The Prelude or Growth of a Poet's Mind: By William Wordsworth: Edited from the manuscripts with introduction, textual and critical notes by Ernest de Selincourt |
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 | The Prelude |  |
Yes, I had something of another eye,
And often, looking round, was mov'd to smiles,
Such as a delicate work of humour breeds.
I read, without design, the opinions, thoughts
Of those plain-living People, in a sense
Of love and knowledge; with another eye
I saw the quiet Woodman in the Woods,
The Shepherd on the Hills. With new delight,
This chiefly, did I view my grey-hair'd Dame,
Saw her go forth to Church, or other work
Of state, equipp'd in monumental trim,
Short Velvet Cloak (her Bonnet of the like)
A Mantle such as Spanish Cavaliers
Wore in old time. Her smooth domestic life,
Affectionate without uneasiness,
Her talk, her business pleas'd me, and no less
Her clear though shallow stream of piety,
That ran on Sabbath days a fresher course.
With thoughts unfelt till now, I saw her read
Her Bible on the Sunday afternoons;
And lov'd the book, when she had dropp'd asleep,
And made of it a pillow for her head.
And often, looking round, was mov'd to smiles,
Such as a delicate work of humour breeds.
I read, without design, the opinions, thoughts
Of those plain-living People, in a sense
Of love and knowledge; with another eye
I saw the quiet Woodman in the Woods,
The Shepherd on the Hills. With new delight,
This chiefly, did I view my grey-hair'd Dame,
Saw her go forth to Church, or other work
Of state, equipp'd in monumental trim,
Short Velvet Cloak (her Bonnet of the like)
A Mantle such as Spanish Cavaliers
118
Affectionate without uneasiness,
Her talk, her business pleas'd me, and no less
Her clear though shallow stream of piety,
That ran on Sabbath days a fresher course.
With thoughts unfelt till now, I saw her read
Her Bible on the Sunday afternoons;
And lov'd the book, when she had dropp'd asleep,
And made of it a pillow for her head.
| The Prelude | |