This change was necessitated by the omission of stanza ix. In stanza xi., 1. 4, "their" became "life's" (pilgrimage) in 1820. Line 1, stanza xii., was in 1836 improved into: "Himself he propped, limbs, body, and pale face," while 1, 4 of the same stanza had already (1820) become: "Upon the margin of that moorish flood." In the same year, a stranger's privilege," replaces "such freedom as I could," in 1. 5, stanza xiii.; while 1. 4, stanza xiv. becomes : "What occupation do you there pursue?" -and lines 6, 7, are rewritten thus :

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"He answered, while [' Ere he replied,' 1836] a flash of mild surprise

Broke from the sable orbs of his yet-vivid eyes."

Stanza xvi., 1. 1: "He told, that to these waters he had come (1827). Stanza xviii., l. 5: "Perplexed, and longing to be comforted," (1820). The alteration of 1. 7, stanza xvii., is, perhaps, also noteworthy: "by strong admonishment" (1820); where in 1827 "apt" replaces "strong."

Prefatory Sonnet (page 101).-Date uncertain. Line 14: "brief solace," replaces "short" etc. (1827).

Sonnet II. (page 106).-Date uncertain. 1837, 11. 2, 3 became:

"Fresh as a lark mounting at break of day,
Festively she puts forth in trim array;

In

Sonnet III. (page 107).-Composed 1802. In 1843 Wordsworth believed that he had written this sonnet on the very evening to which it refers-the evening of his wedding day, October 4, 1802. But a comparison of the version here reprinted with his sister's record of this memorable day proves beyond doubt that, as in Beggars, Alice Fell, the Daffodil stanzas, and elsewhere, so here also the poet followed the plan (seemingly simple, but in practice awkward and difficult beyond belief) of adapting to metre a page of Dorothy's unstudied but vivid prose. Compare, e. g., with 1. 1 the opening words of the record in the Journal: "Before we had... reached the point overlooking Yorkshire, it was quite dark." In the course of the description of the sky-prospect which follows we find mention made of the "Temple of Greece," the "Indian Citadel" (Minaret), and the "Minster with

its tower substantially (or, as Dorothy says, unusually') distinct" (Knight's Life of W. W., vol. i., p. 353). In short, it is not until he reaches the very close of the sonnet that the poet, in ll. 12-14, interposes the music of his own thoughts. This unwise method resulted, as in the case of Beggars, etc., in repeated rehandlings of the text from Lines 1-4, after several revisions,

1815 onwards.

became :

"Dark and more dark the shades of Evening fell; The wished-for point was reached (1815)—but at an hour

When little could be gained from that rich dower Of prospect, whereof many thousands tell." (1836).

Here "dower" had replaced "power" as early as 1827. In 1827, too, ll. 5-12 were recast as follows:

"Yet did the glowing west in all its power (with marvellous power, 1836)

Salute us; there stood Indian Citadel,
Temple of Greece, and Minster with its tower
Substantially expressed-a place for Bell

Or Clock to toll from. Many a tempting Isle,

With Groves that never were imagined, lay
Mid Seas how steadfast! objects all for the eye
Of silent rapture; but we felt," etc.

The

Sonnet IV. (page 108).-Date uncertain. following improvements were effected in 1827. Lines 1, 2:

"These [Those' 1845] words were uttered as in pensive mood

We turned, departing from that solemn sight:"

Line 6:

"It is unstable as a dream of night;

Line 9:

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99

Grove, Isle, with every shape of sky-built dome,"

Sonnet XIII. (page 117).-Date 1786 (W. W. -1837). Lines 9-14 of this early 'effusion' breathe the spirit of "querulous egotism" and

puny pathos" fashionable amongst the sonneteers of that day. The image of the resting wheel (1. 1) -a perfect picture of repose-is, as a friend (W. H. W.) observes, an early and striking instance

of Wordsworth's fearlessness in using "the common things that round us lie" to convey remote emotion. Line 4 became, in 1827:

"Is cropping audibly his later meal: "

-a detail borrowed from Anne (Lady) Winchelsea's Nocturnal Reverie.

Sonnet XV. (page 119).-Date uncertain. Lines 7-11 were altered thus (1827, 1836):

"Distressed me; from mine eyes escaped no tears (1827);

Deep thought, or dread remembrance, had I none (1836).

By doubts and thousand petty fancies crost,

I stood of simple shame the blushing Thrall;

So narrow seemed the brooks, the fields so small." (1827).

Sonnet XVII. (page 121).-Written January or February, 1807 (Coleorton Memorials, ii., p. 2). Line 2 became in 1827:

"While I was shaping beds for winter flowers;

"Frame" and its derivatives were struck out of