Percy Bysshe Shelley<lb/> (Inscription for the couch, still
preserved, on which he passed the last night of his life.)
Twixt those twin worlds,—the world of Sleep, which gave
No dream to warn,—the tidal world of Death,
Which the earth's sea, as the earth,
replenisheth,—
Shelley, Song's orient Sun, to breast the wave,
Rose from this couch that morn. Ah! did he brave
Only the sea?—or did man's deed of hell
Engulph his bark
[?] 'mid mists impenetrable?
No eye discerned, nor any power might save.
When that mist cleared, O Shelley! What dread veil
Was rent for thee, to whom far-darkling Truth
Was sovereign guide through thy brief
oer steeps of ageless youth?
Was the Truth thy Truth,
Shelley?—Hush! All Hail
(Thank God!) thou gavs't it, and in ? / in that
high sphere
in that thy sphere
Art first of praisers, being most praised here.
blank page
Type transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">Percy Bysshe Shelley</hi>
</hi>
<lb/>
<hi rend="u">(Inscription for the couch, still preserved, on</hi>
<lb/>
<hi rend="u">which he passed the last night of his life.)</hi>
Twixt those twin worlds — the world of Sleep,
which gave
No dream to warn, — the tidal world of
Death,
Which the earth's sea, as the earth, replenisheth,
—
Shelley, Song's orient Sun, to breast the wave,
Rose from this couch that morn, Ah! did he brave
Only the Sea? — or did man's deed of hell
Engulph his bark 'mid mists impenetrable?
No eye discerned, nor any power might save.
When that mist cleared, O Shelley! What dread veil
Was rent for thee, to whom far-darkling Truth
Was sovereign guide o'er steeps of ageless youth?
Was the Truth thy Truth, Shelley? — Hush! All
hail.
(Thank God!) thou gav'st it, and in that ...... sphere
Art first of praisers, being most praised here.
blank page
William Blake.<lb/>
<ornlb>----</ornlb> (To Frederick Shields, on his sketch of Blake's
work-room <lb/>and death-room, 3 Fountain Court,
Strand.)<ornlb>----</ornlb>
This is the place. Even here the dauntless soul,
The unflinching hand, wrought on; till in that nook
As on that very bed, his life partook
New birth, and passed. Yon' river's
distant
dusky shoal,
Whereto the close-built coiling lanes unroll,
Faced his work-window, whence his eyes would stare
Thought-wandering, unto nought that met them there,
But to the unfettered irreversible goal.
This cupboard, Holy of Holies, held the cloud
Of his soul, writ and limned; this other one,
His true wife's charge, full oft to their abode
Yielded for daily bread the martyr's stone,
Ere yet their food might be that Bread alone,
The words now home-speech of the mouth of God.
------
Dante G. Rossetti
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">William Blake.</hi>
</hi>
<lb/>
<hi rend="u">To Frederick Shields, on his sketch of Blake's work-</hi>
<lb/>
<hi rend="u">room and death-room, 3, Fountain Court, Strand.</hi>
This is the place. Even here the dauntless soul,
The unflinching hand, wrought on; till in that nook
As on that very bed, his life partook
New birth, and passed, Yon' river's dusky shoal,
Whereto the close-built coiling lanes unroll,
Faced his work-window, whence his eyes would stare
Thought-wandering, unto nought that met them there,
But to the unfettered irreversible goal.
This cupboard, Holy of Holies, held the cloud
Of his soul, writ and limned; this other one,
His true wife's charge, full oft to their abode
Yielded for daily bread the martyr's stone,
Ere yet their food might be that Bread alone,
The words now home-speech of the mouth of God.
Dante G. Rossetti
blank page
Letter to Watts
I have
told Christina
that you fix Thursday
afternoon to
call at
30, Torrington
Square.
Sunday.
My dear Watts
Will you dine here
again next Thursday?
I hope so - Or if
not, what later
day? I have written
another sonnet
of the
intensest kind.
Not yet posted Valpys-
but must do so.
Your affec:
DGR
blank page
Letter to Watts
Transcription of letter from previous page.
I have told Christina
that you fix Thursday
afternoon to call at
30 Torrington Square.
Sunday
My dear Watts,
Will you dine here again next
Thursday? I hope so - Or if
not, what
later day? I have written another sonnet
of the
intensest kind. Not yet posted
Valpy's: - but must do so.
Your affec.
D.G.R.
blank page
<hi rend="u">My Lady's Gifts.</hi>
High grace, the dower of queens; and therewithal
Some wood-born wonder's sweet simplicity;
A glance like water brimming with the sky
Or hyacinth-light where forest-shadows fall;
Such thrilling pallor of cheek as doth enthral
The heart; a mouth whose passionate forms imply
All music and all silence held thereby;
Deep locks, the brows embowering coronal;
A round reared neck, meet column of Love's shrine,
To cling to when the heart takes sanctuary;
Hands which for ever at Love's bidding be,
And soft-stirred feet still answering to his sign: —
These are her gifts, as tongue may tell them o'er.
Breathe low her name, my soul; for that saith more.
-----------------------------
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">My Lady's Gifts.</hi>
</hi>
High grace, the dower of queens; and therewithal
Some wood-born wonder's sweet simplicity;
A glance like water brimming with the sky
Or hyacinth-light where forest-shadows fall;
Such thrilling pallor of cheek as doth enthral
The heart; a mouth whose passionate forms imply
All music and all silence held thereby;
Deep locks, the brows embowering coronal;
A round reared neck, meet column of Love's shrine,
To cling to when the heart takes sanctuary;
Hands which for ever at Love's bidding be,
And soft-stirred feet still answering to his sign;
—
These are her gifts, as tongue may tell them o'er.
Breathe low her name, my soul; for that saith more.
blank page
This seems to be a copy DGR made for publication in 1881, though the
Library of Congress identifies it as a printer's copy for the 1870
<hi rend="i">Poems</hi>
. It is copied fair (but with one revision) from a much earlier
manuscript text—a text that would have stood intermediately
between the British Library manuscript
and the printing in the First Trial Book (around 3 October 1869), as the text in line 2
and the revision in line 6 indicates.
<hi rend="u">Supreme Surrender</hi>
To all the spirits of love that wander by
Along the love-sown fallowfield of sleep
My lady lies apparent; and the deep
Calls to the deep; and no man sees but I.
The bliss so long afar, at length so nigh,
Rests there disused
attained. Methinks proud love must weep
When Fate's one day doth from his harvest reap
The sacred hour for which the years did sigh.
First touched, The hand now warm beneath my neck
Taught memory long to mock desire: and lo!
Across my breast the abandoned hair doth flow,
Where one shorn tress long stirred the longing ache:
And next the heart that trembled for its sake
Lies the queen-heart in sovereign overthrow.
------
blank page
Type transcription of poem on previous page, circa 1880.
<hi rend="sc">
<hi rend="u">Supreme Surrender</hi>
</hi>
To all the spirits of love that wander by,
Along the love-sown fallowfield of sleep
My lady lies apparent; and the deep
Calls to the deep; and no man sees but I
The bliss so long afar, at length so nigh,
Rests there attained. Methinks proud love must weep
When Fate's one day doth from his harvest reap
The Sacred hour for which the years did sigh.
First touched, the hand now warm beneath my neck
Taught memory long to mock desire: and
lo!
Across my breast the abandoned hair doth flow,
Where one shorn tress long stirred the longing ache:
And next the heart that trembled for its sake
Lies the queen-heart in sovereign overthrow.
blank page
For<lb/> Spring, <lb/> By Sandro Botticelli, <lb/> in the Accademia
of Florence<ornlb>------</ornlb>
What masque of what old wind-withered New-Year
Honours this Lady?x Flora,
wanton-eyed
[illegible]
For
birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:
Aurora, Zephyrus, with mutual cheer
Of clasp and kiss: the graces circling near,
'Neath bower-linked arch of white arms glorified:
And with those feathered feet which hovering glide
O'er Spring's brief bloom, Hermes the harbinger.
Birth-bare, not death-bare yet, the young stems stand,
This Lady's temple-columns: o'er her head
Love wings this shaft. What mystery here is read
Of homage or of hope? But how command
Dead Springs to answer? And how question here
These mummers of that wind-withered New-Year?
------------
x The same lady, here surrounded by the masque of
Spring, is evidently the subject of a portrait by Botticelli
which was formerly in the Pourtalès collection in
Paris.
and
which now belonging to a gentleman in London. This
portrait
is inscribed “Smeralda Bandinelli.”
blank page
Type transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">For Spring</hi>
</hi>,<lb/>
<hi rend="u">BY <hi rend="sc">
Sandro Botticelli</hi>
</hi>, <lb/>
<hi rend="u">in the Accademia of Florence</hi>
What masque of what old wind-withered New Year
Honours this Lady?* Flora, wanton-eyed
For birth, and with all flowrets prankt and pied:
Aurora, Zephyrus, with mutual cheer
Of clasp and kiss: the Graces circling near,
'Neath bower-linked arch of white arms glorified:
And with those feathered feet which hovering glide
O'er Spring's brief bloom, Hermes the harbinger.
Birth-bare, not death-bare yet, the young stems stand,
This Lady's temple-columns: o'er her head
Love wings his shaft. What mystery here is read
Of homage or of hope? But how command
Dead Springs to answer? And how question here
These mummers of that wind-withered New-Year?
*The same lady, here, surrounded by the masque of
Spring,
is evidently the subject of a portrait by
Botticelli formerly in
the Pourtalès collection in
Paris. This portrait is
inscribed “Smeralda Ban-
dinelli”.
blank page
Letter to Watts
Bracketed date written by another hand
Tuesday
[Sept. 1 1880]
My dear Watts
I was extremely sorry
to learn how ill you
have been, as
I fear
you must mean some-
-thing even more
serious than
throat
inflammation. I
hope the improvement
continues
steadily.
I was wishing to get
your views abt a
half
proposal of
Letter to Watts, cont.
Leyland's (again
jointly connected
with the Bd
Daml
but shall not be
seeing him again till
the Sunday after
next, when I suppose
more will be said.
Ionides came to
see
his picture, but
of course in early
afternoon by worst
light.
I am getting
on well with La
Pia which much
Letter to Watts, cont.
delighted Leyland. I
copy overpage a sonnet
written for the Day
Dream,
to amuse you as
an (doubtles
I trust very
temporary) invalid.
Is there a chance
of
your being able to
come on Friday Saturday
or Sunday to
dinner?
Your ever affec:
DGR
The alternate wording noted in the manuscript with an "x" is written in
the top right corner of the page, with a line drawn to the "x" at the end of
line 8. Here the alternate wording is shown next to the original
wording.
The Day-Dream<ornlb>-----</ornlb>
The thronged boughs of the shadowy sycamore
Still fledge young leaflets half the summer through;
From when the robin 'gainst the unhidden blue
Perched dark, till now, deep in the leafy core,
The embowered throstle's urgent clangours gore
The summer silence. Still the leaves come new;
Yet never rosy-sheathed as those which drew
Their spiral tongues from spring-buds heretofore.x which drew
their spiral growth &c?
Within the branching shade of Reverie
Dreams even may spring till Autumn; yet none be
Like woman's budding day-dream spirit-fann'd.
Lo! tow'rd deep skies, not deeper than her look;
She dreams; till now on her forgotten book
Drops the forgotten blossom from her hand.
blank page
Letter to Watts.
Transcription of letter from previous page.
Tuesday.
Sept. 1, 1880.
My dear Watts,
I was extremely sorry to learn how ill you
have been as I
fear you must mean something even more
serious than throat
inflammation. I hope the improve-
ment continues steadily.
I was wishing to get your views abt. a half
proposal of
Leyland's (again jointly connected with the
Bd.
Daml.) but shall not be seeing him again till
the Sun-
day after next, when I suppose more will be said.
Ionides came to see his picture, but of
course in early
afternoon by worst light. I am getting
on well with La Pia which
much delighted Leyland. I copy
overpage a sonnet written for the
Day Dream, to amuse you
as an (I trust very temporary)
invalid.
Is there a chance of your being able to
come on Friday
Saturday or Sunday to dinner?
Your ever affec:
D.G.R.
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">THE DAY-DREAM.</hi>
*which drew
their spiral growth &c.?
The thronged boughs of the shadowy sycamore
Still fledge young leaflets half the summer through,
From when the robin 'gainst the unhidden blue
Perched dark, till now, deep in the leafy core
The embowered throstle's urgent clangours gore
The summer silence. Still the leaves come new;
Yet never rosy-sheathed as those which drew
Their spiral tongues from spring-buds heretofore.*
Within the branching shade of Reverie
Dreams even may spring till Autumn; yet none be
Like woman's budding day-dream spirit-fann'd.
Lo! tow'rd deep skies, not deeper than her look;
She dreams; till now on her forgotten book
Drops the forgotten blossom from her hand.
blank page
The Day-Dream <ornlb>----</ornlb>
The full
thronged boughs of the arrowy sycamore
Still fledge new
young leaflets half the summer through
From when the first wing
robin 'gainst the naked
unhidden blue
Showed
Perched dark, [?]
till now, within the
deep gloom's
leafy tree's core
Unseen the embowered throstle's sick note
full-clanging tone
urgent clangours gore
The summer silence. Still the leaflets ope
leaves
come
anew,
Yet never not now never rosy-sheathed as
those which gr
blew
From spring-buds
In
Their spiral green tongues from spring-buds
heretofore.
Within the branching shade of Reverie,
Dreams even may spring till a
Autumn; yet none be
As
Like woman's budding day-dream spirit-fann'd.
Lo! tow'rd deep skies, not deeper than her look,
She dreams; till now on the
her forgotten book
Drops the forgotten blossom from her hand.
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">The Day-Dream.</hi>
</hi>
The thronged boughs of the arrowy sycamore
Still fledge young leaflets half the summer through
From when the robin 'gainst the unhidden blue
Perched dark, till now, within the leafy core
The embowered throstles urgent clangours gore
The summer silence. Still the leaves come new
Yet never rosy-sheathed as those which blew
Their spiral tongues from spring-buds heretofore.
Within the branching shade of Reverie,
Dreams even may spring till Autumn; yet none be
Like woman's budding day-dream spirit-fann'd.
Lo! tow'rd deep skies, not deeper than her look,
She dreams; till now on her forgotten book
Drops the forgotten blossom from her hand.
blank page
The Day-Dream<ornlb>----</ornlb>
The thronged boughs of the shadowy
arrowy sycamore
Still fledge young leaflets half the summer
all the May-days /
half the summer through;
From when the robin 'gainst the unhidden blue
Perched dark, till now, within
deep in the leafy core,
The embowered throstle's urgent clangours gore
The summer silence. Still the leaves come new.
Yet never rosy-sheathed as those which blew
grew
drew
Their
In
Their spiral tongues
growth from spring-buds heretofore.
Within the branching shade of Reverie
Dreams even may spring till Autumn; yet none be
Like woman's budding day-dream spirit-fann'd.
Lo! tow'rd deep skies, not deeper than her look;
She dreams; till now on her forgotten book
Drops the forgotten blossom from her hand.
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">The Day-Dream.</hi>
</hi>
The thronged boughs of the shadowy sycamore
Still fledge young leaflets half the summer through;
From when the robin 'gainst the unhidden blue
Perched dark, till now, deep in the leafy core
The embowered throstle's urgent clangours gore
The summer silence. Still the leaves come new;
Yet never rosy-sheathed as those which drew
Their spiral growth from spring-buds heretofore.
Within the branching shade of Reverie
Dreams' even may spring till Autumn; yet none be
Like woman's budding day-dream spirit-fann'd.
Lo! tow'rd deep skies, not deeper than her look,
She dreams; till now on her forgotten book
Drops the forgotten blossom from her hand.
blank page
Letter to Watts
Bracketed date written in a different hand.
Friday
[Nov. 25. 1880]
My dear Watts
Come as early as you
can tomorrow (Saty)
like a good fellow.
I shd like to
look with
you at the 2 copies
of the Sonnet. I
hope
you will not think me
captious, but all
the
changes do not seem
to me for the better, &
I
fear the general theme
has lost somewhat in
clearness. Your
affec:
DGR
blank page
Envelope for Letter to Watts.
W T Watts Esq
The Pines
Putney Hill SW
blank page
Letter to Watts. Transcription from previous page.
Friday.
Nov. 25, 1880
My dear Watts,
Come as early as you can tomorrow (Saty)
like a good fellow. I shd. like to look with you at
the 2 copies of
the Sonnet. I hope you will not
think me captious, but all the
changes do not seem to
me for the better, & I fear the
general theme has
lost somewhat in clearness.
Your affec.
D. G. R.
W. T. Watts, Esq.
The Pines,
Putney Hill, S.W.
blank page
This is the first of two manuscripts in the collection. It is on the same
type and size paper as the second manuscript.
The One Hope.<ornlb>---</ornlb>
When vain desire at last and vain regret
Go hand in hand to death, and all is vain,
What shall assuage the unforgotten pain
And teach the unforgetful to forget?
Shall Peace be still a Sunk stream long unmet,—
Or may the Soul at once in a green plain
Stoop through the spray of some sweet life-fountain
And cull the dew-drenched flowering amulet?
Ah! when the wan soul in that golden air
Between the scriptured petals softly blown
Peers breathless for the gift of grace
unknown,—
Let no such joys as other souls count fair
But only the one Hope's one name be there,—
Not less nor more, but even that word alone.
blank page
This second manuscript in this collection is much earlier, having been
sent in a note to Swinburne in late February or early March 1870. DGR copied
the text on the verso of the letter, on a small sheet of unlined paper:
measurements, 4 7/16 x 7 in.
after[?]
A Superscription page 105
DGR's note on placement of the poem. The page number refers to the Second Trial Book.
The One Hope.<ornlb>---</ornlb>
When vain desire at last and vain regret
Go hand in hand to death, and all is vain,
What shall assuage the unforgotten pain
And teach the unforgetful to forget?
Shall Peace be still a sunk stream long unmet,—
Or may the Soul at once in a green plain
Stoop through the spray of some sweet life-fountain
And cull the dew-drenched flowering amulet?
Ah! when the wan soul in that golden air
Between the scriptured petals softly blown
Peers breathless for the gift of grace unknown,
Let no such joys as other souls find fair
count fair
But only the one Hope's one name be there,—
Not less nor more, but even that word alone.
Letter to Swinburne
A line is drawn between the comment at the top of the letter and the line
of poetry quoted.
There is a decided objection to
in the
fact that an earlier stanza rhymes
breast
& rest.
------
Dear Swinburne
What do you say (in
Troy Town) to
Thence his
arrow(or dart had) banished rest.?
I dont like it as
well as the old one,
but might
very possibly
adopt it if you did.
Overpage I copy the closing
Sonnet of the
<(H. of L.
series in
case it served you to
see it now.
Your affec:
DGR -
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">The One Hope.</hi>
</hi>
When vain desire at last and vain regret
Go hand in hand to death, and all is vain,
What shall assuage the unforgotten pain
And teach the unforgetful to forget?
Shall Peace be still a sunk-stream long unmet,
—
Or may the soul at once in a green plain
Stoop through the spray of some sweet life-fountain
And cull the dew-drenched flowering amulet?
Ah! When the wan soul in that golden air
Between the scriptured petals softly blown
Peers breathless for the gift of grace unknown,
Let no such joys as other souls count fair
But only the one Hope's one name be there,
—
Not less nor more, but even that word alone.
blank page
Letter to Swinburne
Transcription of letter from previous page.
There is a decided objection in the fact
that an earlier stanza rhymes breast and rest.
Dear Swinburne,
What do you say (in Troy Town) to
Thence his arrow banished rest ?
(or
dart had)
I
dont like it as well as the old one, but
might very possibly adopt it if you did.
Overpage I copy the closing sonnet
of the H. of L. series in case it served you
to see it now.
Your affec:
D.G.R.
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">The One Hope</hi>
</hi>
When vain desire at last and vain regret
Go hand in hand to death, and all is vain,
What shall assuage the unforgotten pain
And teach the unforgetful to forget?
Shall Peace be still a sunk-stream long unmet,
—
Or may the soul at once in a green plain
Stoop through the spray of some sweet life-fountain
And cull the dew-drenched flowering amulet?
Ah!, When the wan soul in that golden air
Between the scriptured petals softly blown
Peers breathless for the gift of grace unknown,
Let no such joys as other souls count fair
But only the one Hope's one name be there,
—
Not less nor more, but even that word alone.
blank page
Letter to Watts.
"winter"
The word "winter" is written very lightly next to the word "Sonnet" on
line 13.
Wednesday.
My dear Watts
I must say I much
preferred the Star
Sonnet in the other
form,
if a line or
two changed. This
does not seem
to me to amount
to a Burden, but
the reiteration seems
somewhat
artificial.
The other Sonnet
seems suggestive
and capable
of
Letter to Watts, cont.
of working well, though
not quite clear to me
at
a first reading.
I want to see you
on Friday, & want
to ask your view
on business matter.
Today to my surprise
I got a note from
your friend Capt.
Burton. It relates
to my Translations
& encloses one
of
his own. Of course
Letter to Watts, cont.
I suppose Trieste is all
the address needed in
answering.
Your affec:
D.G.R.
blank page
Envelope for Letter to Watts
W T Watts Esq
The Pines
Putney Hill
SW
blank page
Letter to Watts
Transcription of letter from previous page.
Wednesday.
My dear Watts,
I must say I much preferred the Star Sonnet in
the other form, if a line or two changed. This does not
seem to me to amount to a Burden, but the reiteration
seems somewhat artificial. The other Sonnet* seems sug-
gestive and capable of working well, though not quite
clear to me at a first reading.
I want to see you on Friday, & want to ask your
view on business matter.
Today to my surprise I got a note from your
friend Capt. Burton. It relates to my Translations &
encloses one of his own. Of course I suppose Trieste is
all the address needed in answering.
Your affec:
D.G.R.
W. T. Watts, Esq.
The Pines,
Putney Hill,
S.W.
*Winter.
blank page
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="u">Thames Valley Sonnets</hi>
</hi>
<hi rend="u">1. Winter.</hi>
How large that thrush looks on the bare thorn-tree!
A swarm of such, three little months ago,
Had hidden in the leaves and let none know
Save by the outburst of their minstrelsy.
A white flake here and there — a snow-lily
Of last night's frost — our naked
flower-beds hold;
And for a rose-flower on the darkling mould
The hungry redbreast gleams. All gone, both
bloom & bee.
No bloom, no bee.
The current shudders to its icebound sedge:
Nipped in their bath, the stark reeds one by one
Flash each its clinging diamond in the sun:
While swells the gale which for a [?]
sovereign
pledge
With 'Neath winds which for this Winter's sovereign
pledge
Shall curb great king-masts to the ocean's edge
And leave memorial forest-kings o'erthrown.
blank page
Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">Thames Valley Sonnets</hi>
</hi>
<hi rend="u">1. Winter.</hi>
How large that thrush looks on the bare
thorn-tree!
A swarm of such, three little months ago,
Had hidden in the leaves and let none know
Save by the outburst of their minstrelsy.
A white flake here and there - a snow-lily
Of last night's frost - our naked flower-beds
hold;
And for a rose-flower on the darkling mould
The hungry redbreast gleams. No bloom, no bee.
The current shudders to its icebound sedge:
Nipped in their bath, the stark reeds one by one
Flash each its clinging diamond in the sun:
'Neath winds which for this Winter's sovereign
pledge
Shall curb great king-masts to the ocean's edge
And leave memorial forest-kings o'erthrown.
blank page
On the Field of Waterloo.
So then, the name which travels side by side
With English life from childhood - Waterloo, -
Means this. The sun is setting. “Their strife
grew
Till the sun-set, and ended”, says our guide.
It lacked the “chord” by stage use
sanctified,
Yet, I believe one should have thrilled. For me,
?
I bowed the assenting forehead. Certainly
These held their point, and did not turn but died;
So much was very well. “Beneath each span
Of these ploughed fields” ('tis still the
guide,) “there rot
Three nations' slain, a
thousand-thousandfold”.
What shall one say? Good lack, the earth is old!
Of the whole earth there is no single spot
But all its dust is as the dust of man.
?
Oct. 1849
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Transcription of poem from previous page.
<hi rend="u">
<hi rend="sc">On the Field of Waterloo.</hi>
</hi>
So then, the name which travels side by side
With English life from childhood — Waterloo,
—
Means this. The sun is setting. “Their strife
grew
Till the sun-set, and ended”, says our guide.
It lacked the “chord” by stage-use
sanctified,
Yet, I believe one should have thrilled. For me,
I bowed the assenting forehead. Certainly
These held their point, and did not turn but died:
So much was very well. “Beneath each span
Of these ploughed fields” ('tis still the
guide,) “there rot
Three nations' slain, a thousand-thousandfold”.
What shall one say? Good lack, the earth is old!
Of the whole earth there is no single spot
But all its dust is as the dust of man.
Oct. 1849
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