When love is an unerring light, And joy its own security. And they a blissful course may hold Even now, who, not unwisely bold, Live in the spirit of this creed; Yet seek thy firm support, according to their need. I, loving freedom, and untried; Too blindly have reposed my trust: 20 25 And oft, when in my heart was heard Thy timely mandate, I deferred 30 The task, in smoother walks to stray; But thee I now would serve more strictly, if I may. Through no disturbance of my soul, Or strong compunction in me wrought, But in the quietness of thought: Me this unchartered freedom tires; I feel the weight of chance-desires: My hopes no more must change their name, Stern Lawgiver! yet thou dost wear 35 40 As is the smile upon thy face: Flowers laugh before thee on their beds 45 And fragrance in thy footing treads; Thou dost preserve the stars from wrong; And the most ancient heavens, through thee, are fresh and strong. To humbler functions, awful Power! 50 The spirit of self-sacrifice; The confidence of reason give; And in the light of truth thy Bondman let me live! 55 INFLUENCE OF NATURAL OBJECTS IN CALLING FORTH AND STRENGTHENING THE IMAGINATION IN BOYHOOD AND EARLY YOUTH WISDOM and Spirit of the Universe! Thou Soul, that art the Eternity of thought, Nor was this fellowship vouchsafed to me At noon; and 'mid the calm of summer nights, 'T was mine among the fields both day and night, And in the frosty season, when the sun Was set, and, visible for many a mile, The cottage windows through the twilight blazed, It was indeed for all of us; for me 20 25 It was a time of rapture! - Clear and loud 30 The village clock tolled six I wheeled about, That cares not for his home. All shod with steel 35 And woodland pleasures, the resounding horn, And not a voice was idle: with the din 40 Tinkled like iron; while the distant hills Into the tumult sent an alien sound Of melancholy, not unnoticed, while the stars, Eastward, were sparkling clear, and in the west 45 The orange sky of evening died away. Not seldom from the uproar I retired Into a silent bay, or sportively Glanced sideways, leaving the tumultuous throng, 50 Image, that, flying still before me, gleamed Upon the glassy plain: and oftentimes, When we had given our bodies to the wind, And all the shadowy banks on either side Came sweeping through the darkness, spinning still 55 The rapid line of motion, then at once Have I, reclining back upon my heels, Wheeled by me — even as if the earth had rolled With visible motion her diurnal round! Behind me did they stretch in solemn train, 60 THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US THE world is too much with us: late and soon, 5 ΙΟ COMPOSED UPON WESTMINSTER BRIDGE SEPTEMBER 3, 1802 EARTH has not anything to show more fair: This City now doth like a garment wear All bright and glittering in the smokeless air. In his first splendour, valley, rock or hill; MILTON MILTON! thou should'st be living at this hour: And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power. 5 ΤΟ 5 Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea: Pure as the naked heavens, majestic, free, |