University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The poetical works of William Wordsworth

... In six volumes ... A new edition
Wordsworth, William (1770-1850)

expand sectionI. 
VOL. I.
expand sectionII. 
VOL. II.
expand sectionIII. 
VOL. III.
collapse sectionIV. 
VOL. IV.
expand section 
THE WHITE DOE OF RYLSTONE;
collapse section 
ECCLESIASTICAL SONNETS.
expand sectionI. 
PART I. FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY INTO BRITAIN, TO THE CONSUMMATION OF THE PAPAL DOMINION.
collapse sectionII. 
PART II. TO THE CLOSE OF THE TROUBLES IN THE REIGN OF CHARLES I.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III. CISTERTIAN MONASTERY.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V. MONKS AND SCHOOLMEN.
 VI. 
VI. OTHER BENEFITS.
 VII. 
VII. OTHER BENEFITS: CONTINUED.
 VIII. 
VIII. CRUSADERS.
 IX. 
IX.
 X. 
X.
 XI. 
XI. TRANSUBSTANTIATION.
 XII. 
XII. THE VAUDOIS.
 XIII. 
XIII.
 XIV. 
XIV. WALDENSES.
 XV. 
XV. ARCHBISHOP CHICHELY TO HENRY V.
 XVI. 
XVI. WARS OF YORK AND LANCASTER.
 XVII. 
XVII. WICLIFFE.
 XVIII. 
XVIII. CORRUPTIONS OF THE HIGHER CLERGY.
 XIX. 
XIX. ABUSE OF MONASTIC POWER.
 XX. 
XX. MONASTIC VOLUPTUOUSNESS.
 XXI. 
XXI. DISSOLUTION OF THE MONASTERIES.
 XXII. 
XXII. THE SAME SUBJECT. [DISSOLUTION OF THE MONASTERIES.]
 XXIII. 
XXIII. [DISSOLUTION OF THE MONASTERIES]: CONTINUED.
 XXIV. 
XXIV. SAINTS.
 XXV. 
XXV. THE VIRGIN.
 XXVI. 
XXVI. APOLOGY.
 XXVII. 
XXVII. IMAGINATIVE REGRETS.
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII. REFLECTIONS.
 XXIX. 
XXIX. TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE.
 XXX. 
XXX. THE POINT AT ISSUE.
 XXXI. 
XXXI. EDWARD VI.
 XXXII. 
XXXII. EDWARD SIGNING THE WARRANT FOR THE EXECUTION OF JOAN OF KENT.
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII. REVIVAL OF POPERY.
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV. LATIMER AND RIDLEY.
 XXXV. 
XXXV. CRANMER.
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI. GENERAL VIEW OF THE TROUBLES OF THE REFORMATION.
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII. ENGLISH REFORMERS IN EXILE.
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII. ELIZABETH.
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX. EMINENT REFORMERS.
 XL. 
XL. THE SAME. [EMINENT REFORMERS.]
 XLI. 
XLI. DISTRACTIONS.
 XLII. 
XLII. GUNPOWDER PLOT.
 XLIII. 
XLIII. THE JUNG-FRAU AND THE FALL OF THE RHINE NEAR SCHAFFHAUSEN.
 XLIV. 
XLIV. TROUBLES OF CHARLES THE FIRST.
 XLV. 
XLV. LAUD .
 XLVI. 
XLVI. AFFLICTIONS OF ENGLAND.
expand sectionIII. 
PART III. FROM THE RESTORATION TO THE PRESENT TIMES.
expand section 
EVENING VOLUNTARIES.
expand section 
POEMS, COMPOSED OR SUGGESTED DURING A TOUR, IN THE SUMMER OF 1833.
expand section 
POEMS OF SENTIMENT AND REFLECTION.
expand section 
SONNETS DEDICATED TO LIBERTY AND ORDER.
expand section 
SONNETS UPON THE PUNISHMENT OF DEATH.
expand sectionV. 
VOL. V.
expand sectionVI. 
[volume]

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section The poetical works of William Wordsworth
next section
‘Action is transitory—a step, a blow,

This and the five lines that follow were either read or recited by me, more than thirty years since, to the late Mr. Hazlitt, who quoted some expressions in them (imperfectly remembered) in a work of his published several years ago.


The motion of a muscle—this way or that—
'Tis done; and in the after-vacancy
We wonder at ourselves like men betrayed:
3

Suffering is permanent, obscure and dark,
And has the nature of infinity.
Yet through that darkness (infinite though it seem
And irremoveable) gracious openings lie,
By which the soul—with patient steps of thought
Now toiling, wafted now on wings of prayer—
May pass in hope, and, though from mortal bonds
Yet undelivered, rise with sure ascent
Even to the fountain-head of peace divine.’
previous section The poetical works of William Wordsworth
next section