Delphi Complete Works of William Wordsworth

by William Wordsworth

  Monday Morning (8th). A soft Rain & mist we walked to Rydale for letters. The Vale looked very beautiful, in excessive simplicity yet at the same time in uncommon obscurity. The Church stood alone no mountains behind. The meadows looked calm & rich bordering on the still lake; nothing else to be seen but Lake & Island — Found a very affecting letter from Montague also one from Mary — We read Montagu’s in walking on, sate down to read Marys. I came home with a bad head-ach & lay down. I slept but rose little better. I have got tea & am now much relieved. On friday Evening the Moon hung over the Northern side of the highest point of Silver How, like a gold ring snapped in two & shaven off at the Ends it was so narrow. Within this Ring lay the Circle of the Round moon, as distinctly to be seen as ever the enlightened moon is —— William had observed the same appearance at Keswick perhaps at the very same moment hanging over the Newlands fells. Sent off a letter to Mary H also to Coleridge & Sara, & rewrote in the Evening the alterations of Ruth which we sent off at the same time.

  Tuesday Morning (9th). William was reading in Ben Jonson — he read me a beautiful poem on Love. We then walked, the first part of our walk was melancholy — we went within view of Rydale then we sate in Saras seat. We walked afterwards into Easedale. It was cold when we returned — We met Sally Newton & her Water Dog. We sate by the fire in the evening & read the Pedlar over. William worked a little and altered it in a few places. I was not very well mended stockings.

  Wednesday (10th). A fine mildish morning that is, not frost — Wm read in Ben Jonson in the morning. I read a little German altered Saras waistcoats. We then walked to Rydale — No letters! — they are slashing away in Benson’s wood — We walked round by the Church, through Olliffs’ field when we returned, then home & went up into the orchard. We sate on the Seat, talked a little by the fire, & then got our tea — William has since Tea been talking about publishing the Yorkshire Wolds poem with the Pedlar.

  Thursday (11th). A fine morning William worked at the poem of the Singing Bird. Just as we were sitting down to dinner we heard Mr Clarkson’s voice I ran down, William followed. He was so finely mounted that William was more intent upon the Horse than the Rider an offence easily forgiven for Mr Clarkson was as proud of it himself as he well could be. We ate our dinner after Mr Clarkson came. We walked with him round by the White Bridge after dinner. The vale in mist, rather the mountains, big with the rain soft & beautiful. Mr C was sleepy & went soon to bed.

  Friday (12th). A very fine morning we went to see Mr Clarkson off. Then we went up towards Easedale but a shower drove us back. The Sun shone while it rained, & the Stones of the walls & the pebbles on the Road glittered like silver. When William was at Keswick ‘I saw Jane Ashburner driving the Cow along the high road from the well where she had been watering it she had a stick in her hand & came tripping along in the Jig step, as if she were dancing — Her presence was bold & graceful, her cheeks flushed with health & her countenance was free & gay. William finished his poem of the singing bird. In the meantime I read the remainder of Lessing. In the Evening after tea William wrote Alice Fell — he went to bed tired with a wakeful mind & a weary Body — a very sharp clear night.

  Saturday Morning (13th). It was as cold as ever it has been all winter very hard frost. I baked pies Bread, & Seed-cake for Mr Simpson — William finished Alice Fell, & then he wrote the Poem of the Beggar woman taken from a Woman whom I had seen in May — (now nearly 2 years ago) when John & he were at Gallow Hill —— I sate with him at Intervals all the morning, took down his stanzas &c — After dinner we walked to Rydale, for letters, it was terribly cold we had 2 or 3 brisk hail showers. The hail stones looked clean & pretty upon the dry clean Road. Little Peggy Simpson was standing at the door catching the Hail-stones in her hand. She grows very like her Mother. When she is sixteen years old I daresay, that to her Grandmothers eye she will seem as like to what her Mother was as any rose in her garden is like the Rose that grew there years before. No letters at Rydale. We drank tea as soon as we reached home. After tea I read to William that account of the little Boys belonging to the tall woman & an unlucky thing it was for he could not escape from those very words, & so he could not write the poem, he left it unfinished & went tired to Bed. In our walk from Rydale he had got warmed with the subject & had half cast the Poem.

  Sunday Morning (14th). William had slept badly — he got up at 9 o clock, but before he rose he had finished the Beggar Boys — & while we were at Breakfast that is (for I had Breakfasted) he, with his Basin of Broth before him untouched & a little plate of Bread & butter he wrote the Poem to a Butterfly! — He ate not a morsel, nor put on his stockings but sate with his shirt neck unbuttoned, & his waistcoat open while he did it. The thought first came upon him as we were talking about the pleasure we both always feel at the sight of a Butterfly. I told him that I used to chase them a little but that I was afraid of brushing the dust off their wings, & did not catch them — He told me how they used to kill all the white ones when he went to school because they were frenchmen. Mr Simpson came in just as he was finishing the Poem. After he was gone I wrote it down & the other poems & I read them all over to him. We then called at Mr Olliffs. Mr O walked with us to within sight of Rydale — the sun shone very pleasantly, yet it was extremely cold. We dined & then Wm went to bed. I lay upon the fur gown before the fire but I could not sleep — I lay there a long time — it is now half past 5 I am going to write letters. I began to write to Mrs Rawson — William rose without having slept we sate comfortably by the fire till he began to try to alter the butterfly, & tired himself he went to bed tired.

  Monday Morning (15th). We sate reading the poems & I read a little German. Mr Luff came in at one o clock, he had a long talk with William — he went to Mr Olliffs after dinner & returned to us to tea. During his absence a sailor who was travelling from Liverpool to Whitehaven called he was faint & pale when he knocked at the door, a young Man very well dressed. We sate by the kitchen fire talking with him for 2 hours — he told us most interesting stories of his life. His name was Isaac Chapel — he had been at sea since he was 15 years old. He was by trade a sail-maker. His last voyage was to the Coast of Guinea, he had been on board a Slave Ship the Captain’s name Maxwell where one Man had been killed a Boy put to lodge with the pigs & was half eaten, one Boy set to watch in the hot sun till he dropped down dead. He had been cast away in North America & had travelled 30 days among the Indians where he had been well treated — He had twice swum from a King’s ship in the Night & escaped, he said he would rather be in hell than be pressed. He was now going to wait in England to appear against Captain Maxwell—’O he’s a Rascal, Sir, he ought to be put in the papers!’ The poor man had not been in bed since Friday Night — he left Liverpool at 2 o’clock on Saturday morning, he had called at a farm house to beg victuals & had been refused. The woman said she would give him nothing—’Won’t you? Then I cant help it.’ He was excessively like my Brother John. A letter was brought us at tea time by John Dawson from MH — I wrote to her, to Sara about Mr Olliff’ s Gig, & to Longman & Rees — I wrote to Mrs Clarkson by Mr Luff.

  Tuesday (16th). A very fine morning Mrs Luff called — William went up into the orchard while she was here & wrote a part of The Emigrant Mother. After dinner I read him to sleep — I read Spenser while he leaned upon my shoulder. We walked to look at Rydale. Then we walked towards Goans. The Moon was a good height above the Mountains. She seemed far & distant in the sky there were two stars beside her, that twinkled in & out, & seemed almost like butterflies in motion & lightness. They looked to be far nearer to us than the Moon.

  Wednesday (17th). William went up into the Orchard and finished the Poem. Mrs Luff & Mrs Olliff called I went with Mrs O to the top of the White Moss — Mr O met us & I went to their house he offered me manure for the garden. I went & sate with W & walked backwards & forwards in the Orchard till dinner time — he read me his poem. I broiled Beefsteaks. After dinner we made a pillow of my shoulder, I read to him & my Beloved slept — I after
wards got him the pillows & he was lying with his head on the table when Miss Simpson came in. She stayed tea. I went with her to Rydale. No letters! a sweet Evening as it had been a sweet day, a grey evening, & I walked quietly along the side of Rydale Lake with quiet thoughts — the hills & the Lake were still — the Owls had not begun to hoot, & the little Birds had given over singing. I looked before me & I saw a red light upon Silver How as if coming out of the vale below

  ‘There was a light of most strange birth

  A Light that came out of the earth

  And spread along the dark hill-side.’

  Thus I was going on when I saw the shape of my Beloved in the Road at a little distance — we turned back to see the light but it was fading — almost gone. The owls hooted when we sate on the Wall at the foot of White Moss. The sky broke more & more & we saw the moon now & then. John Green passed us with his cart — we sate on. When we came in sight of our own dear Grasmere, the Vale looked fair & quiet in the moonshine, the Church was there & all the cottages. There were high slow-travelling Clouds in the sky that threw large Masses of Shade upon some of the Mountains. We walked backwards & forwards between home & Olliffs till I was tired William kindled & began to write the poem. We carried Cloaks into the orchard & sate a while there I left him & he nearly finished the poem. I was tired to death & went to bed before him — he came down to me & read the Poem to me in bed —— A sailor begged here today going to Glasgow he spoke chearfully in a sweet tone.

  Thursday (18th). A very fine morning the Sun shone but it was far colder than yesterday. I felt myself weak, & William charged me not to go to Mrs Lloyds — I seemed indeed, to myself unfit for it but when he was gone I thought I would get the visit over if I could — so I ate a Beef-steak thinking it would strengthen me so it did, & I went off — I had a very pleasant walk. Rydale vale was full of life & motion. The wind blew briskly & the lake was covered all over with Bright silver waves that were there each the twinkling of an eye, then others rose up & took their place as fast as they went away. The Rocks glittered in the sunshine, the crows & the Ravens were busy, & the thrushes & little Birds sang — I went through the fields, & sate ½ an hour afraid to pass a Cow. The Cow looked at me & I looked at the cow & whenever I stirred the cow gave over eating. I was not very much tired when I reached Lloyds, I walked in the garden. Charles is all for Agriculture. Mrs LI in her kindest way. A parcel came in from Birmingham, with Lamb’s play for us & for C. They came with me as far as Rydale. As we came along Ambleside vale in the twilight — it was a grave evening — there was something in the air that compelled me to serious thought — the hills were large, closed in by the sky. It was nearly dark when I parted from the Lloyds that is, night was come on & the moon was overcast. But as I climbed Moss the moon came out from behind a Mountain Mass of Black Clouds — O the unutterable darkness of the sky & the Earth below the Moon! & the glorious brightness of the moon itself! There was a vivid sparkling streak of light at this end of Rydale water but the rest was very dark & Loughrigg fell & Silver How were white & bright as if they were covered with hoar frost. The moon retired again & appeared & disappeared several times before I reached home. Once there was no moonlight to be seen but upon the Island house & the promontory of the Island where it stands, ‘That needs must be a holy place’ &c — &c. I had many many exquisite feelings when I saw this lowly Building in the waters among the dark & lofty hills, with that bright soft light upon it — it made me more than half a poet. I was tired when I reached home I could not sit down to reading & tried to write verses but alas! I gave up expecting William & went soon to bed. Fletcher’s carts came home late.

  Friday (19th). A very rainy morning — I went up into the lane to collect a few green mosses to make the Chimney gay against my darling’s return. Poor C! I did not wish for, or expect him it rained so. Mr Luff came in before my dinner. We had a long talk. He left me before 4 o clock, & about ½an hour after Coleridge came in — his eyes were a little swoln — with the wind — I was much affected with the sight of him — he seemed half Stupefied — William came in soon after. Coleridge went to bed late, & Wm & I sate up till 4 o clock. A letter from Sara sent by Mary. They disputed about Ben Jonson. My spirits were agitated very much.

  Saturday (20th). A tolerably fine morning after 11 o clock but when I awoke the whole vale was covered with snow. William & Coleridge walked to Borwicks. I followed but did not find them — came home & they were here — We had a little talk about going abroad. We sate pleasantly enough. After tea Wrn read the Pedlar. After supper we talked about various things — Christening the Children &c &c went to bed at 12 o clock.

  Sunday (21st). A showery day. Coleridge & William lay long in bed. We sent up to G Mackareth’s for the horse to go to Keswick but we could not have it — Went with C to Borwicks where he left us. William was very unwell this evening — We had a sweet & tender conversation. I wrote to Mary & Sara.

  Monday (22nd). A rainy day — William very poorly. Mr Luff came in after dinner & brought us 2 letters from Sara H. & one from poor Annette. I read Sara’s letters while he was here. I finished my letters to M & S & wrote to my Br Richard. We talked a good deal about C & other interesting things we resolved to see Annette, & that Wm should go to Mary. We wrote to Coleridge not to expect us till Thursday or Friday.

  Tuesday (23rd). A mild morning William worked at the Cuckow poem. I sewed beside him. After dinner he slept I read German, & at the closing in of day went to sit in the Orchard — he came to me, & walked backwards & forwards, we talked about C — Wm repeated the poem to me — I left him there & in 20 minutes he came in rather tired with attempting to write — he is now reading Ben Jonson I am going to read German it is about 10 o clock, a quiet night. The fire flutters & the watch ticks I hear nothing else save the Breathings of my Beloved & he now & then pushes his book forward & turns over a leaf. Fletcher is not come home. No letter from C.

  Wednesday (24th). We walked to Rydale for letters. It was a beautiful spring morning — warm & quiet with mists. We found a letter from MH. I made a vow that we would not leave this County for G Hill, Sara & Tom not being going to the Wolds. I wrote to Mary in the Evening. I went to bed after dinner. William walked out & wrote Peggy Ashburner. I rose better. Wm altered the Butterfly as we came from Rydale.

  Thursday (25th). We did not walk though it was a fine day. Mr Simpson drank tea with us. No letter from Coleridge.

  Friday (26th). A beautiful morning. William wrote to Annette then worked at the Cuckow. I was ill & in bad spirits — after dinner I sate 2 hours in the Orchard. William & I walked together after tea first to the top of White Moss, then to Mr Olliffs. I left Wm & while he was absent wrote out poems I grew alarmed & went to seek him — I met him at Mr Olliffs he had been trying without success to alter a passage, in Silver How poem — he had written a conclusion just before he went out. While I was getting into bed he wrote the Rainbow.

  Saturday (27th). A divine morning — at Breakfast Wm wrote part of an ode — Mr Olliff sent the Dung & Wm went to work in the garden we sate all day in the Orchard.

  Sunday (28th). We went to Keswick. Arrived wet to skin — a letter from Mary — C was not tired with walking to meet us — I lay down after dinner with a bad head ach.

  Monday (29th(. A cold day. I went down to Miss Crosth-waite’s to unpack the Box. Wm & C went to Ormathwaite — a letter from SH, had head ach & lay till after tea. Conversation with Mrs Coleridge.

  Tuesday 30th March. We went to Calverts. I was somewhat better though not well.

  Wednesday 31st March 1802. Very unwell. We walked to Portinscale lay upon the turf & saw into the Vale of Newlands, up to Borrowdale & down to Keswick a soft Venetian view. I returned better. Calvert & Wilkinsons dined with us. I walked with Mrs W (to) the Quakers’ meeting met Wm & we walked in the field together.

  Thursday 1st April. Mrs C Wm C & I went to the How — a pleasant morning, we came home by Portinscale — sate for some time on the hill.

  Friday 2nd. Wm & I sate a
ll the morning in the field I nursed Derwent — drank tea with the Miss Cockins.

  Saturday 3rd. Wm went on to Skiddaw with C. We dined at Calverts, fine day.

  Sunday 4th. We drove in the gig to Water End. I walked down to Coleridge’s. Mrs C came to Greta Bank to Tea. Wm walked down with Mrs C. I repeated his verses to them. We sate pleasantly enough after supper.

  Monday 5th. We came to Eusemere — Coleridge walked with us to Threlkeld, reached Eusemere to tea. The schoolmistress at Dacre & her scholars. Mrs C at work in the garden she met us.

  Tuesday 6th. Mrs C, Wm & I walked to Water side. Wm & I walked together in the Evening towards Dalemain — the moon & stars.

  Wednesday 7th. Wms Birthday. Wm went to Middleham — I walked 6 miles with him — it rained a little but a fine day. Broth to supper & went soon to bed.

  Thursday 8(th). Mrs C & I walked to Woodside. We slept after dinner on the Sofa — sate up till ½ past 10. Mrs C tired. I wrote to MH in the morning to Sara in the evening.

  Friday 9th. Mrs C planting. Sent off letters. A windy morning — rough lake — sun shines very cold — a windy night. Walked in Dunmallet marked our names on a tree.

  Saturday 10th April. Very cold — a stormy night wrote to C a letter from Wm & SH.

  Sunday 11th. Very stormy & cold I did not walk.

  Monday 12th. Had the mantua-maker the ground covered with snow. Walked to T Wilkinson’s & sent for letters. The Woman brought me one from Wm & Mary. It was a sharp windy night. Thomas Wilkinson came with me to Barton, & questioned me like a catechizer all the way, every question was like the snapping of a little thread about my heart I was so full of thoughts of my half-read letter & other things. I was glad when he left me. Then I had time to look at the moon while I was thinking over my own thoughts — the moon travelled through the clouds tinging them yellow as she passed along, with two stars near her, one larger than the other. These stars grew or diminished as they passed from or went into the clouds. At this time William as I found the next day was riding by himself between Middleham & Barnard Castle having parted from Mary. I read over my letter when I got to the house. Mr & Mrs C were playing at Cards.