aged fo rm e r e ct ;h e was wal ki n g in t h e m i d d l e

,and p assed ac ro ss m e t o a fi v e

ba r r ed gate i n t h e wall wh i c h bo u n d ed t h e r o ad on t h e s i d eof t h e lake . H e cl e n c h ed t h e t op ba r fi rml y wi t h his r ig h th a n d , p u s h ed st r ongl y agai n s t i t , a n d t h e n u tte red t h ese ev e rm emo r abl e wo r d s : ‘ T h e r e was a t im e i n my l i fe wh e n I h adt o p us h agai n s t som et h i n g t h at r es is ted , t o be s u r e t h at t h e r ewas a n yt h i n g o uts i d e of me . I was s u r e of my own m i n d ;

eve ry t h i n g els e fe ll away , a n d v a n is h ed i n to t h oug h t .’T h o ught

,

h e was s u r e of; matte r , for him, at t h e mome n t

, was a n un

r eal i ty — n o t h i n g bu t'

a t h o ug h t . S uc h n atu r a l S p o n tan eo usi deal -ism has p r o bably n e ve r bee n fel t by a n y o t h e r m an .

BONANY PR ICE .

Profess or I fn iyht .

The fo l lowi n g is f r om SfT . Co l e r idge’s B ioy raphia Ji tter

aria (c h . xx i i . , p . 299,ed .

To t h e ‘ Od e o n t h e I n t imat io n s of Immo r t al i ty f r om {ec

o lle ct ions of Ea r l y Chi l d h o od,

’ t h e p o et m ig h t h av e p r efixedt h e l i n es wh ic h Da n te add r esses t o o ne of his own Ca n zo n i :

‘ Ca n zo n e i’ c r ed o c h e s a r a n n o r ad iC o l o r c h e tu a r agio n e i n te n dam be n eTa n to lo r s e i fati co so ed al t o .

’

‘ O l y r i c s ong , t h e -re wi l l'

be few, t h i n k 1

Who m ay thy im p o r t u n d e r sta n d a r ig h t :T h o u art for t h em so a r d uou s and s o h ig h "

’

Bu t t h e Od e was i n te n d ed for s u c h r ead e r s o n l y as h ad bee naccu stomed t o watc h t h e fl ux a n d r efl ux of t h e i r i nm o s t na

tu r e, t o ve n tu r e at t im es i n to t h e twi l ig h t r ealms of consc io u s

n ess , a n d t o fee l a d ee p i n te r es t in m od es of i nmo s t be i n g,t o

wh i c h t h ey k n ow t h at t h e at t r ibu t es of t ime a n d s p ace a r ei n a p p l icab l e a n d al ie n , bu t wh i c h yet ca n n o t be co n v eyed , save111 symbo l s of t im e and s p ace . Fo r such r e ad e r s t h e s e n s e is

s uffici e n tl y p lai n , a n d they wi l l be as l i ttl e d i s p o sed t o c h a rgeM r . ‘

iVo rd swo rth wit h be l i ev i n g the Plato n i c pie - ex is tence , i nt h e ord i n a r y i n t e r p r etat io n of t h e wo r d s , as I am t o bel i e vet h at Plato h im sel f ev e r m ea n t. o r taug h t it ."