No More Learning

Then most of all, then far the most, 850
Do I regret what we have lost;
Am grieved for that unhappy sin
Which robbed us of good Benjamin;--
And of his stately Charge, which none
Could keep alive when He was gone! 855


* * * * *

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1819.

The Night-hawk is singing his frog-like tune,
Twirling his watchman's rattle about--1805. MS. [a]

The dor-hawk, solitary bird,
Round the dim crags on heavy pinions wheeling,
Buzzes incessantly, a tiresome tune;
That constant voice is all that can be heard 1820.

. . . on heavy pinions wheeling,
With untired voice sings an unvaried tune;
Those burring notes are all that can be heard 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to the first version of 1819. ]


[Variant 2:

1819.

Now that the children are abed
The little glow-worms nothing dread,
Such prize as their bright lamps would be.
Sooth they come in company,
And shine in quietness secure,
On the mossy bank by the cottage door,
As safe as on the loneliest moor.
In the play, or on the hill,
Everything is hushed and still;
The clouds show here and there a spot
Of a star that twinkles not,
The air as in . . .

From a MS. copy of the poem in Henry Crabb Robinson's 'Diary, etc'.
1812.

Now that the children's busiest schemes
Do all lie buried in blank sleep,
Or only live in stirring dreams,
The glow-worms fearless watch may keep;
Rich prize as their bright lamps would be,
They shine, a quiet company,
On mossy bank by cottage-door,
As safe as on the loneliest moor.
In hazy straits the clouds between,
And in their stations twinkling not,
Some thinly-sprinkled stars are seen,
Each changed into a pallid spot. 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 3:

1836.

The mountains rise to wond'rous height,
And in the heavens there is a weight; 1819.

And in the heavens there hangs a weight; 1827.

In the editions of 1819 to 1832, these two lines follow the line "Like
the stifling of disease. "]


[Variant 4:

1819.

. . . faint . . . 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 5:

1819.


But welcome dews . . . 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 6:

1819.

. . . or . . . 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 7:

1819.

Listen! you can hardly hear!
Now he has left the lower ground,
And up the hill his course is bending,
With many a stop and stay ascending;--1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 8:

1836.

And now . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 9:

1836.

Gathering . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 10:

1819.

No;--him infirmities beset,
But danger is not near him yet; 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 11:

1836.

is he secure; 1819. ]


[Variant 12:

1836.

full well 1819. ]


[Variant 13:

1836.

Uncouth although the object be,
An image of perplexity;
Yet not the less it is our boast, 1819. ]


[Variant 14:

1827.

. . . I frame . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 15:

1836

And never was my heart more light. 1819. ]


[Variant 16:

1836.

. . . will bless . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 17:

1836.

. . . delight, . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 18:

1836.

Good proof of this the Country gain'd,
One day, when ye were vex'd and strain'd--
Entrusted to another's care,
And forc'd unworthy stripes to bear. 1819. ]


[Variant 19:

1836. (Expanding four lines into six. )

Here was it--on this rugged spot
Which now contented with our lot
We climb--that piteously abused
Ye plung'd in anger and confused: 1819. ]


[Variant 20:

1836.

. . . in your . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 21:

1836.

The ranks were taken with one mind; 1819. ]


[Variant 22:

1819.

Our road be, narrow, steep, and rough; 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 23:

1836.

large drops upon his head 1819. ]


[Variant 24:

1836.

He starts-and, at the admonition,
Takes a survey of his condition. 1819. ]


[Variant 25:

1836.

A huge and melancholy room, 1819. ]


[Variant 26:

1836.

. . . on high . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 27: 1836. The previous four lines were added in the edition of
1820, where they read as follows:

And suddenly a ruffling breeze
(That would have sounded through the trees
Had aught of sylvan growth been there)
Was felt throughout the region bare: 1820. ]


[Variant 28:

1836.

By peals of thunder, clap on clap!
And many a terror-striking flash;--
And somewhere, as it seems, a crash, 1819. ]


[Variant 29:

1820.

And rattling . . . 1819,]


[Variant 30:

1836. (Compressing six lines into four. )

The voice, to move commiseration,
Prolong'd its earnest supplication--
"This storm that beats so furiously--
This dreadful place! oh pity me! "

While this was said, with sobs between,
And many tears, by one unseen; 1819. ]


[Variant 31:

1845.

And Benjamin, without further question,
Taking her for some way-worn rover, 1819.

And, kind to every way-worn rover,
Benjamin, without a question, 1836. ]


[Variant 32:

1820.

. . . trouble . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 33:

1845.

And to a little tent hard by
Turns the Sailor instantly; 1819.

And to his tent-like domicile,
Built in a nook with cautious skill,
The Sailor turns, well pleased to spy
His shaggy friend who stood hard by
Drenched--and, more fast than with a tether,
Bound to the nook by that fierce weather,
Which caught the vagrants unaware:
For, when, ere closing-in . . . 1836. ]


[Variant 34:

1836.

Had tempted . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 35:

1836.

Proceeding with an easy mind;
While he, who had been left behind, 1819. ]


[Variant 36:

1820.

Who neither heard nor saw--no more
Than if he had been deaf and blind,
Till, startled by the Sailor's roar, 1819. ]


[Variant 37:

1819.

That blew us hither! dance, boys, dance!
Rare luck for us! my honest soul,
I'll treat thee to a friendly bowl! " 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 38:

1836.

To _seek_ for thoughts of painful cast,
If such be the amends at last. 1819. ]


[Variant 39:

1836.

. . . think . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 40:

1819.

For soon among . . . 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 41:

1819.
And happiest far is he, the One
No longer with himself at strife,
A Caesar past the Rubicon!
The Sailor, Man by nature gay,
Found not a scruple in _his_ way; 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 42:

1836.

Deems that she is happier, laid
Within that warm and peaceful bed; 1819. ]


[Variant 43:

1845.

With bowl in hand,
(It may not stand)
Gladdest of the gladsome band,
Amid their own delight and fun, 1819.

With bowl that sped from hand to hand,
Refreshed, brimful of hearty fun,
The gladdest of the gladsome band, 1836. ]


[Variant 44:

1836.

They hear--when every fit is o'er--1819. ]


[Variant 45:

1836.

. . . wondrous . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 46:

1836.

. . . these . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 47:

1836.

. . . the Mastiff's side,
(The Mastiff not well pleased to be
So very near such company. ) 1819. ]


[Variant 48:

1832.

. . . all together, . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 49:

1836

. . . sails . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 50:

1836.

On . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 51:

1836.

He's in the height . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 52:

1836.

He wheel'd--. . . 1819. ]


[Variant 53:

1827.

And, rambling on . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 54:

1819.

Now hidden by the glittering steam: 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 55:

1845. The previous eight lines were added in 1836, when they read thus:

Say more: for by that power a vein
Seems opened of brow-saddening pain:
As if their hearts by notes were stung
From out the lowly hedge-rows flung;
As if the warbler lost in light
Reproved their soarings of the night;
In strains of rapture pure and holy
Upbraided their distempered folly. 1836. ]


[Variant 56:

1845.

They are drooping, weak, and dull; 1819.

Drooping are they, and weak and dull;--1836. ]


[Variant 57:

1836.

Knowing that there's cause . . . 1819.

Knowing there is cause . . . 1827. ]


[Variant 58:

1845.

They are labouring to avert
At least a portion of the blame 1819.

They now are labouring to avert
(Kind creatures! ) something of the blame, 1836. ]


[Variant 59:

1836.

Which full surely will alight
Upon his head, whom, in despite
Of all his faults, they love the best; 1819.

Upon _his_ head, . . . 1820. ]


[Variant 60:

1836.

Blends . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 61:

1845.

Never, surely, old Apollo,
He, or other God as old,
Of whom in story we are told,
Who had a favourite to follow
Through a battle or elsewhere,
Round the object of his care,
In a time of peril, threw
Veil of such celestial hue; 1819.

Never Venus or Apollo,
Pleased a favourite chief to follow
Through accidents of peace or war,
In a time of peril threw,
Round the object of his care,
Veil of such celestial hue; 1832.

Never golden-haired Apollo,
Nor blue-eyed Pallas, nor the Idalian Queen,
When each was pleased some favourite chief to follow
Through accidents of peace or war,
In a perilous moment threw
Around the object of celestial care
A veil so rich to mortal view. 1836.

Never Venus or Apollo,
Intent some favourite chief to follow
Through accidents of peace or war,
Round the object of their care
In a perilous moment threw
A veil of such celestial hue. C.

Round each object of their care C. ]


[Variant 62:

1819.

Fails to shield . . . 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 63:

1836.

Or . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 64:

1819.

If, as he cannot but forebode, 1836.

The text of 1845 returns to that of 1819. ]


[Variant 65:

1836.

Thou hast loitered . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 66:

1836.

His doubts--his fears . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 67:

1827. (Compressing two lines into one. )

Sometimes, as in the present case,
Will show a more familiar face; 1819.

Or, proud all rivalship to chase,
Will haunt me with familiar face; 1820. ]


[Variant 68:

1819.

Or, with milder grace . . . 1832.

The edition of 1845 reverts to the text of 1819. ]


[Variant 69:

1836.

. . . window . . . 1819. ]


[Variant 70: "Once" 'italicised' in 1820 only. ]


* * * * *

FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: The title page of the edition of 1819 runs as follows: The
Waggoner, A Poem. To which are added, Sonnets. By William Wordsworth.

"What's in a NAME? "
. . .
"Brutus will start a Spirit as soon as Caesar! "

London, etc. etc. , 1819,--Ed. ]


[Footnote B: See 'The Seasons' (Summer), ll. 977-79. --Ed. ]


[Footnote C: Such is the progress of refinement, this rude piece of
self-taught art has been supplanted by a professional production. --W. W.
1819.

Mr. William Davies writes to me,

"I spent a week there (the Swan Inn) early in the fifties, and well
remember the sign over the door distinguishable from afar: the inn,
little more than a cottage (the only one), with clean well-sanded
floor, and rush-bottomed chairs: the landlady, good old soul, one day
afraid of burdening me with some old coppers, insisted on retaining
them till I should return from an uphill walk, when they were duly
tendered to me. Here I learnt many particulars of Hartley Coleridge,
dead shortly before, who had been a great favourite with the host and
hostess. The grave of Wordsworth was at that time barely grassed
over. "--Ed. ]


[Footnote D: See Wordsworth's note [Note I to this poem, below], p.
109. --Ed. ]


[Footnote E: A mountain of Grasmere, the broken summit of which presents
two figures, full as distinctly shaped as that of the famous cobler,
near Arracher, in Scotland. --W. W. 1819. ]


[Footnote F: A term well known in the North of England, as applied to
rural Festivals, where young persons meet in the evening for the purpose
of dancing. --W. W. 1819. ]


[Footnote G: At the close of each strathspey, or jig, a particular note
from the fiddle summons the Rustic to the agreeable duty of saluting his
Partner. --W. W. 1819. ]


[Footnote H: Compare in 'Tristram Shandy':

"And this, said he, is the town of Namur, and this is the citadel: and
there lay the French, and here lay his honour and myself. "--Ed. ]


[Footnote J: See Wordsworth's note [Note III to this poem, below], p.
109. --Ed. ]


[Footnote K: The crag of the ewe lamb. --W. W. 1820. ]


[Footnote L: Compare Tennyson's "Farewell, we lose ourselves in
light. "--Ed. ]


[Footnote M: Compare Wordsworth's lines, beginning, "She was a Phantom
of delight," p.