THE POETICAL WORKS OF WILLIAM WORDSWORTH - VOL. 2 (Completed)

LONDON, 1802

Composed September, 1802.--Published 1807

Milton! thou should'st be living at this hour:

England hath need of thee: she is a fen

Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,

Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,

Have forfeited their ancient English dower

Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;

Oh! raise us up, return to us again;

And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.

Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart:

Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:

Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free,

So didst thou travel on life's common way,

In cheerful godliness; and yet [A] thy heart

The lowliest duties on herself [1] did lay.

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VARIANT ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:1820. ... itself ... 1807.]

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FOOTNOTE ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: In old English "yet" means "continuously" or "always"; and it is still used in Cumberland with this signification.--Ed.]

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