F ac i l e c re d o , p lu r e s e sse N a t u ra s i n v is ib i le s q u a m vi si b i les i n re ru m

u n i ve rs i t a t e . Se d h o r u m o m n i u m f a m i l i a m q u i s n o b i s e n arrab i t , e t
g r ad u s et c o g n a t i on e s et d i s c ri m i n a et s i n g ulo r u m m u n e ra ? Quid
ag u n t ?
q uae l o c a h ab ita n t ? H a ru m re ru m n o t i t i a m se m pe r a m bi v i t

i n g e n i u m h u m a n u m n um q u a m a t t i g i t
, J u va t i n t e re a .
, ,
n on d i ffi t e o r ,

q u a n d o q ue in an i mo , ta m qu am i n ta b u l a m aj o r i s
,
et m e li o r i s mun di
i m ag i n e m c on t e m p lar i : me m e n s ass ue fac t a h o di e r n ae i t ae m i n u t ii s v
se c o n t ra h at ni m i s e t t o t a s u b s i d a t i n p u s illas c og i t at i o n e s
, Se d .

ve ri t a t i i n t e re a i n v i g i lan d u m e st , m o d u squ e se rva n d u s , ut cer a t ab

i n c e rt i s , d ie m a n octe , d i s t in g uam us .

T . B UR NE T , A rc h w o l P h i l
.
, p . 68 .

TR A N SL ATI O N.

I can d i l y b e l ie v e t h at t h e re a re i n t h e u n i v e rs e m o re N at u re s
re a

u n s e e n t h a n s ee n Bu t w h o s h a ll e x p l ai n t o u s t h e i r r e l at i o n t h e i r
.
,

s e v e ra l r a n k s a n d d e g re e s o f c o n s an gu i n i t y t h e i r d i ff e r e n c e s a n d t h e i r
,

f u n c t i o n s ? W h a t d o t h e y d o ? W h e re d o t h e y M a n s s k i ll h as
’

e v e r s o u g h t b u t n e v e r att ai n e d a k n o w l e d g e o f t h e s e t h i n g s
, , I can n ot
d e n y h o w e v e r t h at i t i s p ro fit a bl e a t t i m e s t o a ll o w t h e m i n d t o d w e ll
, ,

o n t h e c o n t e m p l at i o n o f a l a g e r a n d b e t t e r w o r l d as if s e e n o n a m a p
r ,

ot h e r w i s e a c c u s t o m e d a s t h e m i n d i s t o t h e p e t ty d e t a i l s o f a d a i ly
,

ro u t i n e i t m a y b e c o m e d e p r e s s e d a n d s i n k u t t e r ly i n t o t r i fl i n g t h o u g h t s
,
.

St i ll a s t r i c t re g a r d m us t b e h ad fo r t h e t r u t h a n d m o d e rat i o n i s t o be ,

o b s e r ve d th at w e m ay d i s t i n g u i s h t h e d e fin i t e an d t h e d o u b t f u l b e t w e e n

t he d a y a n d t he n ig h t .
 STA N D A R D L I TE R A T URE SE RI E S

TH E RI M E O F

TH E A N C I E N T M A R I N E R

SA M U E L TA Y L O R C O L E R I D G E

AND

TH E VI SI O N O F SI R L AU N FA L

JA M E S RU SSE L L L O W E LL

E D IT E D W IT H NOT E S AN D INT RO D U C TION BY

H . G . P AU L , A M . .

A SS I S TA NT P R O ESS O R
F OF EN GL I S H L IT ER /

AT U RE I N TH E U N IV E RS I TY OF I L L I NO I S
W IT H E D ITO RIA L SU P E RVI SION BY

E D W A RD E V E R E TT H A L E , J R T PH
,
. D .

P R O ESS O R
F OF EN GL I S H, U N I ON C O L L E E
G

U N I VE RSI TY PU BLI SH I N G C O M PAN Y

N E W Y O RK B O ST O N NE ! V O RL E A NS
 I
L BRARY of CO NGRESS
Two Conies Rec ei ved
APR 1 6 I 9 OG
C yrlg ht Entry
1 4.
? 06

/43 2 3 3
C O PY B.

C O P Y I G H T , 19 06 ,
R BY

NIV ERSIT Y
U P U BL SH I ING C OM PANY
2909
 C O N TE N TS

PAG E

E D I T O R I AL N O TE

I N T RO D UC T I O N
L I FE OF C O L E RI D G E

L I FE OF L OW E LL x v iii
TH E RO M A N TI C M OVE ME N T xx i i
TH E ANC I E NT M A RI N E R

T he A n ci en t Jlf a r i n e r a L i ter a ry Ba lla d x x vfii

xx v i i i
xxx i
Q u es ti on s f or G en er a l S tu d y an d R evi ew xxx i i i
xxx i v

T HE V I SI O N OF SI R LA U N FA L xxx v i
Sugges ti on s for Tea chi n g an d S tu dy x x x vfi

Q u es ti on s for G en er a l S tu d y an d R evi ew xxx i x

TH E V I SI O N OF SI R L A U N F A L
 E D I T O RI A L N O TE

TH E AN C I E N T M A R I N E R an d TH E Vi s I ON or SI R

L AU N F A L h ave fo r some tim e been amo n g the books rec 0 1n -

mended for r e adi n g in th e seco n da ry schools The two p oems .

m ay well b e studied together They h ave thi n gs about them

.

th at are alike an d thi n gs th at ar e di ffe r e n t an d therefo r e m ay

, ,

re adily b e com p ar ed so as to cultiv ate the liter ary t aste by

a definite system atic method
,
This is o f cou rs e not the only
.
, ,

w ay of cultiv ati n g the t as t e in f a ct it i s n o t the bes t w ay f r o m

’
a p ure ly gene r al st an dpoi n t Th e best w a y to cultiv ate one s
.

liter ar y t aste i s p rob ably to be much wi th people who love

, ,
’
lite r ature an d to r e a d much o f the best lite ratu r e one s self .

But whe r e o n e c an n ot do th at as i n the cl as s r o o m the othe r

,
-

pl an the p l an o f c ar ef ully cultiv ati n g the t aste by some

,

definite m ethod seems to p r omise m ost O n e well understood

,
.
-

m ethod i s tha t of comp a rison By a c are ful comp arison o f

.

two or more m aste rpieces we m ay succeed i n dete rmi n ing thei r

,

essenti al ch ar acter isti c s an d h avi n g determined them we

, ,

sha ll b e able t o r ecognize them ag ai n when we mee t them an d ,

pe rh ap s to feel thei r essenti al qu ality .

I f we put these poems togethe r an d as k H ow ar e they alike ,

an d how do t hey di ff e r ? w e sh all obse r ve s e ve r al things .

I n r espect to subst an c e e ach o f the two p oem s h as a sto ry

an d an ide a ; an d i n e ach the sto ry i s a rom antic one some ,

thi n g th at st i r s o u r se n s e o f wo n der an d be auty an d the ide a ,

o n e of de e p mo r al s ig n ifi cance o n e th at a ims to get bene ath

,

the thoughts o f ev e ryd ay i n te rcou rse i n to the sp rings an d

sec re ts of li fe itself Look a little i n to e ach
. .

The st ory o f the young k n ight w ho we n t o ut in gol den

vi E D IT O R I A L N O TE

ar m o seek for the Holy G rai l an d return ed b r oken with

r to ,

ye ar s an d t r ouble s to find at his own c astle g ate wh at he h ad

s ought so lo n g is such a t ale as one might fin d in the m edi
,

es val rom an ces o f King A r thur Th e sto ry of the s ailo r who .

brought a curse u p o n himself an d his shi p m ate s by killing a

bird th at h ad sought refuge on their ship an d w h o exp iates ,

tha t wrong by a st ran ge an d bitte r expe r ie n ce i s an im agin a ,

tive cr e ation ve ry diffe rent Yet diffe rent as t h e st ories are .

,

they seem alike when w e comp ar e them with the sto r y of S ir

Rog e r de C overley o r t h e V ic ar of Wa kefield Th es e l ast .

ar e figur e s of the r e al world though not o f the world w e ,

1
kno w ; the othe r s are figu r es of r om an ce .

The two ide as a re also of the s ame ch ar acter Th e c on cep .

tio n of he artfelt love as the t rue s p i r it o f the S aviour o f the

wor l d an d the co n ce p tion of an all emb r acing love as the true
,
-

p r ayer the true ap p ro ach to Go d are both i de as for the guid

, ,

an ce of the pr actic al life an d bo t h ar e i de as th at di p bene ath

‘

the surf ac e o f li fe an d ge t something th at does not app ea r to

eve ry day view
-
.

The p recise conn ection o f story an d ide a i s one of the most

difficult subj ects for lite r ary study I f one thi n k s of the story .

only as a me ans of co n veying thou ght on e must lose much ,

.

S o also i f o n e t hi n ks of the sto ry o n ly w ithout an y i dea at all ,

.

’
I n e ach c ase p r ob ably the i de a w as on e often i n the p oet s
, ,

mi n d W ith Lowell this w as ce rt ai n ly the c ase ;

.
2
with
Coleridge w e c an not b e so su r e although the i de a h as much i n ,
’
common with the p oet s e arly thi n ki n g an d wit h m an y thoughts
”
of the time I t seems p rob able th at i n Si r L au n fal the
.

ide a w a s re ally the mouldi n g fo rce while with The An cient ,

M a ri n e r it w as les s i n fluenti al Still in ne ither c ase i s it .

the b ar e ide a th at h as m ade the p o em I n e ach the poetic .

im ag in ation h as given the ide a a form which for the time

1 Forf u th mm tr er co en on the ro m m vm t
an t i c op xx i i
e en s ee
“ “
. .
,

2 C mp
o A P blare a ra e n ot e d on p xxx vi i i d T h S h p
. an e e arc ri n t e d on
p.49 .
 E D IT O R I A L N O TE vi i

s eem s all impo rt ant Afte r t he time of r e ading when the

-
.
,

o r igi n al i n t e re st i s less st ro n gly in mi n d o n e thinks o f t h e

,

i de a which the n pe rh ap s t akes something o f a p l ace by itself

in our thoughts .

A s t o th e lite rary fo r m o f the p oe ms ther e is more differ

ence Both are writte n unde r the influence o f the so c alled
“
-
.

ball a d movement . I n Th e Ancien t M ariner the b all ad

spirit is eve rywhe r e p rom inent as is po inted out on p xxviii
,
. .

I ts di r ectn es s o f n arrative its rep etitions i t s l an g uage its

, , ,

m et r ica l fo rm all ar e fully in the spi r it of the b all ads th at

,

Col e ridge foun d in Percy s R eli gu es ’

Lowell w as f arthe r
.

aw ay i n time f r om the o rigi n al i n spi ratio n an d his p oem , ,

theref o re ha s less of t h e b alla d sp i r it Th e subj ect o f a

,
.

knightly quest is full of the spi rit o f old po pul ar poetry an d ,

the r e are a few arch aic wo r ds an d ph rases but othe rwise it ,

h as but little o f the b all a d abo ut it S ir L aun fal how ever

.
, ,

tho ugh l acking the ba ll ad eleme n t h as much else : it h as a ,

r ather el abo r ate st r uctu r e it h as the mo r e figu red form of

,

lite rary p oet ry the r ich descri p tion o f n atu r e which one neve r
,

fi n ds in b all ads I t i s full of im agi n ation which ex p r es ses

.

itself richly an d f r eely as in the p ass ages on n ature r athe r

, ,

th an in the suggestive m an n er of the b all ad .

I f we re ad these two poems togethe r we sh all see how they

ar e alike an d yet diffe re n t Th at will c all o u r attention to
.

ce rt ai n thing s : th e f art he r w e go in s uch compa r isons the ,

more co rr ectly sha ll w e m ake them t h e mo r e su r e will be o u r

,

app r eci ation o f the true things of i n terest i n the p oem Fo r .

o n e of the g r ea t things in po etic ap p r eci ation i s to feel keenly

e ach thing fo r itself as diffe rent f r om othe r s W e do n o t

,
.

w ant to con fuse these two po ems to think th at they are m u ch

,

the s am e s ort of thing without se p ar ate individu ality or ch ar

acter an y mo r e th an we shoul d w an t to confuse our f r ie n ds
,

an d thi n k it w as all the s ame which of them w as with us .

We w ant to kno w e ach for itself Ye t all poetry h as som e

.
 E D I TO R lA L N O TE

com m on qu alities an d e ach ki n d of poet ry h as some common

,

qu alities an d w e c e rt ai n ly wa n t to k n ow wh at the s e q u alities

,

are. S ome p eople fee l such thi n gs i n sti n ctively ; even i f w e

do not it is a ve ry g oo d thi n g to t ry to get at them by com
,

p arison .

E D W A RD E H A L E J R
.
, .
 I N TRO D U C TI O N

TH E LI F E OF C O L ERID GE

SA M U E L TA Y LO R COL E R I D G E born on the 2l st o f w as

‘

O cto be r 1 7 7 2 at the vica r age o f O tte ry S t Ma ry in the

, ,
.
,

county of Devonshi r e His f ather th e vi ca r of the p ari sh an d

.
,

the m aste r of t he F r ee Gr amma r S chool w as a vision ary , ,

ec centric m an well beloved by h 1 s p eople By a r athe r abun

,
.

d an t use o f quot atio n s f ro m the Heb r ew he g ained t h e u n

bou n ded re sp e ct o f m an y o f his simple p ar ishione rs as using
’
the l an gu ag e o f the Holy Ghost Th e po e t s moth e r seems to .
.

have p osses sed so m e o f the shrewd n es s h e r husb an d l acked .

She w as a pl ain wom an uneduc ated a goo d ho use kee pe r an d

, ,

m ana ge r an d pos se s sed a g re at contem p t for you n g l adies who

,

p l ayed the h arps ic hord Coleridge w as a pre cocious child an d

.
,

at th r ee ye ar s o f age he w as s ent to a d ame s school A s t he ’

.

pet o f his moth e r h e g ai n ed the ill will o f his b r othe r an d his -

com p an io n s ; he t o ok little or n o pa rt in th ei r spo rts an d

g ames but g ave him self over to h i s i n o r din ate love of re ading
, .

He r e ad all the child ren s b o oks he could find as well as m any

’

b eyo n d hi s age lived in this l and of im agin ation a n d we n t

, ,

ab o ut cutti n g do w n wee d s a n d n ettles as one o f the S even ,

’
Ch amp ions of Christe n dom 1
.

I n his sixth ye ar the boy w as s t ricke n with a f e ve r ; an d .

w e m ay p erh aps se e something o f the thought of t h e A n ci e n t

, ,

M a ri n er i n his belief th at four angels gu ard e d t he bed o n

which h e lay an d th at they kep t aw ay t h e armie s of ugly
,

thi n gs th at were re ady t o bu r st i n u p on him A n o t he r i n .

e ident of thi s per iod should be m e n tio n ed O n o n e o cc asion .

,

B i g S pp l m t t Bi g ap hi L i t i 1847 I I 320
1 o . u e en o o r e e rar a ,
”
.
, .
X INT R O D U CTI O N

fe ari n g a thoroughly me r ited pu n ishmen t he r an aw ay fr om ,

h ome Afte r w an de r i n g fo r seve r al miles he fell asleep on the

.

d amp c o ld ban k of the r ive r O tte r He re he w as r e scued the

,
.

next mo rni n g by a neighbo r o n e of the se arching p arty ,

It .

’
i s doubtful whethe r Coler idge s system eve r recove red f r om
the exposure o f t h at night .

’
Co le ridge s f ather died r athe r sudden ly when the boy w as
about n i n e ye ar s of a e ; an d th r ough the effo r ts of o n e o f t h e
g
’
p asto r s ol d p upils S i r F r ancis Bulle r a fte r w ar ds f amous as
, ,

a j udge the lad rec ei ved a p r ese n t atio n to Ch r i st s Hosp i t al

’
, ,

a Londo n ch ar ity school Th e lot of the po e t afte r he w as

.

enrolled among the blue co ated yellow stockinged h atless -

,
-

students seem s to h ave b ee n an ythi n g but a h appy o n e The .

’
f amily b eing p ro ud felt themselves disgr aced by the boy s
, ,

admi ssio n to a ch ar ity school His b r othe r s r efuse d to p e rmit .

him to visit them i n the s chool g arb an d Coleridge would n ot ,

go in an y othe r O h wh at a ch ange he w rote in aft er

“
, ,
.

vears to his f r i e n d Thom as Poole ,

f r om hom e to this city ,

school ; dep r e s sed moping f r ien dless a poo r o r ph an h alf

, , , ,
’
st ar ved Ch arles L amb w ho as a stude n t at Ch r ist s Hos
.
,
’
pit al duri n g Cole r idge s time bec am e the life lo n g f rie n d of -

the p oet h as left us two pictu r es of the school i n two ess ays
, ,

R eco lle c ti on s of C hri s t s H os p i ta l an d C hr is t s H osp i ta l F i ve

’ ’

an d Thi r ty Y ea rs Ag o O ne f amous p ass age f r om the l atter

.

ess ay a p ass age oft e n quoted m ay be cit e d he re as perh ap s

, ,
-

the b est p ictu re we h ave of Cole r idge in his youth

Come b ack i n to memo ry like as tho u we r t in the day ,

sp r ing of thy f an cie s with ho p e like a fie ry colum n befo re

thee—the d ark pill ar not yet tu rn ed— S amuel T aylo r Col
,

e r idge
-
—
Lo gici an Met aphysici an B ar d ! How h ave I seen
, ,

the c asu al p asser th r ough the Clo iste r s st an d still ent r an ced ,

with admi r atio n ( whil e he weighed the disp r opo rtion betwe en
the s p eech an d the garb of th e young M i ran du la ) to hea r th ee
u n fold i n thy d e ep an d sweet into n ation s the mysteri e s of
, ,

J am bli cus or Ploti n us ( for even in those ye ar s thou w ax e dst

 TH E LI FE O F C O L E R I D G E XI

n ot p ale at such philosophic d r aughts ) o r r eciti n g Hom e r i n ,

—
his G r eek o r Pind ar while the w alls of the O ld G ray F r i ar s
,
”
r e echoed w ith the acce n ts of the i n s i r e d char i t b
p y oy
-
.

O n one occ asio n whe n Cole ridge was about thi r teen he
, ,

went to a shoem ake r an d begged to b e t ake n as an app r e n tice .

The shoem ake r C r ispi n by n ame an honest fello w to ok him

, , ,

to Boye r then he adm aste r of the school who got i n to a g r e at

, ,

r age ,
k n ocked down the boy an d pushed the shoem ake r vio
,

le n t ly out o f the room

’
U pon the l ad s decla r i n g th at he
.

’
desi re d t o le ar n the shoem ake r s t rade bec ause he h ated the
thought of bei n g a cle rgym an an d th at he h ad become an
—
,

i fidel B oye r admi n iste red to him a sou n d th r ashing the

n ,

o n ly j ust one Cole r idge afte rw ar ds rem ar ke d he h ad ever

, ,

r eceived .

’
The t r aining C ole r idge g ai n ed at Ch r ist s Hosp it al w as
both seve r e an d tho rough W ith all hi s f aults Boye r w as an
.

a dmi r able d r illm aste r ; an d Coleridge w as chosen as o n e of

th e G r eci an s th at little b an d speci ally p r ep ar ed under the

,
’
severe m aste r s ow n supervision for schol ar ship s at the u n i
ve rs i t i e s This m aste r s l abo r s did not e n d whe n he h ad t r ai n ed
’
.

t h e boys to be goo d L atin an d G r eek students—his most d i ffi

cult lesso n s we r e those i h E n gli sh ; an d to his severe c r iticism s
an d r ep r essions C ole r idge w as deeply indebted About this .

time the young p oet w a s att r acted by the son ne ts of Bowles a ,

w r ite r lo n g si n ce fo rgotten Bowles w as by n o me ans a gre at

.

p oet ; but he w as a si n ce r e one an d his son n ets show the i n fl u

,

e n ce of the new fo r ces active in the wo r ld of p oe try W h at .

little Cole r idge h ad p r oduce d before this time bore the con
ve n t i on al m ar ks of the eighteenth ce n tury W e h ave p r ese r ve d .

seve ral p oems th at he w ro t e in the Ch r ist H o s p it al book on e

o f them an anthem for the child ren o f the school—ver ses of
,

little o r no v alue ex cept as specimens of his e arly h andicr aft .

’
O n e p oem Th e Ra ven w r itten about th e time he left Ch r ist s
, ,

Hospit al i s i n te resting fo r the l ast two li n es i n which we

, ,

h ave in crude for m the thought of the Ancient M ariner :

 I NT R O D U CTI O N

W e m u st t h i n k s o ; b u t f o rg e t a n d f org i v e
not ,

A n d w h at He a v e n g i v e s l i f e t o w e ll s t i ll le t i t l i v e
’
.
,

I n 1 7 9 1 whe n Cole r idge w as n i n etee n ye ar s of age he w as

, ,

appoi n ted to an exhibit ion at Jesus College C amb ri dge

-

,
.

L ater in his cou r se the r e he w as fu rther aided by cert ai n fel

low s h i p s
. D u ri n g the first po rtion of his reside n ce he wo rked
s te adily an d succe s sfully an d g ai n ed the B r ow n e gold med al
,

for a s apphic O de on the S l ave T rade O n e of Coleridge s .

’

college f r iend s ha s left us an inte resti n g accou n t of how the

-

’
poe t s r oom bec ame the r e n dezvous of a number of com p an
io n s all e ager to discuss the questio n s of the day an d h ow
, , ,

when a new p amphlet appe ar ed f rom the p en of Bu rke Col ,

c ridge would repe at for them whole p ages ver ba ti m S tir r ing .

times we r e thes e the e ar lie r d ays of the Fre n ch Revolution

, ,

when new i de as of libe rty an d of the d awn of a bette r day

were pe rme ati n g the whole wo r ld an d when m en felt th at it ,

w a s bliss even to be alive Cole r idge w as on e of the most

.

r a di cal of the m a ny yo u n g men who g ave thei r sym p athy an d

thei r i n flu e n ce to wh at t hey conceived to be the c ause of

’
hum an libe rty The po et s e n thusi asm howeve r w as te mpo
.
, ,

r ar i ly checked by his solicitude ove r some college debts an d

possibly ove r a love affa i r of the ti me At an y r ate we fin d .

him d rifti n g about in Lo n do n pe n n il e s s an d re ady for wh at

,

e ve r might offe r The r ec r uiti n g office of the i 5 th Ligh t

.

D ragoo n s i n vi t es h i m an d he e n lists un d er the n ame of Sil as

,

T Com erback A so rry soldie r he m ade not even able to

. .
,

g room his own ho r se Afte r t w o m ise r able months he dis

.

closed his where abouts to his oldest b r othe r w ho secured his ,

r ele a se an d se n t him b ack to the U n ive r sity .

U pon hi s r etu r n to C amb r idge Cole r idge w as not s atis fied ,

.

He fell off i n hi s studies an d left the Un ive rsity without t ak

ing a degree W e soon fin d h i m e n listed with Robert S outhey
. ,

a yo un g f r ie nd from O xfo r d i n an attem p t to est ablish an

,

i de ali stic colony This commu n ity which they c alled a P an

.
,

t i socr acy w as to consist of twelve men an d their wives an d

, ,
 INT R O D U CT IO N

pe r fumes an d whe n he c ame to the two l ast word s w hich -

he p ro n ounc e d loud deep an d disti n ct it see med to me who

, ,
-

w as the n you n g as i f the sou n ds h ad echoed f r om the bottom

,

o f the hum an he ar t an d as i f the p r aye r might h ave flo ated i n

,

a solemn silence th r ough the u n ive r se The p rea che r .

then l aunched into his subj ec t like an e agle d allying with the
”
wi n d .

The following pen pict ure gives u s a good ide a of the

’
poet s pe r son al appe aran ce du r i n g this p e riod of his life 1 '

I n pe r so n he w as a d ar k t all h andsome you n g m an with , , ,

lo n g bl ack flowi n g h ai r ; eyes not me r ely bl ack but bl ack an d

, , ,

kee n ly pe n et r ating ; a fin e fo rehe a d ; a deep to n ed harmonious -

voice ; a m an n er neve r to be fo rgotten full o f life viv acity , ,

an d ki n d n e s s ; dig n ified in p e r so n ; an d a dded to all these , ,

exhibitin g the eleme n ts of his futu r e g reat n ess .

But it is about t his time th at we fi r st r e ad in on e of his

letters of his h avi n g suffe red f r om neu r algi a of the f ac e an d
—
,

of his h avi n g allevi at ed the p ai n with l aud anum the fi rst

cloud o f the m an y th at we r e to d arke n his i n te llect his will ,

an d h is life .

’
W i th 1 7 9 7 c ame the h ar vest ye ar of C ole r idge s poetic al lif e .

His f aculti es se e med to ripe n a lmost as if by m agic an d i n ,

twelve mo n ths he h ad p r oduced ne ar ly all his g r e atest poet ry .

” ”
The A n cie n t M ar i n e r Ch r ist abel The O de to F ran ce
, , ,
”
Remo r se an d Kuhl a Kh an we re all the p r oducts of this
,

ye ar s l abo r O ne c ause pe rh aps the m ai n one of this p oetic

’
.
, ,

f r uit age i s not far to seek I n the e ar lie r p art of the ye ar .

Cole r idge an d his f amily h ad m oved among the Q u antock

hills to the vill age o f Nethe r Stowey an d he r e the poet c ame
i n co n t act with two rema r k able peopl e W o r dswo rth an d his ,

siste r Dorothy The frien dship betwee n the two poets me an t

.

much to both To W or dswo rth Cole r idge supplied the en

.

thus i asm an d the f aith an d cou rage n ecess ary for c arryi n g out
l Sm i th
’
s
“Re m i n i s c e n ce s of an O ct o g e n ar i an , q uo t e d in C l i dg
o er e s
‘

L e t t e rs .

1 , 18 1 .
 TH E LI FE O F C O L E R I D G E XV

hi s poetic l abo r s ; to Cole ri dg e W o rd s wo rth suppli e d a c alm

n e ss an d st e adi n ess which the fo r me r c ar r ied aw ay by his ,

tu m ultuous vit ality especi ally r equi red ; while Do r othy

,

W o r ds wo rth with h er quick delic ate pe r ceptio n an d quiet e n

, ,

co u ra e m en t stimul at e d h i m to his most ar tistic an d most

g ,

im agi n ative effo r ts The r esults o f the u n it e d wo rk of thes e

.

two poets appe are d i n the Sp r i n g of 1 7 9 8 whe n the L yri ca l ,

Balla ds we r e p ublished a thin volume to which W o r dswo rth

, ,

h ad co n t r ibuted fou r o r five times as much as h ad his less

ste ady c o wo rker This volume which beg an with Th e An
-
.
,

c i e n t M a ri n er an d also co n t ai n e d the L i n es Wri tt en A bove

,

Ti n t ern A bbey c r e ated little stir i n the lite r ary wo r ld though

, ,

we o f to day h ave come to r eg ar d it as the culmi n ation of the

-

r evolt ag a inst the st an d ar ds th at p r ev ailed through a l ar ge

p ar t of the eighteent h ce n tu ry .

About thi s s am e time C ole ri dge r eceived f r om the We dg

wood b r othe r s the g re at E n glish potte ry m ake r s ah an n uity
, ,

w hich t hough n o t l arge e n abled him to devote his enti r e time

, ,

to lite ratu r e I n comp an y with W illi am an d Do rothy W o r ds

.

wo rt h he visited Ge rm any whe r e he busied himself with a ,

study of K ant an d the t ran sce n dent al philos ophy I nste ad .

of t r oubli n g othe r s with my own c r ude notio n s an d j uvenile

”
compositio n s he w r ites
,
“ I w as the n cefo r w ar d bette r em
,

ployed i n attempti n g to sto r e my he ad with the wisdom of

other s.
” 1
He p asse d the wi n ter h ar d at wo rk an d made co n ,
‘

s i de r able p r og r ess with the l an gu age ; thou gh hi s le t t e r s of

‘

the time are filled with his hom esick n ess an d hi s y e arn i n g to
see his wife a n d b aby H artley Two r esults c ame f rom this .

winte r thus spe n t : C ole r idge bec ame imbued with the Ge rm an
t r anscen d en t al philosophy an d upon his r etu rn did mo re th an
,

an y othe r m an to p r op ag ate it in E n gl an d Anothe r an d m o re .

immedi ate r esult w as the t ran sl ation of Schille r s Wallen s t ei n ’

soon afte r his r etu rn —one of the best t ran s l ation s eve r m ade
o f a fo r eig n wo rk i n to E n gli sh .

Bi g p h i L i t
1 ”
i oI 300
ra a e rar a , , .
x vi I NT R O D U CT I O N
’
U po n the r em ai n de r of Cole ridge s c ar ee r we need dwell but
b ri e fly ; for hi s poeti c lif e h ad p r actic ally clos e d U n de r the .

i n flue n ce of s eve r e bodily p ain he r eso rt e d to the use of

opium ; an d his will powe r n ever ve ry st ro n g w as sha tte re d
-

, ,

by the use o f the d rug The sto ry of much of the r em ai n de r

.

of his life esp e ci ally of the s ucceedi n g dec ade when his powe r s
,

should h ave been at thei r be st is the sto ry of r epea ted f ailu r es , .

’
C o le ridge s w as a li fe of m ag n ifice n t p roj ects desti n ed neve r ,

t o b e fulfilled He u n de rt ook v arious employme n ts such as

.
,

newsp ap er wo rk ano the r m ag azi n e alo n g much the s ame li n es

, ,

as the Wa t c hm an an d lectu r i n g , .

As a lectu re r he w as pe rh aps mo r e successful th an i n an y

othe r li n e H is audi e n c e s ce rt ai n ly he ar d the fi n est c ritic al
.

lectu res ever delive r ed i n E n glish Yet he w as n oto r iously .

u n t r ustw o rthy i n keepi n g these appoi n tme n ts an d depen d e d ,

up on th e i n spi r ation of the mome n t to c arry him along At .

l ast after m an y t r oubles he fou n d a r efuge u n de r the c ar e of

, ,

Dr Gillm an a Lo n don physici an whose f amily as Leigh

“
.
, , ,

Hunt r em ark s h ad s e n se an d ki n d n ess e n ough to k n ow

,

th at they di d themselves ho n or by looki n g afte r the comfo r t

of such a m an C ar lyle h as left us a vivid de s c ription of the
.

p oet as he appe ared i n his l ast d ays : 1

Cole ridge s at on the b row of Highg ate Hill i n those ye ar s , ,

looki n g down on Lo n do n an d its smoke tumult like a s age

esc ap e d f ro m the i n an ity of life s b attle ; attr acti n g tow ar d ’

him the thoughts of innume r able b r ave souls still e n g aged

ther e His exp r ess co n tr ibutio n s to poet ry philosophy o r an y
.
, ,

specific p rovi n ce of hum an lite r atu re or e n lighte n me n t h ad ,

been sm all an d s adly i n te r mitte n t ; but he h ad especi ally ,

amo n g you n g i n qui r i n g m en a highe r th an lite r ary a ki n d o f , ,

p rophetic or m agici an ch ar acte r H e w as thought to hold h e .

,

alo n e in E n gl an d the key to Germ an an d othe r t r an sc e n de n

,

t ali s m s k n ew the s ublime sec ret o f believi n g by the re ason

wh at the u n de rst an di n g h ad b e e n obliged to fling out as
‘ ’

C lyl L i f f J h St l i g
1 ar
’
e s e o o n er n .
"
 TH E LI FE or C OL E R I D G E x vi i

—
i n c re di ble a sublime m an ; w h o alo n e i n tho s e d ark d ays h ad ,

s aved his c rown of spi r itu al m an hood ; esc ap i n g f rom the

bl ack m ate ri alisms an d r evolutio n ary deluges with G od
, , ,

F r eedo m I mmo r ta lity still hi s : a ki n g of m en Th e p rae

, .

tic al inte llects of the wo r ld did not much heed him or c ar e ,

lessly recko n ed him a met ap hysic al d rea me r : but to the r isi n g

spi r its o f the you n ge r ge n e r ation he had this dusky sublime ,

ch aract er ; an d s at the r e a ki n d of M agus gi r t in myste ry an d

-

e n igm a . The good m an he w as n ow getti n g O ld , ,

to w ards sixty p e rh ap s ; an d g ave you the ide a o f a life th at

,

h ad been full o f su ffe r i n g ; a life he avy l aden h alf v an quished -

,
-

still swimmi n g p ai n fully i n se as o f m anifold p hysic al an d

othe r bewilde r men t B ro w an d he ad we re r ou n d an d of m as
.
,

sive weight but the f ace w as fl abby an d i r resolute The deep

,
.

eyes of a ligh t h aze l we r e as full o f s orr o w as of i ns pi r ation ;

, ,

co n f u se d p ai n looki n g m ildly f r o m them as i n a ki n d of mild

—
,

a sto n ishme n t A he a vy l a den hig h a s p i r i n g an d su r ely m uch

-

, ,

suffe r i n g m an .

I n som e r e spects Col e r i dge r e sem ble s his o w n Ancient M ar

iner . Like th e M ar i n e r he too kne w t he cu rs e o f Li fe i n
,
~

Deat h W e m ay w e ll en d this sketch o f his life with the

.

E pit aph h e w r ote sho rtly befo re his de ath which c ame July ,

St e p C h r i s t i an
,
p as s e r -
by ! St o p h i ld
,
c of G od ,

An d re a d w it h
tl b ge n et B e n e at h t h i s s o d
re a s .

A p oe t l ie s o r h , h h se e m e d he
t at w i c o n c e .

0 l i f t o n e t h o u g h t i n p r ay e r fo r S T C ;
, . . .

T h a t h e w h o m a n y a y e a r w i t h t o i l a n d b r e at h
F o u n d d e at h i n l i fe m ay h e re fin d l i f e i n d e at h ;
M e rc y fo r p ra i s e —
,

t o b e f org i v e n fo r f a m e
H e a sk d an d h o p e d t h ro ug h C h ri s t
'

, , .

D o t h o u t h e same !
”
xviii INT R O D U CT IO N

TH E L F I E O F L O I VE LL

J A M E S RU SS E LL LO W E L L the you n ges t o f six child ren w as

,

bo r n Feb r u ary 22 1 8 1 9 at E lmwood the f amily hom e i n

, , , ,

C am b r idge M ass achusetts ,

His f athe r the Re v Ch arles
.
,
.

Lowe ll w as mi n iste r of o n e of the l ar gest chu rch e s i n Bosto n

—a well e duc ated ki n dly p as to r w hom his r e n ow n ed son has
,

ch ar acte riz e d as a Docto r P r im r ose i n the com p arat i ve

”
deg r ee The Lowell f amily h a d bee n am ong the e ar ly settle r s
.

of M ass achusetts ; m an y of th e m h ad g ai n ed distinctio n ; an d

t he g r acious mi n iste r w as as p r oud of hi s pedig r ee as eve r

a T a lbot o r a S t an ley could be I n his c ollege d ays he h ad .

studied medici n e as well as theol ogy so he we n t amo n g h is ,

p arishio n e r s he ali n g an d c arryi n g the Bibl e The poet s .

’

mot h e r who s e m aide n n ame w as S pe n ce loved to t r ac e a

-

, ,

f an cied r el ation to Si r P at r ick Spe n s of b all a d f ame an d t o

cl aim t he t r adition al f amily gift of s ec o n d sight She showe d .

the u s u al mot he r f on d n ess fo r a you n ge s t child an d delighted ,

’
t o li s te n for the little fellow s chee ry whistle an n ou n ci n g fo r
h e r his retu rn f ro m sc hoo l or to r ece ive the nos eg ays of wild
.
,

white weed an d blue eyed g r as s which he love d to b ri n g he r

- -
.

At E lmwood with its l arge squ are fr ame colo n i al house

, , , , ,

i t s n oble elms an d its few ac r es h alf me adow an d h alf f ar m

, ,

the po e t p assed his yout h an d e arly m an hood Fish Po n d a .

,
’
sm al l l ake n ot far f r om the home w as o n e of Low e ll s f avo r ,

ite h au n ts He r e he would s ail i n the summe r an d i n wi n te r

.
,

w as h appy wh e n allowed to help the ice cutte r s g ath e r thei r

.
-

h ar vest Ma n y of the scen es of the s e e ar ly ye ar s live i n his

.

p oems ; the li n e of he avy willows at the en d of the New Ro ad

i s commemo r ated fi r st i n The I ndi an S u m m er Reve ri e
an d l ate r i n Un de r the W illows .

As m ight be expected Lowell e nt er ed H arv ar d College ,

whe r e h e s ays he r e a d eve rythi n g except t he p r esc ribed books .

Hi s lette r s w r itte n du r i n g these ye ar s ar e filled with a boyi sh

enthusi asm for the E ngli sh poe ts an d h e t ells with delight o f ,
XX I NT R O D U CT I O N

The seve n ye ar s followi n g the public ati o n of his fi rs t vo l

“
ume A Ye ar s Life i n 1 8 41 show a wo n de r fu l developme n t
’ ”
, , ,

of his powe r s as a poet W e n ot e d how Co le ridge p ro duced i n

.

one sp le n did ve ar n e ar ly all the poems o n which his f ame

r ests . Fifty ye ar s l ate 1 8 48 Lowell too h ad his r em ark able
, , , ,

h arve st As he himself exp re sse d i t his b r ai n requi r ed a

.
,

l o n g b roodi n g time befo re it coul d h atch an ythi n g ; but th at

tim e h ad n o w co m e I n this o n e y e ar he w rote the fi r st se r ies
“
.

of the B i glo w P ape r s the best of Ame ric an s ati res

,
A ,

F able fo r C r itics an d The V isio n of Si r L au n fal

,
.

I n 1 8 5 7 Lowell succeeded Lo n gfellow at H arv ar d as Smith

P r ofesso r of Mode r n L an gu ages a p osition which he he l d for ,

about twe n ty ye ar s H e w as not a methodic al te ache r ; but

-

the stude n ts soon c ame to lo ve the keen thoughtful p rofe ssor , ,

we aring a r at h er sh abby s ack co at who g ave the m som e of t he ,

fi n est liter ary comment ev e r he ar d i n an Ame r ic an college

cl as s r oom
-
Despite hi s popul arity i n l ater ye ar s Low ell
. ,
-

loved the life of the st u de n t an d w as h ap p y i n sittin g fo r

hou r s with his book an d pi p e amo n g his well fille d bo ok -

sh elves whose wo rn volumes the m argi n s crowded with com

, ,

me n ts an d n otes bo r e witn e ss of h i s i n dust ry an d schol ar ship

,
.

I n addit io n to h is te achi n g he soo n assum ed the r espon sible

positio n o f edito r of the newly fou n de d A t lan ti c M on t hly -
.

Wh en he ac c epte d he m ade it a c o n ditio n p recedent th at

Holmes should be the fi r st co n t ribut e r e n g aged an d t he wis -

dom of t his dem an d w as amply j ustified by the Aut ce rat of -

the B re akf ast T able which appe arc d i n se r i al fo rm Almost

,
-
.

all of our gre at Ame r ic an w r it e r s co n t r ibuted to these fi r st

volumes of the Atlan ti c which u n d er Lowell s m an ageme n t

,
’

bec ame one o f the best m ag azi n es p ublis hed in E n glish .

L ate r h e w as associ ated wi t h Ch arl es E liot No rto n in edit

i n g the N or t h Am eri can Revi ew I n hi s you n ge r d ays he h ad
.

decl are d th at if he h ad a voc atio n it w as the m aki n g o f ve r se ,

an d th at he fou n d w r iting p r ose diffi cult ; b u t l ate r he did h i s .

best work i n p r ose cont ributin g to the Review both the de

,
 TH E LI FE OF LO W E LL xx i

lightful e ss ays o n out doo r life an d h i s p e n et r ati n g sugg e stiv e

-

studie s of autho r s an d thei r b o oks whic h ha ve m arked him as

Ame r ic a s fo remost lite rary c r itic N or must we fo rget his
’
.

Politic al E ss ays o f the ye ar s o f the C ivil War an d the Reco n

st r uction Lowell f aile d as did m os t o f his f r iends to app re
.
, ,

ci ate Li n col n at the begi n n i n g o f his admi n i st r atio n an d ,

wished th at Se w ar d h ad be e n chose n as t he p arty le ad e r But .

’
his imp ati ence at Li n coln s c autious policy g r adu ally g ave w ay
to a dmi r atio n fo r the far seei n g st ate sm an ship an d in 1 8 6 4
-

,
’
he w ar mly ch ampio n ed the p r eside n t s r e election I n the -
.

”
C ommem o r ation O de recited at the H ar v ar d memo ri al
,

s e r vi c e i n h o n o r o f her s o n s who h a d f alle n i n the C ivil War ,

Lowell pa ys a be autiful t r ibute t o the d e ad p res ide n t New

”
bi rth of o u r n e w soil the fi rst Amer ic an
,
.

La te i n life Lowell en te re d a new field of l abo r I n 1 8 7 7 .

he w as appoi n ted mi n iste r t o Sp ai n Though he poss e s s e d a .

ver y f air k n owledge of S p an ish he s e t him s elf to m ast e r the

“
,

l an gu age an d w r ot e ab o u t this tim e :

,
I am wo rki n g now at 1

n —
Sp an ish as I us e d to wo rk at O ld F r e ch th at is all the time ,

an d wi t h all my might ; I me an to k n ow it bette r th a n they

”
do themselv e s which is not s ayi n g much
,
He love d to s p en d .
-

his b r ief v ac ati o ns p r owli n g arou nd the boo k sto res especi ally -

in P ar is an d w as ple as ed to p urch ase r ar e sets co n soli n g him

, ,

s elf a fte r eve r y ext r av ag ance with the thought th a t upo n his
.

de ath these w orks should go to the lib r ary of his beloved H ar

v ar d So w ell di d he pe r fo r m h is duties at the Sp an ish cou r t
.

tha t i n 1 8 8 0 he w as m ade Ministe r to E n gl and the highest ,

position in the Ame r ic an diplom atic s er vice He r e he bec am e .

in t r uth The Ame r ic an emb ass ado r to the cou rt o f Sh ake

s p e ar e . I t h as b ee n s aid th at n o other Ame r ic an h as eve r
been welcomed to so m an v E n glish homes an d th at too i n , , ,
’
spite of Lowell s p at r iotism which m ade him mo r e th an will
i n g to defe n d his cou n t ry I n th e se ye ars he g ai n ed m an y
.

n ew f r ie n ds an d w as d r aw n close r to some old o n es es ec i ally

p ,

H l J m R ll L w ll d h i F i d p 229
1 a e s
'

a es us s e o e an s r en s,
”
. .
xx ii INT R O D U CTI O N

to Leslie Stephe n an d to Thom as Hughes who m he addre sses ,

”
aff e ctio n ately as My de ar To m B r ow n .

Tow ar d the close of his life Lowell su ffe red a g re at de al ;

but he bo r e it all chee r fully an d his lette r s to his f r i e n ds are
,

b r ight an d hopeful He died August 1 2 1 8 9 1 at E lmwood

.
, , ,

the hom e wher e he h ad been bo rn an d h ad p assed th e g re at e r

p ar t of hi s life H is rem ains lie i n t he Mt Aubu r n C eme t e ry
. .

at C amb r idge not far f r om those of hi s frie n ds Lo n gfellow

,

an d Holmes E n gl an d h as ho n ored Lowell by pl aci n g i n W es t

.

mi n ster Abbey his bust an d a memo ri al wi n dow I n the .

ce n t r e o f this g re at window is the figu r e of Si r L au n fal be

ne ath st an ds an ang e l be ar ing the Holy G rail ; while in the
lowest comp a rtment i s re p r esen t ed the stor y o f S ir L au n fal
an d the le p e r .

TH E RO M ANT I C M O VE M E N T
WH E N John D ryde n ssume d t h e lite r ary dict atorship of
a

E ngl an d tow ar d the close of the seve n teenth ce n tu ry there ,

b e g an wh at h as been te rmed the Cl assic al Age of E n glish

liter atu r e Lite r ary history like all othe r histo ry for th at
.
,

m at te r shows the i n flue n ce of two fo rces the asse rtio n of the

, ,

indivi du al as oppose d to est ablished st an d ar ds an d the m ain ,

t e n an ce of a set autho r ity a law to which all must co n fo rm

, .

Sometimes on e te n de n cy is st r o n ge r i n lite r at ur e sometimes ,

the other The age of E liz abeth h ad bee n on e in which f r ee

.

pl ay h ad been give n to the im agi n atio n ; it w as but n atu r al th at

there shoul d be a re action i n f avo r of some defi n ite st an d ar ds
o f autho r ity an d such a r e action c ame i n the time of D ryde n
,

an d his successor P o pe ,
This Cl assic al Age the n is m ark e d
.
, ,

by the supp r essio n o f the i n dividua l an d the r ecogn ition of

autho r ity A g r e at de al of attention w as p ai d to the form of
.

exp ressio n ; lite r atu r e bec ame a m atte r of wh at oft w as

”
tho u gh t but n e e r s o w ell exp r es s ed ; the he r oic co uple t
,
’

r eig n ed a s t h e p r op e r verse fo rm I n te r est i n lite ratu r e w as

.
 TH E R O M A NT I C M OV EM EN T xx iii

co n fi n ed l argely to the G reek an d Rom an cl assics an d bec ause

this pe r iod took th e se w r iti n gs as its mod e ls it h as g ai n ed the ,

n am e o f the Cl assic al Age The age is ch ar acte riz e d by its

.

l ack of myste ry and of aspi ratio n : all displ ay of an ythi n g

emotio n al w as rigo rously r ep re ssed an d inte rest w as ce n t r ed ,

i n the i n tellect u al side of thi n gs P ractic ally the r ange of

.

lite r ary i n te res ts an d th e mes w as the ve ry n arr ow o n e of the

f ashio n able life of Londo n A dist aste for the wild an d g ran d
.

i n N atu r e p rev ailed Mou n t ain s an d the rugge d aspects of

.

the s e a we r e r eg ar ded as hostile to m an ; an d the l ands c ape

g ar deni n g of the age attempted to fo rce N ature to co n fo rm
to r ule an d squ are The pove r ty of the tim es in ly r ic al ve r se
.

is especi ally sig n ific an t N atu r ally the best wo rk of the p e r iod
.

w as in s ati r e bu rlesque an d t r a vesty

, ,
But we must n ot con .

de m n the age too seve rely ; it p asse d aw ay in due se ason but ,

it left with E n glish w r ite r s a reg ard fo r form th at h as been

o f i n estim able v alue to o u r lite r atu re .

The Cl assic al Age with its respect fo r autho r ity fi n ally

b rought a r e actio n which fo r th e w an t of a better n ame is
c alled the Rom antic Moveme n t This movement ar ose f r om the
.

desi r e of men to esc ape f rom the co n ventio n al the fo rm al the , ,

est ablished I t w as not co n fi n ed to lite r atu r e alo n e : in the

.

Chu r ch we find this te n de n cy m anifesti n g itself i n the great

r eligious moveme n t he aded by the W esle ys ; i n p olitics an d

p hilosophy w e fin d it culmin ating in the asse r tion o f the i n

dividu al “ ”
All men ar e c re ate d fre e an d e qu al an d fin ally
, ,

in the g re at F re n ch Revolution Critics ge n e rally d ate the .

beginni n g o f the Rom antic Moveme n t f rom 1 7 26 whe n

“
,

Thomso n s W i n te r w as published
’
I n thi s poem we note .

an inc r e ased interest in N at u r e which i s no lo n ge r r eg ar ded

,

as hostil e tow ar d m an He re too we disce r n the disti n guish

.
, ,

l
i n g m ark of a l rom anticism — a f r ee r pl ay of the im agi n a

tio n an d an inc re ased sympa thy with an d i n terest in thi n gs

,

appe ali n g to it This g re ate r symp athy with N ature fi n ds

—
.

its m anifes t ation i n ne a ly all the p oets of the time Gr ay

r ,
 INT R O D U CTI O N

Cowpe r C rabbe an d Bl ake A n other m ark of the Rom an tic

, ,
.

Movement is the i n c re ased inte rest i n things r em ot e Mc .

”
Phe r so n a S co tchm an b r ought fo rth the O ss i an which he
, , ,

decl ared w as a t ran sl atio n of the old Celtic sto ries an d the ,

volume w as r eceived with unbou n d e d e n thusi asm Cole r idge .

alludes to this wo rk i n the p r ef ace o f his fi r st collection of

oems an d i n this collectio n gives two ve r ses i n imita tio n of

p ,

t he O ssi an Ch atte rto n too the bo y p oet who p assed his o w n

.
, ,

oems a s the wo r k o f the medi aev al mo n k Rowley di d much

p ,
’
tow ar d r ous i n g n o t o n ly Cole r idge s i n te r est but th at of the ,

whole l an d in the ages p as t I t would be difficult to p rove

,
.

th at the Rowley poem s exe rted much i n fluence in sh ap i n g

C ole ridge s s tyle ; but we c atch the st r ai n of Th e An ci en t
’

M ar i n er in such p ass ages as :

B e f o re w e n t t h e c o un c i l m e n
hi m ,

I n sc ar l e t ro b e s a n d g o ld ,

An d t asse l s s p a n g l i n g i n t he s un ,

M os t g l o ri o u s t o b e h o l d ;

But it i s prob ably to Pe r cy s Re li qu es of An ci en t P oetry ’

mo re th an to an y o n e othe r so ur ce th at we owe the i n c r e ased

i n terest i n the p ast I n the Reliqu e s we re publish ed for the
.

first ti me m an y of the old E nglish b all ads ; an d afte r this

p ublic atio n i n te r est i n E nglish b all a d poet ry g rew r apidly
“
.

W o r dsworth s ai d th at E n glish poet ry h ad b ee n ab s olutely

”
rede emed by them He adds “I do n ot thi n k th at the r e
.
,

i s a w r iter o f ve r se of the p r ese n t day who w ould n ot b e

p r oud to acknowledge his oblig atio n s to the Reliques I k n ow
th at it i s so with my f r ie n ds ; an d fo r myself I am h appy o n
” 1
this occ asio n to m ake a public avow al of my o w n W e c an .

n o t h e lp believi n g th at without Pe r cy s Reliques Th e An

’

ci en t M ari n er would h ave bee n far di ffe r e n t f r om wh at it is .

S till an othe r ch ar acte ri stic o f this movem e n t is a he ight - 1

’
ened intere st i n thi n gs st r ange an d myster ious W alpole s .

1 A pp d i x ten o th e P fa
re ce t o t h e 2d e d i ti on o f Ly ri c a l B ll ad
a s .
”
 TH E R O M AN T I C M O V E M ENT X XV

C as tle f
o O tra n to i sgood illust
a rati o n ; a t al e of ghos t

h au n ted c astl e s sec ret p ass ages u n n atu r al deeds an d mys

, , ,

t e ri o u s ly w avi n g helmets This s ame t e n de n cy finds its best

.

m anifest ation i n the wo rks of a novelist of the l ast of the

ce n tu ry “ Mo n k Lewis The he rmit a solit ary figu re ap
.
,
,

pe ali n g to the im agi n atio n becomes a commo n ch ar acter

,

appe ari n g i n much of the p oet ry an d r om an ce of the time .

The im agi n ation fi n ds its f re e r pl ay not alo n e i n the re alm

of the myste ri ous but also in the thi n gs of eve ry day life
,
-
.

C rabbe desc rib es wit h photog raphic mi n uteness the life of the
simple vill age ; the co n ceptio n th at all m en ar e b rothe rs an d ,

th at the affai r s of the humblest we r e fit subj ects for poet ry

g ai n ed g r ou n d ; an d the i n te re st thus excite d di d much to
better the c o n diti o n o f the poo r N o r w as this inte r est con .

fi n ed to m an ki n d alo n e All th r ough the c entu ry w e note

.

p r ote s ts ag ai n st c r uelty to dumb anim als as i n the works of ,

Be attie w h o obj ected st r o n gly to the E n glish field s p orts

,
.

This spi ri t g re w till it fou n d its bes t ex p ressio n in Cole r idge ,

who as ks in his Reli gi ous M us i n gs :

,
Are n o t c attle an d
pl an ts p e r me ated th r ough an d th rough with the divi n ity who
h as c re ated thi n gs to fo r m on e h armonious whole ? Do es not
the s ame g rea t he ar t be at i n the lowest as well as in the high
”
e s t c r e atu r e ?

But it i s i n T he An ci en t M ari n er th at this fee ling for

anim als finds its best exp ressio n The poe m is in m any r e .

s ec t s the pe r f e ct flowe r of the Rom an tic Moveme n t I t is

p .

ro m antic i n its as i r at i o n d i its symboli m d m st i

p an n s a n y
“
,

c i sm,
as in its use o f mys tic al n umbe r s seven d ays an d ,
” ”
seven n ights ,
ni n e f athoms o n e of th r ee ,
guests Mo r e .

tha n an y othe r poem , possibly it e xempli fies wh at w e h ave ,

design ated as the disti n guishi n g m ark of rom anticism the —

f r ee pl ay o f the im agi n atio n an d an inte rest i n things ap
p e ali n g to it .

Lowell w as o f the second ge n e r ation of Rom anticists or p er ,

h aps the thi r d At an y r ate he w as ar oused like other youn g

.
,
xxvi I N T R O D U CTI O N

men of his time not o n ly by the p o et ry of Cole r idge Ke ats

, , ,

Shelley but by the liter atu r e which h ad give n them i de as

, ,

not ably the ball ad p oetry an d the E liz abeth an d ram a I t i s .

the fo rme r th at gives the chief sugg e stio n to Si r L au n fal

in the m atte r of fo r m as it h ad also to The Ancie n t“
”
M ari n er .

NO —Th tud t w i ll b i t t d i x m i i g f h i m lf t h l i t tu f t h
TE . e s en e n ere s e n e a n n or se e era re o e

p i od h d i cu d T h f u t h v l m f W d E gl i h P t
er ere s s se t ie o
p r o u e o ar
’
s n s oe s c o n a n s re re s e n
“
.

t t iv
a x t t f m m t f th th
e e rac s it droP p E y C it i i m
os o d hi e au o rs c e o
’
e s ssa on r c s an s
“E y
.

ssa M g d i ll t ti
on anf t h w k f t h Cl
”
are i l Agoo V i us ra on s o e or o e as s c a e ar o u s
“
.

ph a se sf t h R m t M vm t
o i ei ll t t d G y s E l gy G ld m i th s
o i an c o e en are u s ra e n ra
’
e
”
o s
“
,

D t d V i ll g p t f C w p
es e r e T k t h fi t b k f C bb
a e,
”
ar s o V ill g o
’
er s as ,
”
e rs oo o ra e s
’
a e,
”

Ch tt t m A E xc ll t B ll d f Ch i t y
a er o
- ’
s n d Bl k T e Ev en i g St a a o ar ,
”
an a
’
e s o an en n ar .
”

TH E A NC I ENT M ARINER

Th e C o m p os i ti on o f t h e P o em

BOT H W o r dswo r th an d Cole r idge h ave left us i n te r esti n g

accou n ts of the ge n esis of T h e A n ci e n t M a r i n e r I n the .

autum n of 1 7 9 7 Cole r idge s wo n de r ful ye ar the p oet i n

,
’
, ,

c o mp an y with W o rdswo rth an d his si ster Do r othy st arted on ,

a t r am p th r ough t he be autiful Q u anto ck Hills To meet the .

expe ns es Of the t r ip it w as p ropos ed th at the two you n g m en ,

c o n j oi n tly w r i t e a poem t o be se n t to the N e w M on thly

M agazi n e F r om this wo r k they hoped to r e alize at le as t five
.

pounds As the t w o w alked alo n g the hills they pl an n ed the

.

’
poem Most of the s to ry w as Cole ridge s ; he p r oposed to b ase
.

the poem upon the d r e am of a f r ie n d a ce r t ain Mr C rn ik

“
.
,
”
sh an k a d re am o f a skeleton ship with figu res in it
,
.

W o rdswo rth sugg e sted th at some c r ime be committed b r i n g ,

i n g with it pe r secutio n ; an d as he h ad j ust been r e adi n g ,

Sh elvock e s Voyag es with i t s accou n t of the alb at r osse s of

’

the region r ou n d C ap e Ho rn p roposed th at the s ailor sho uld ,

be rep r esented as killi n g o n e of the birds an d then bei n g

xxviii I N T RO D U C T I O N

’
title,
A Poet s Rev e r ie w as ad ded This w as wisely dis
,
.

c ar de d i n the editio n of 1 8 1 7 whe n the p r u n ing p rocess w as

co n ti n ued—r es ulti n g i n almost eve ry i n st an ce i n an imp rove
m e n t O f the poem At this time too w as added the be autiful
.
, ,

gloss .

Th e An ci en t M ari n er a L i t erary Ballad

W e m ay cl ass The Ancient M ar i n e r as a liter ary b all ad

lite rary as opposed to the folk so n g sto ries which g rew up -

a mong the p eople ; a b all a d as p ossessi n g m an y of the ch ar

act e r i s t i cs o f th at p r imitive fo r m of lite r atu r e I t is t rue .

th at most of the O lde r b all ads tell a sto ry without attempt

ing to e n fo r ce a mo r al an d th at this poem embodie s the
,

lesso n of the r edemption of the M ar i n e r ; but the alle

g o r i cal a spect of thi s m aster p iece is n ot the thi n g of g r e at

e s t impo r t an ce Just as i n the folk so n gs the chief i n

.
,

t e re s t lies i n the sto ry itsel f an d i n the m an n e r of telli n g .

O n e fi n ds i n this poe m but fe w questio n s an d answe r s a ,

ch ar acte ristic O f the O lde r b all ads though the re are f requent ,

i n st an ces of li n es r epe ated e n ti r e o r with but slight v ar i atio n .

I n its di r ect n e ss of n arration too The A n cie n t M ar i n e r

, ,

is aki n to the O ld time so n g sto r ies The l an gu age of the poem

- -

i s qu ai n t an d while n ot so arch aic as to be u n i n telligible

,

gives an imp re s sio n O f time th at is p ast an d ble n ds well with

the indefinite setting i n an e arlier age when all l an ds h ad not ,

been explo red an d the r e we r e still u n discove red se as whe r e

,

such adventu res as those of the A n cie n t M ar i n e r m i gh t

h appen . O cca sio n ally too the l ast syll able of a wo r d i s
, ,

acce n ted in O ld b all a d f ashio n als é m ar i n er an d cou n t r ee

, , ,
.

Su gg es ti on s
f or T eachi n g an d Stu dy

Ge n e rally s pe aki n g the wo r k i n lite r ature should be i n

,

te n sive an d e xtensive The te acher in the seco n d ary school

.

should ai m to acqu ai n t the stude n t with as m an y good books

as p o s sible but the l ar ge m aj o r ity of his students m u st ple ad
,
 TH E AN C E N I T M ARI N E R XXIX

ig n o rance o f an y kno w ledge of better lite r ature outside O f the

fe w p r e sc r ibe d books There is m uch t o b e g aine d simply
-

f rom the c ar eful re ading o f the m aste rp ieces O f the ver

n ac u lar .The te ache r m akes a mist ake who do es not set aside
two Or th ree d ays O f e ac h mo n th when students s h all r epo r t
upon thei r re adi n g of s om e o f the gre at wo rks o f E nglis h
liter atu r e Then cert ain books should be studied c arefully
.

an d tho r oughly TO O O ften i t is t r u e suc h a study h as been

.
, ,

m ade mech an ic al an d de aden ing ; in noti n g the det ails there

i s a d an ge r O f losing the s p i r it of the entire p oe m I n spite .

of a good de al o f v ali d obj ection to closely an alytic method s -

of study a ce r t ain amount o f such wo r k is absolu t ely es sen

,

ti al t o an y i n tellige nt enj oyment O f liter ature ; an d such wo r k

m ay be highly disci p li n ary an d tho r oughly de lightful N0 .

othe r poem p erh aps offers a better field for such an alysis of
“
, ,
”
the poet s art th an d o es The Ancient M ari n e r an d o n e s
’
,
’

enj oyment an d ap p r eci ation are g re atly heightened in study

ing its wo nderful be auty an d p erfection of form .

I n t aking up the study of the poe m the te acher should see ,

th at the students re ad an d r e re ad it not o n ly till they are -

tho r oughly acqu ai n ted with the sto ry but till they h ave suc ,

cee de d i n ente r i n g into its sp i r it an d in feeling the be auty ,

the qu ai n tness of style an d the sim p le direc t nes s of the n ar

,

rat i ve . I t is not we ll at fi r st to em p h as ize the mor al o f the

p oem T rue there is woven in to the w arp o f the story the
—
,
.

lesso n of the redemption O f the Ancie n t M a iner how he r

viol ates the law o f love an d how he is punished by bei n g give n

,

over to the power of Life i n De ath But this le sson is by no

- -
.

me an s the mos t impo r t an t p art of t he p o e m I f be auty i s its ‘

.

own excu s e for b eing t h e existence of The Ancient M ar

,

ine r is cert ainly j ustified Try above all e lse to help t he

”
.
, ,

student to enter into this Cole r idge l and this region o f the -

silent sea of the v ast de ad c alm with its inte n s e he at o f

, , ,

wei r d m o onlight an d O f the myste r ious be autif u l figures th at

, ,

con duct the M ar ine r home .

XX X I N T R O D UCTI O N

The verse of The Ancien t M arine r i s m arked by the

’
h aunting qu ali ty th at disting uish e s the b es t of Po e s poe m s .

Th e swing of the rhyt h m imp resses the line s upon the mem
ory so th at most students will find it an e asy an d ple as an t
,

t ask t o commit to memo ry m any st an z as The te acher s h ould .

encour age the p u p ils to select an d to com mit those p o rt io n s

o f the p oem th at im p ress them for the be auty an d vividness
o f the scene p resente d for the music al fl o w of the ve r se for
, ,

the sweet simple m or al for the qu ai n t arch ai c diction o r fo r

, , ,

wh atever re as on the st anz as m ay ap p e al as o f s p ec i al w orth .

I n almost eve ry c la ss seven stude nts will be willi n g e ach to
commi t one O f the p ar ts O f the poem an d thus by e ach repe at ,

ing h i s po rtion in turn to recite t he whole in a single cl ass

,

hour .

N atur ally t he te acher must p ay a cert ai n am ount O f at te n

t i on to t he gr amm atic al st ructu r e an d the allusio n s not s o
'
,
.

m u ch as va lu able i n themselves as helpful in g r asp i n g t h e

m e aning an d be auty O f the whole The que stio n s too ai m .
, ,

p ri m arily t o emph asize t h e wonde r ful art o f th e p oet in the

“

“
.

com p osition O f The Ancient M ariner an d o f his m ar ,

.

vello n s ability to p ai n t be autiful word p ictures The te acher .

m ust im p r e s s upon the student th at when he h as g rasped all

the n otes an d answe r ed all t he questions he will n ot h av e
' “

g a ine d a ll f rO m the poem T o e ach p upil will come thoughts

.

s ug ge s t i on s an d comp arisons th at w i ll be wo r th mo r e to him

,

th an th e contribut ions of either te ache r o r editor As these .

i de as ari se i t i s well to j ot them along the m argin of the p age

"

or in a s peci al no teboo k Wh ile students are studyin g The .

”
Ancie nt M arine r they shoul d be e n cou rage d to r e ad othe r
,
‘

’
p oems by the s am e autho r Some of the b est o f C ole r i dge s
" .
.

” ”
p oem s are Ch ri s t abel K ubla Kh an B all ad o f the D ark
, ,
” ”
Ladi e, Fe ars in S olitude Hymn bef or e Sun ri se i i n gthe ,
” ”
Vale o f Ch amouni Fros t at Mid n ight
, ,

The P ains of S leep

'

-
.

Afte r t he student h as s tudied the p oe m thoro ughly he ,

 TH E AN C I E N T ,
M A RI N E R

s h o uld re rea

—
twice to e n j oy it ; for he re aft er all
d it once or
-

u
, ,

lies its v alue to e n j oy it with the added ability fo r app r eci a

.
- -
‘
f

ti on which study h as brought .

Th e M e tri ca l F orm

The norm al st anz a of The A n cie n t M ari n er is m ade u p

o f fOur li n es the fi r st an d the thi r d co n sis ti n g o f f o ur feet
'

, ,

t h e second an d fou rt h O f th r ee The no rm al li n e w e m ay s ay .

consists of fou r i ambic fee t th at i s fou r feet e ach con t aining-

o n e un accented an d one accen ted syll able

d lsd
l ’

I i iiy e y es a
“

I c l se d iid k pt e t hem c o e .

A numbe r of exceptio n s ar e t o be n ote d For ex ample .

,

when the poet wishes to g i ve a r apidity of moveme n t to the

!

l ine he freque ntly em p loys the troch aic foo t con sisting o f
, ,

o n e accented an d o n e un accented syll able

, O cc asion ally i n .

th es e troch aic li n e s t h e l ast foot i s i n co mplete :

Sw if t ly w i ft ly fl e w t he
s sh1
p;
I v

F o ui t i m e s fif t y l i vi n g m en ;

So f t ly I
.
s he was go in g | ‘
u
p .

S o m et ime s t he an a p ae stic f o ot— t w o un ac ce n t e d an d One

EO rthe s ky I ahd t he a and sea i t he ky

'

se t he a id s .

I n a inst ances we find se ve r al su ccessive lines b egi n

fe w n i ng

with an anap aestic foot as i n St an z a L XI I I Almost alw ay s, .

an d the t r och a c feet are em p loyed i n

i
the i ambic foot N ow an d the n all Of th e .

th ree d1 ffer e nt ki n d s Of me t r e are used 1 n the s ame li n e :

“ 1

Lay lik e a l ad
o on m yw e a r
y e ye
xxx h IN TR O D U CTI O N

W e h ave j ust noted how some t roch aic lines are inco m p l ete .

O cc asion ally p ar tly for the s ake of v ariety an d p artly in imi

,

t at i on of the O ld b all ads C ole r idge h as e m p loyed an extr a

,

un accente d syll able :

Bht s we t bi d did fOl T

e r OW .

“
Rap idity or slowness o f movement is sometimes secured n ot
th r ough an y v ari ation O f the met re but by the choice of s hor t , ,

r ap i d words ,
or thei r o pp os ites as the c ase dem ands an d by
, ,

thei r r ep etition C ole r idge is especi ally h app y i n his c om

.

bin atio n of vowel so unds to p roduce an y given effec t

A lon e, a lon e, a ll, all a lon e.

Most of t he rhymes of the p oem are goo d ones ; the nu m ber

o f im p erfect rhymes i s comp ar atively sm all There are a .

fe w illust r ations of shifting the accent to the l ast syll able O f

a w o rd for t he s ake of the rhym e as w as done i n the O ld ,

b all ads Now an d then the use O f th e medi al rhym e adds

.
-

be auty an d force to the st an za :

A r ou n d , a r ou n d , fl ew e a ch s w ee t s ou n d .

W hi l e the norm al st an z a consists o f four lines we fin d fre ,

que nt v ari ations ; somet imes the s t an z a i s composed O f five .

six or even in one inst ance of nine li n es U su ally this v ar i a

,
.

tion occurs in the st an z as which c on t ai n st riki n g po rtio n s o f

the story such stanz as for ex am p le as thos e th at m ark i m
, , ,

po r t an t trans itions : the entr ance o f the ship i n to the mys

t eri ou s r egion i n St an z a X I I an d its r etu rn in S t an z a C II
,
.

O cc as ion ally by this v ari ation is enh anced the be auty of some
music al or p ictu resque p ass age as in St anz a L X X X I V N ow
,
.

an d then as in S t anz a X X X V the inc r e ased n umber O f the

, ,

lin es em p h asi zes the monot o n y of the situ ation .

 TH E AN C I E N T M A RI N E R x x xi ii

Q u es ti on s f or Gen er a l Stu dy an d Re vi ew

W ould the po em be as e ffective i f writte n in s ome other

met re e g the d actylic h exam et re of Longfellow s E v an
,
. .
,
“ ’

li
’
g e n e
,
o r t h e bl an k ve rse of B ry ant s Th an at o p s i s Give -

as m an y re a s o ns a s you can fo r you r an swe r .

D O yo u find any im p erfect rhymes in the po e m ?

S elect th ree illust rat i ons of w here t h e soun d of the line
refle cts the sen s e -

W hy are w e n ot tol d anything more definite reg ar ding the

ti m e an d pl ace of the st o ry ?
W h a t diffe re n t i n dic atio n s are ther e i n the p oem th at the
Ancie n t M ar i n er w as a Rom an C atholic ?
Desc ribe the typic al s ailo r as vo u im agi n e him M ake o ut .

a de sc r iption o f the Ancient M ari ner from the poem Com .

p are the t w o p ictu res .

I n wh at different w ays does the p oet secu re our f aith i n his

s to ry ?

I s the p unish m ent of the Ancient M ariner an d of his m e ss

m ates out O f p r op or tio n to thei r O ffe n ce ?
T race the diffe r ent ste p s in th e s p i ritu al developme t of n

the Ancient M ar ine r .

I s t he mo r al of the sto ry too evide n t ?

Try to select titles fo r ea ch of the divisio n s O f the p oem .

S u ch title s should be b rief an d shoul d not suggest mo re th an

-

e ach divis i o n ac t uallv co n t ai n s W hen yo u h ave selec ted these

.

title s see i f th ey c ont ai n i n m i n i atu r e the enti r e sto ry of the

,

Ancie n t M ar ine r .

W h at would h ave b e e n the effe ct if th e re h ad b e e n e mploy ed

-

i n this poem a hom ely p e as an t like s tyle as W o r ds w o r th

,
-

wished ?
Could an y sta n z as be omitte d wi thout m ate ri ally affectin g
the po e m ?
xx xi v INT R O D U CTI O N

S e lect sever al p ass ages th at seem to you good o n es for an

ar tist to illust r ate Give re aso ns for you r choice
. .

Are the r e an y p as s ag e s whe r e the inte r es t in the de scri p

tio n i s mo r e p ow e rful th an i n the sto ry its elf ?
Ar e an y lines of th e poe m suggestive of the Sc r i p tu res
W he r e i s the moveme n t O f the sto ry ve ry r ap id ? W her e
ve ry slow ? Account for the ch anges .

Select five figu re s t h at seem especi ally ap t or esp eci ally

b e auti ful an d t ry to dete rmine the source of t hei r effective
,

ness .

C an you f or m an y ide a o f the w r ite r s ch ar acter from the

’

poem ?
W ould the po em be bette r i f it h ad mo r e in i t of the ai r
”
an d s avo r O f the s e a ?

Wh at elemen ts ch ara ct e ristic o f ro m an ticism do yo u fin d i n

the A n cien t M arin e r ?
E xtern a l n atur e m a y be employ e d i n a po e m ( 1 ) as a s et
ti n g fo r the sto ry ; ( 2) to co n tras t with the spi rit of t he
poem ; ( 3 ) to h arm o n 1 ze W i th the spi r it of the poem an d to
-

enfo rce it W hich O f these uses do we fin d in this p oem ?

.

C ole r idge s Methods O f Desc r iptio n

’
( )
a E pithets . A
single vivi d wo r d i s give n ; ( b ) Desc r iption by E ffect ; ( c )
D esc r i ptio n b r ought out in cide n t ally by the use of n ar r ative .

C an you fin d illustr ations of these di fferent method s of

desc riptio n
W h t does Cole idge g in by the s e of the glo s s
a r a u ? Do e s it
ever se ve t expl i the cou se O eve ts
r o a n r f n ? Does i t add to t he
b e auty of the sc e e n ? Does it add to the qu ai n t n ess of the
poe m ? W hich do you co n sid er the most be autiful o f all the
glo sse s an d why ?
,

Bi bli og rap hy

The Poetic al W o rks o f Cole r idg e edited by C am pbell ;

,
’
M acmill an 1 8 9 3 This i s the st and ar d edition of Cole r idge s
,
.
xxx vi I NT R O D U CT IO N

TH E V I SI O N O F SI R L A U N F A L

I n conside r i n g the them e of The V isio n of Si r L aun fal ,

we need a dd little to the p r ef ato ry note Lowell h as left us .

Tho ugh the n ame S ir L au n fal i s n ot origin al h aving been

, , ,

us ed b e fo r e in a few O bscu r e poem s Lowell h as m ade t he ,

k ni ght p eculi ar ly hi s ow n W e must c redit the poet both .

with the “ i nve n t io n of the p lot an d with the exte n sion of the
signifi cance of the quest I n the O lder st o ri es of the Gr ail
.

o nly the ch aste could ho p e to c atch sight O f it ; Lowell h as

’
b r oa de n ed the re quisite to th e love o f one s fello w men I nto -
.

the p oem too Lowell h as put much of the li fe he w as then

, ,

living ; the l andsc ap e de sc r ibed is e ssenti ally th at of New

E n gl and I n a letter wr itten about the time he com p osed the
.

p o em he s ays :

L as t night I w alked to W atert own over the snow with the ,

n e w m o o n befo re me O rion w as r ising befo re me the still

.
,

n ess of the fields around me w as delicious b r oken o n ly by the ,

l o f the little b rook which runs too swiftly fo r F ro st to

p p
e o e
c atch My p icture o f the b rook in Si r L aun fal w as dr awn
,

fro m i t ,
.

Th e m ode of writing the p oem is ch ar acteri stic of Lowell

. .

Fo rty ye ar s a fte r its c om p ositio n he comme n te d thus i n o n e

of hi s lette s r —how e as ily I used to w r ite ! t oo e asily I
’
think now But I c ouldn t help it E ve rythi n g c ame at a
. .

j ump an d all o f a p iece The first of the Biglow P apers

“A F able for C ritics ” The V ision of Sir L aun fal ” an d the
.
,

, ,

C ommemor ation O de not to mention othe rs w e r e all writ

, ,

ten under such i n spi ratio n s Lowell often comm en ted on his .

dependence u p o n mo o ds for p roducing an y s atisf actory wo rk .

I n j ud g i n g S ir L au n fal the n we must r emembe r th at it

, ,

w as w r itten in a fe w hou r s an d th at it show s the a dv an t ages

,

an d the dis a dv an t ages of such a mode of composition Lowell .

disliked exc e e di n gly t o revise an d to polis h his wo rk Poe a .

,

far less p r olific ar tist retu rn ed time an d tim e ag ain to his

,
 TH E VI SI O N O F SI R L A UN F AL XXX V I ]

p oe ms an d at e ach revi sion he usu ally im p rove d them P er

,
-

h ap s the very e ase with which Lo well w r ote when in the m ood
m ade h i m c areles s o f c o rr ectin g Mo reover des p ite his p ro .
,

test th at he is a good ve rs i fier w e c an not hel p feeli n g th at

“
,
”
m any lines i n Si r L au n fal such for ex am p le as An d , , ,
”
the w anderer is welc om ed to the h all are u n j u st ifiably ,

rough an d th at L o well di d not p ossess the fi r mness or the

,

delic acy o f to u ch so m arke d i n t he gre at melodists Then .

,
’
too like T ennyso n s
,
Princes s the p oem i s w anting in ,

m arked st r uctu r al unity Th e p arts ar e bea utiful ; an d w e can

.

see when we think wh at they h ave t o do with each othe r ; but

, ,

they do n ot so g r ow toge the r i n to one th at w e feel th at eve ry ,

p ar t is abs olutely necess ary to the rest of the poem .

W e m ay however reco gn ize these defe cts but m aint ain th at

, , ,

the p oem is gre at in spite of th e m I f The V ision of Si r .

”
Lau n fal h as los t an ything from the r ap idity of i t s com
p os ition it h as gained mo r e I t h as c aught in a m anner p er
“
.
,

h aps u n equ alled by an y oth e r writer the s p i rit O f the high

tide o f the y e ar I t f airly th r obs with the vitality so i n fec
.

t i on s as to c arr y us alo n g wit h a delight few p oems can i n

’
s p i r e Ag ai n i f w e accep t Lowell s belief th at the p roof of
.
,

oet ry is th at it r educes to a single line t h e v agu e p hil o sophy

p
”
which i s fl oating i n all men s mi n ds we must acco r d a high
’
,

p l ace to The V ision of S ir L au n fal The poem is the flower .

o f the strong conviction of young m anhood a p owe r m aki n g ,

for righteousness L as tly i f Lowell posses se d the double

.
,

n ature he so O fte n cl aim ed an d the Biglow P ap ers sho w

,

the humo r ous s ide at its finest Th e V ision of Si r L au n fal

,

bes t rep resents the othe r ; it is the work of Lowell the en th usi
ast with his slig h t touch of mysticism .

Sugg es ti on s f
or T eachi n g an d Stu dy

“
I n studyi g The V isio n
n Of Si r L au n fal,
i t is well fi rst
of all to note c ar efully the s ignific an c e o f t he O pe n i n g st anza .
 xxx vi i i INT R O D U CTI O N

I f we t ke a t he
p oem f om wh at this st anz a would h ave us as
r '

hi t i mp r ovi s atio n an d as such pe r mitt e d the libe rt y allowed

, .

i n such compo s itio n we sh all mo r e tho r oughly c atch i ts s p i r it

,

an d u n de rs t an d its st r uctu r e .

A te ach e r must use his o w n j udgmen t in determining j ust

how m u ch s tudy i s c alled fo r by the text j ust how much study
‘

,
"

o f the me an in g of wo r ds of allusio n s an d of co n structio n s

, ,
.

We m u st reco gn ize th at Lowell is not e asy r e adi n g an d at

“
'

the ou t se t the te ach er must see th at the cl ass h ave a f air

-
‘

u n de rst andi n g of the me ani n g of the mo r e difficult li n es All .

definitions of wo rds to be fou n d i n the usu al dictio n ar ies h ave

b een omitted a s h ave als o in most inst an ces the exp l an ation
, , ,

O f the nume r ous lines r equi ri n g c l ass discussio n an d Comm e nt .

M any pass ag e s t o be committe d so re adily p re s e n t th e m

s elves as to re qui r e p r actic ally no sugg e stio n s Ag ai n e ach .
,

t eache r must d e cid e fo r hims e l f wh at emph asis he will pl ace

.

on the mo ral o f th e V ision ; he m ay well re aliz e th at the lesson

I s an I nt e g r al p ar t of the poe m an d h as a di sti n ct ethic al v alue .

E ven as a lesso n to be le arn ed by h e art i f it can be r emem ,

be red it i s wo rth h avi n g ; but i f the stude n t can a ctu ally

,

r e alize a s m all p ar t of wh at t h e poe t felt in co n ceivi n g these

f ace t o f ace wo r ds with Ch rist n o t to spe ak of wh at such a

- -

vision actu ally could be t o one so p r ivil eged as to h ave it if ,

o n e s s p i r it act u ally i s vit alized by such a thi n g as this th en

’
'

other m atte r s will seem O f m uch l ess impo rt an ce .

A few b o oks an d poems for coll ate ral re adi n g m ay be sug

ges t ed Te n n yso n h as t r e ated the sto ry O f the se ar ch for the
.

” ”
Holy G r ail i n h i s Si r G al ah ad an d The Holy G rail .

” ’
Ch atte rto n s AI 1 E xc ell e n t B al a de o f Ch arity Longfellow s
’
,

The Lege n d o f the B e autiful an d W illi am V augh n

‘

’
Moody s Good Frid ay Night O ff e r s o m e i n ter e sting p oints
o f comp ar iso n with Si r L au n fal ” “
Low e ll s A P ar able ”
.
’

gives us an other prese n t atio n of the f als e and the t rue worship
an d love o f Ch r ist ; while the begin n ing O f Unde r the W il
lows an d Al Fresco p r esent two del i g htful descri p tions
 TH E VI S ION or SI R L AU N FAL xxx i x

of June Through h i s poems Lowell h as co m memor ated m an y

“ ” “
.

o f the eve n ts o f his life She C ame an d W ent

. The ,
” ”
Ch angeli n g an d The Fi rst S n owf all ar e amo n g the best
“
,
”
O f h i s aut o bio g r ap hic ve r ses
’
Scudde r s Li fe of Lowell
.

( Houghto n M
,
i tfl i n 8 Co ) i s
5
the.best biogr a p hy Ch ar les .

’
E liot Norton h as edit e d t w o volumes of Lowell s lette rs
H r pe r B ro s ) Lowe ll r an ks among the bes t O f lette r
( a
“
.

w r iters in E nglish E dw ar d E ve r ett H ale s J ames Russell

.
’

Lowell an d His Friends ( Houghton M i tfli n CO ) i s also

,
.

to be recom m ended .

Q u es ti o n s f
or Ge n eral Stu dy an d Revi ew

W hy is i t us u ally co n side re d th at the sc e ne o f th e stor y is

la id in E n gl an d ?
W h at do we l e arn f ro m the po e m of the customs of
chiv al ry ?

W h at li ne s sum u p the lesson O f the poem ?

M ake a list O f the arch aic wo r ds in the poem T ry to ex .

p l ain i n e ach i n st an ce why the poet chose the olde r fo rm .

W h at m arked ch anges in the moveme n t o f the p oem do you

’
n ote ? Try to discove r i n e ac h i n st an ce how Lowell s mood
shows itself in these v ar i atio ns .

Study Lowell s use O f co n tr asts How h as he employed it

’
.

in the st ructu r e of th e poem ? i n its Spi r it ? in the moveme n t ?

H as the p oet d r awn m an y O f his comp ar iso n s f r om n atu r e ?

W hy ?

C omp a re t he attitude show n tow a rd n ature i n The A11

”
cie n t M ar ine r with th at in The V isio n O f Sir L aun fal .

’
Comp are this d esc riptio n of Ju n e with Riley s Knee deep -

”
in June . How does the spi rit O f the one differ f ro m th at of
the othe r ? W h at thin g s are of common interest to the two
p o ets
 TH E RI M E 1
OF

TH E AN CI E NT M ARI N E R
I N S E V E N PA RT S

P AR T I .

I .

2 3
I t i s an ancient M ariner ,

4
An d he sto pp eth on e of three .

By thy lon g gr ay be ard an d glittering eye ,

’
N ow wherefo r e st o pp st thou m e ? 5

II .

5 Th e Bridegroom s door s ar e o pe ned wide

’
,
6
An d I am next o f kin ;
Th e gu e sts ar e met the fe as t i s set ,
’ ”
M ay st he ar the merry din .

III .

H e holds him with hi s skinny h an d ,

10 Ther e w as a sh i p quoth h e 7
.
,

H old O ff ! unh and me g raybea rd loon ! ,

E f t soon s hi s h and dro p t he .

1 Ri nse —Lo o k up t he d iver at i o n o f th e w d or .

W h t i g i d by u h
2 a s a neb p t b g i i g f th s t y ?
s c an a ru e nn n o e or

S m
3 o h e oneid t h t th d f t h p m i t h W dd i g G u t W h t d
as s a a e re a er o e oe s e e n es . a oe s

th t t m t m
e s a e en d i i t t u ? W u ld
ean , an yth i g b l t by f i g t h ugh t h
s r e o an n e os re e rr n ro e

p m t th A i t M i
oe o e t h old ai lor?
n c en ar ner as e s

Th
4 v l ti t i
ere are s e s f
e ra C l id g s i t duci g th W dd i g G u t
ar s c re as o n or o er e
’
n ro n e e n es

i t d f t ll i g t h
n s ea o et y di nt ly t o t h
e s ord C y m th
re c u h ? e re a er . an o u na e re e s c re as o n s

Wh ut t
5 l i 3 d 4?
o ers nes an

H w i th
0 o ff t Of b upt
s e e p d uc d i l i 6 d 7 i
ec a r n e ss ro e n ne s an

W h t i g i d by h v i g t h A i t M i t ll th s to y h app i g t h i m
7 a s a ne a n e nc e n ar n e r e e r as en n o

s lf
e th
ra th t
er m anl ? o so e on e e s e
4 TH E R I ME O F TH E AN C I E N T M A RI N E R

IV .

He holds him with his glitte rin g eye 1~

The weddi n g guest sto od still -

,
’
An d liste n s like a three ye ars chil d
T he “
M ariner h ath his will .

V .

The W eddi n g -
Gu est
‘

sat on a stone ;
He c an n ot choo se but he ar
And thus sp ake on th at an c1 ent m an
20 The b right eyed M ariner
2 -
.

The s hip w as chee red the harbor c leare d

Mer r il d we drOp
B elo wthe ki rk belo w the hill ,
’

Below the lighthouse top .

Th e M arin er 25
tell s ho w the
shi p s ai e ld O ut o f the s e a c ame h e
s o ut h w ard
.

w i t h a goo d
An d he sh o n e b ri ght, and o nthe right
i d
W n an d fa1r
“
.

W eath e m i
“
4
1 t re ac e hd
t he
W e n t down into t h e se a .

L ine .

Highe r an d higher ev ery day , !

30 Till ov er t h e m ast at neo n ”

T he Weddi ng G uest here be at hi s bre ast -

For he he ar d t h e lou d bass OOn 5

’ ’

Suc h a l i
1 thi p t i g w it h l i gh t v i t i ap e d i g l i i call d a
n e as s , re ea n a s ar a on r ce n ne, s e

a
“
W h t i g i d by m a f th is d v i ? Fi d Ot h i ll t t i Of i t u
s a ne e ns o e ce n er us ra on s s se

i t h i p em C m
n s o pare .w ith l 9 W h i h fO c i d i at t h g t p ow
o . . c r e n c es e re a e r er ?

Wh i h i t hé be t te pit h t s ppl i d t t h A i t M i
9 c s
‘

r e e y gli tt i ng r
a a e o e n c en ar n er s e es , er o

bri g h t ? W hy ?
Wh y t th i p i t i hi
3
a t i ve s h
s ld th eP t h u y ? W h t d t hew d
o n n s n arra ou oe rr so a oe s or

k i k i m pry as t th e pl ace?
r o

A p t i l w y f t ll i g u wh t b t th f t he v s l
i

4 oe ca a o e n s a a ou e co urs e o es e

B 5 “D i g C ol idg s iden e i n Stbwey his f i d P l fd m

as s oo n ur n er e ed th re s c r en o o e re r e
“
.

ch u h ch i d dd d a bas b t O i t ources M Sta f d ( T P l an d hi

rc o r an a e s on s re s . rs . n or . oo e s
 6 TH E RI ME O F TH E A N C I E N T M A RI N E R

XIII .

And n ow there c ame both mist an d snow ,

And it gre w wondrous col d

An d ice m ast high c am e flo ating by
,
-

, ,

As gr een as eme rald }

XI V .

And through the drifts the s nowy clifts 2

Di d se n d a dism al sheen
N or sh apes o f m en nor be asts we ken
The ice w as all between .

XV .

The ice w as he r e the ice w as the re , ,

6 0 The ice w as all ar ound

I t cr acked an d growled an d ro ar ed , an d ho wled ,

Like noises in a swoun d ! 4

At length did c r oss an Alb atross ;

Th orou g h the fog it c ame ;
As i f it h ad been a Christi an soul ,
’
W e h ailed it in God s n ame .

XVI I .

I t a te the food it ne er h ad e at ’
,
5

An d r ou n d an d roun d it fl ew .

The ice did sp lit with a thu n der fit -

70 The helmsm an stee r ed us th rough !

Th i s s t anz a i mpli p h p
es er a s as m uc h as it e xp
m f th m ti i t
re s se s Wh at are s o e o e e o on s
“t ead s th e shad ow o
.

s ugg e st s r f hi f wh t d y
s oe d t d by t h i x p i ?
a o ou un ers an se res s o n

Re d l u d t h i t z
a a o s s an a, an d d t mi wh t i i t m t i g i fi c t w d W hy ?
e er ne a s s os s n an or
“D if ts p b bly m
.

2 r ro a e an sb k c l ud
an f mi t
s or W uld s m such v b
o s o s . o o e er as

cas t b as ff c t i v
e e d e e as s en

Sh n W h t d ifi c b t w t h u Of th w d h
ee a e re n e e ee n e se e or e re an d h t i li
t a n ne 314?
“
.

4 W h t ugg t i i t h i m p i
a s es on n lik i is co ar s o n , e n o se s n a s w d m k
o un ,
”
a es it v y
er

e ff e t i v
c e
5
H w d o th c pti f t h alb t
oes e re e by th m a i e
on o e a ro s s e r n rs an d its act i o n s du i g th
r n e

s uccee di g d ays i c e s th gui l t of ki ll i g th b i d

n n r a e e n e r
 TH E RI M E O F TH E A N C I E N T M A RI N E R l

XVIII .

And a good south Wind sp r ung up behin d ; 1

The Alb atr oss did follo w ,

And every day for foo d or p l ay , ,

C ame to the m ariners hollo ! ’

XIX .

75 I n mist or cloud on m ast or shroud ,

,

I t p erched for ves p e rs n in e ; 2

W hiles all the nigh t th rough fog smo ke white ,

-

,
”
Glimmered the white moon shine -
.

$53 32?
t
Go d s ave thee ancient M ariner ! ,

8 0 Fr o m the fiends th at pl ague thee thus l i n h o s i t ably

,
.

ii
k ine t me
W hy loo k st thou so ? ” 3
W ith m y orosI s
’ -
bow i b d
P o us i r of
g d m
oo o en .

I shot the Alb atross .

P A RT I I .

4
XX I .

Th e S un n ow rose u po n the right

O ut of the sea c ame he
.

St ill hid in mist and on the left ,

We nt dow n i n t o the sea -

4
XXII .

And the good south w i n d still bl ew behin d -

But no sweet bi r d did follow ,

No r an y day for foo d or pl ay

C am e to the m ar ine r s hollo ! ’

1 h g i t h d i ti f i l i g i i d i c ted
N o t e h ow t h e c an e n e re c on o sa n s n a .

2W h t d y u d t d by v p v i
a o ou n e rs an es e 3 n ne
3W h t c d th W dd i g G t t i t up t th A i t M i
a aus e e e n t t hi p oi t ?
ue s o n err e nc en ar n er a s n

Sh ou ld t h M i h v t ld m
e ar n e r b t th d t h f t h b i d W h t i d d h i m
a e o us o re a ou e ea o e r a n u ce

t
o k i ll th alb t ? K p th l t f w l i i m i d ; y u w i ll h av
e a ro ss ee e i t u
as e n es n n o e o cc as o n o se

th m l t
e a er .

4O f wh t p di g l i
a rece th f u f t h i t z p t nd Wh y d the
n n e s are e o r o s s an a re e e s ? oes

p oet lay such emp h asi th f g a d m i ts on e o n s

 8 TH E RI ME o r TH E AN CI E N T M A RI NE R

XXII I .

An d I h ad don e an h e ll i sh thi n g ,

And i t would w o r k e ni w oe : ’ 1

For all ave rr ed I h ad killed t he bird ,

Th at m ade the b reeze to blow .

95 Ah wretch ! s aid they the bi r d to sl ay , ,

Th at m ade the breeze to blow !

XXIV .

’
Nor dim nor red like God s o w n he ad , ,

Th e glorious Sun u p rist 2 '

Then all ave rred I h ad killed th e bi rd ,

1 00 Th at b r ought the fog an d mist .

T w as r ight sa id they such bird s to sl ay

’
, , ,

Th at bring the fog an d mist 3

.

XX V .

The f ai r b r eeze blew the w hite fo am flew , ,

4
The fu rrow followed f r ee ;
105 W e were the first th at ever bu r st
6
I nto th at silent s ea .

XXVI .

Down d ropt the b r eeze the s ails d ropt down , ,

be ;
’
T w as s ad as s ad co u ld

W h at co id at i i duc d th e ai l t bl m t p i t h A ci t M i
1 ns er on s n e s ors o a e or o ra s e e n en ar n er

fo k i ll i g t h b i d
r n e r

W h at oth b ut i ful d c i pti

3 er f u i
ea d y ufi d i p t y es r C mp th ions o s n r se o o n n oe r o are s

d s c i p tion w i th t h at gi v i Sh k p
e r 33d S t
en d w it h t h t i
n a L Ai l g
es eare s
’
on n e , an a n
’
e ro .
”

I t h us x cu i g t h d t h f t h
n e lb t s h v t h i l d a g t
s n e ea o l
e a a ro s , a e e sa ors on e re a e r o r a es s

w o g t h an t h A i t M i
r n e nc e n ar n e r

Th f urrow f ollow d f
e I t h Si byll i L v th l i w p i t d Th
e r ee .
”
n e ne e a es e ne as r n e e

fu w t am d fi f
rro s re A d C l i dg p t t h i f t
’
o re e .
’
t : In f m d i t i th l i
o er e u s s oo no e n a or er e on e ne

w s a
“ T h fu w f ll w d f
e rro ; b ut I h d o t b
o e l g b d th h ip b f I
ree
"
a no e en on on o ar e s e ore

p c iv d th t th i w th i m g
er e e a s by p t t f m th h
as e f m th
a e as s e e n a s ec a o r ro e s ore , o r ro an o er

v l F m t h s h i p i t l f th W k pp
esse . ro e l i k b k fl w i g fi f m th t
se e a e a ears e a ro o o n o ro e s e rn ,
’

But i 1 828 n d ft th anld l i w a t er d C m p b ll N t

e o ne as re s o re .
”
a e
’
s o e .

W hy i t h w d bu t u d i t h i c
5 s e or ct i rsp i lly x p i v P D c i b
as se n s o nn e on e s ec a e ress e
‘
es r e

t h is il t y u i m gi
”
s en s e a, it as o a ne .

P i t ut s m ot h t z th t h av
0 o n o o e pi d m v m t g i ve by th ush
e r s an as a e a ra o e en n e r

o f th e hy t hmr .
 TH E RI M E or THE A N C I E N T M A RI N E R 9

'

An d we did s p ea k only to bre ak

-

1
1 10 The si le n ce o f the s e a
XXVII .

All in a h o t an d copp e r sky

2
,

The bloo dy Sun at noon , ,

Right up above th e m as t did st and ,

No bigger th an the Moo n .

XXVIII .

D ay a fte r d ay day afte r day

3
, ,

W e s tuck n or b re ath nor motion ;

,

As i dle as a p ainted ship

Up on a p ainted oce an .

XXIX .

W ater w ater eve ry w h e re

, , ,

1 20 An d all the bo ar ds did sh rink ;

W ate r w ate r eve rywhere
, , ,

N o r an y d r o p to d rink .

The ve r y deep did rot : O Ch r ist !

Th at ever thi s shoul d be !
4
Y ea slimy things di d c r awl with leg s
,

U p on the slimy s e a .

XXXI .

About about in reel an d ro ut

,
5
,

The de ath fire s d an ced at night ; -

1 H ow i s the m vm
o e ent in t i s h s t an z a re t ar e dd Wh at i s t h e e ffec t o f t h e a ll it erat i o n

h
i n t is z ?
st an a

W h t qu l it i f th k ya i m p l i d i c pp
2 a a es o e s re e n o er

W h t i gg t d by t h p t i ti
3 a s su C
es ey u fi d th p g i th p m e re e on an o n o er as s a e s n e oe

wh th e m fi t i p d u d by t h i m d vi
e re sa e c ec Wh t th tw m t f f l
s ro ce s sa e e ce a are e o os o rce u

w d i th i t z W h t p t f p h
or s n s s an m t p w f ul i g i v i g l i f t
a a ar s o s eec are os o er n n e o

a d se i pt i
cr on

W hy d th P t dw ll up th t h d i ag bl w d l i my
4 oes e oe e on e ra er s reea e or s

C m p w i t h 1 35 4 H w i p i d i t y f m v m t u d i t h l i
5 o are . . o C n s ra o o e en s ec re n ese n es a

y u l t
o se ec y dj t iv t
an x p es th i m p i m ad by thi sta z
one a ec e o e r s e re ss on e s n a
 10 TH E RI ME or TH E A N C E NT I M A RI NE R

’
The w ate r like a witch s oils , ,

1 30 Burnt g r een an d blue an d white , , .

XXXII .

A pi i t h d
s r a
ll w d And some I n d r e ams assu re d were
{gm ;
o e
e f one 0
t h i yi i t l O f the Sp i r i t th at pl agued us so
figt z f
e e
1 1] 8 , 1 an S O
thi pl s t N i ne f athom de ep he h ad followed us
an e
n ith
,

e d er e
p td l
ar e From the l and o f m i st an d snow
so u s
1
.

n o r angl ; e s
con c i g wh m th l
e rn n d J w J phu d t h Pl t
o i C t t i p l it
e earn e e , o se s, an e a on c o n s an no o an ,
M i h l P li m y b
c ae l t d Th y se v e y um u d t h i
us , a cl i me co n s u e e are r n ero s , an e re s no at e
l m t w i t h ut m
.

or e e en o o n e or ore 2 .

XXXIII .

1 35 An d every tongue th r ough utter drought

, ,

Was withe red at the r oo t ;

W e could n ot spe ak n o mo re th an i f ,

W e h ad been c h oked w i th s o ot .

XXXIV .

Th e s hi
m at e i fi h ei r
Ah ! well a day ! wh at ev1 1 looks - -

s o re g
i s t re ss 1 40 H ad I f r om o ld an d young !
V m a f in
ti w tg
l ro c
I n ste ad of the c ross the A1bat ross
m g ilt e u on ,

tli i
M i ;i
t
e an c e n
ar n e r n
About my neck w as hun g 3
.

ig h
‘

s n t e re o
tl le g tl an le
d Ilea Ilk a s ea -
P ART I I I .

rou d hi
n s
n ec k . x x xv .

There p as s ed a we ary time E ach thro at .

Was p arched an d gl azed e ach eye ,

.

1 45 A we ary time ! a we ary ti m e ! 4

T he a i t H o
nc en
w gl azed e a ch we a r y eye ,

M i b ar n e r
V i7hen look i ng westw ar d I beheld
e

i tI
h l th ig
l m ?
O e a S

am
n
ff
ie e e
o
A someth
.
i n g I n the sky
en
.

W hy h uld th p i it b g d t t h d t h f the albat s W hy i fath m s

1 s o e s r e an e re a e ea
’

o ro s n ne o ,

i t d f i gh t
n s ea t f th m
o e or en a o s

W h t i th P t p u p i m i g th uth i t i h i t i t h gl
9 a s e oe
’
s r ose n na n e a or es e c es n e os s

I th 3
y th s b id th d i f h i m p i t fi x t h gui l t th
e re an o e r reason , es es e e s re o s co an on s o e on e

A i tM i
n c en f h g i g th lb t b ut h i ck ?
ar n er, or an n e a a ro ss a o s ne

W h t i th pu p
4 f th a p ti ti i t h i t z I t h m d vi u d
s e r os e o e re e on s n s s an a s e sa e e ce se

els wh e i th p m f e re p d uci g im il ff t
n e oe or ro n a s ar e ec ?

Wh y a e w
5 t t ld at o w h t th M r i e no o n ce a e ar ne r se e s
 TH E RI M E o r TH E AN C I E N T MA RI N E R 11

XXX V I .

At first it s ee med a little speck ,

An d then it seem e d a mist ;

I t moved an d moved an d took at l ast ,

A cert ain sh ap e I wist ,

.

XXXVI I .

A speck a mist a sh ape I wist ! 1

, , ,

An d still it ne ared an d ne ared

As i f it dodged a w ate r s p rite -

I t p lunge d an d t acked an d veered .

XXX V III .

W ith th ro ats unsl aked with bl ack li p s b aked , ,

W e could n ot l augh n o r w ail ;

Through utter d rought all dumb w e stoo d !
I bit my arm I sucked the bloo d ,

An d c r ied A s ail ! a s ail ! ,

XXXIX 1 .

W ith thro ats unsl aked wit h bl ac k li p s b aked , ,

Ag ape they hea rd m e c all

4
Gr ame rcy ! they fo r j oy d i d grin
3
,
A da h s of j oy
And all at once thei r bre ath drew in ,

As they we r e d rinking all .

S ee ! see ( I cried ) she t acks no more ! A d h n orro r

Hither to work us we al ; figfi flzza

‘ r
e

ggg
h
W ithout a b reeze with out a tide figggw d
’
, e ar
1 70 She ste adies w ith u p right kee l !
$ 333} i

1W h t i th P t p u p i t h g t h i g t h
a s e oe
’
s t t f th p r di g t z
o se n us a er n e co n e n o e re ce n s an a
i t
n o i gl l i
a s n ? H w e w m d w
ne f th o up tu l
are h t f th e a e a are o e s e rn a ra c arac er o e

a pp h i g h i p
ro ac n s
2W h i h i t h m p t i t h i t z th gl
c s e ore oe c, s s an a o r e os s
3D iv tier d m a i g o n an ean n ?

4 “ I t k th t h ugh t f g i i g f J y f m p Bu tt
F j y di d w i
or o n . oo e o o r nn n or o ro oo r rn e
’
s
re m k t m wh w h d l i mb d t t h t p f Pli li m m
ar o e en e a d w c ly d d w i th
e o e o o n o n an e re n e ar ea

t hi t
rs W. ld t p k f t h
e co u t i ti
no t i ll w f u d
s ea l i tt l p uddl d
or e c on s r c on e o n a e e un er a

t
s one H id t m
e sa Y g i d l iko idi t
e. H h dd ou th mr nn e C l i dg e an o
’
e a on e e sa e
”
o er e,
“T bl e t l k d d it i ) 11 1 85—
. . .

”
a -
aM y 31 1 8 30 (
. a ,1 89 s e co n e on , . .
12 TH E RI ME o r TH E AN CI E N T M ARI N E R

The w e s te rn w av e w as all a fl am e -
.

The day w as well n igh done ! 1 -

Almost u p o n the weste rn w ave

Rested the bro ad b r ight Su n ;
2
W hen th at str an ge sh ap e d rove suddenly
Betwixt us an d the Sun .

X LI I .

And str aight the Sun w as d ecked with b ars ,

)
’
( He ave n s Mothe r send us g r a ce !
As if through a dungeo n g r ate he p eere d -

1 80 W ith bro ad an d burning f ace 3

.

X L III .
1
‘

Al as ( thought I an d my hea r t b e at loud ) ,

H ow f ast she ne ars an d n e ar s !

Ar e those h e r s ails th at gl ance in the Su n ,

Like restle s s gos sam ere s ? 5

X L IV .

Are those h e r r ibs through which the

Did pee as th ough a g ate
r r r ?

An d i s th at W om an a l h e r c ew
l r ?

I s th at a De ath an d a e the e two

? r r ?
’
I s De ath th at W om an s m ate ?

X LV .

{ffi figfifi
l’ 19 0 H er
e
c
lips we re r e d h er looks we re free , ,

H er locks we r e yellow as gold : 6

W hy i i t
1
s es p i lly ff tiv t h v t h h i p pp
ec a e ec e to ta e e s a e ar a s un s e

W h t i th
2
a s e s ig i fi
n f th d
can ce o v ? C y u b t i t ut b tt w d
e ro e an o su s e a .
e er or

D i b th
3 es cr e e s igh t t h A i t M i
e w it
nc en d ar ner n e s se .

Wh t d vi
4 a e ce th ro ugh th i t z d th x t m k m v i v id th g w i g t
s s an a a n e ne a es o re e ro n e rro r

of th A ie t M
nc en ar i n e r

Lo k p t h
5
o u e d i v t i f g o am
er a on o ss er es .

I yt h i g
s an n g i d by m k i g L i f i D t h p t i lly b ut if l Cf w i th L dy
a ne a n e n ea ar a ea u ? a
“ “
- -

“
.

G ld i i Ch
e ra ne n i t b l
r s a e .
”
Li / i D th Cf T y‘

e -
h T-
Idl T
ea O
. . enn son s
’
e ars , e e ars
”
 TH E RI M E O F TH E AN C I E N T M A RI N E R

’
The stee rsm an s f ace by his l am p gle amed
white ;
F r om the s ails the dew did d ri p
Till clomb above the e aste rn bar
The ho rned Moo n with on e b ri ght st ar ,
1
W ithin the nethe r tip .

X LI X .

O ne afte r one by the st ar dogged Mo on ,

-

Too quick for gro an o r sigh ,

E ach tu rn ed his f ac e with a gh astly p an g ,

An d cu r sed me with his eye 2

.

L .

Fou r tim e s fifty livi n g m e n ,

( A n d I he a r d n o r sigh n o r g r o an
)
W ith h e avy thump a lifeless lum p , ,

They d r opp e d down o n e by o n e .

LI .
!

The souls did f rom thei r bodies fly

‘

They fled t o bli s s o r w oe !

An d ev e ry soul it p a ssed me by , ,

Like the whizz of my c ross bow -

P A RT I V
L II .

T h w dd i g
e e n
I fe ar thee an cie n t M ar in er !
4
g t f th
ue s e are
,

1 1 11 1
8 1 1 225 I fe ar th v ski n n y h an d !
5
t lk m g t h m ;
a o i

An d thou art lo n g an d l ank an d brown , , ,

As is the r ibbed se a s an d 5 -
.

Ca y u
1 n y o f th P
se e an t m k i g th i t h l g t t z f t h p m ?
re as o n or e oe
’
s a n s e on es s an a o e oe

W h t f l i g i d l i t ly gg t d i th fi t l i
a ee n s e ca e suN ti es e f lly th d t i l u d
n e rs ne o c e c are u e e a s se

i th i
n t z
s s an d th d i b th igh t D t h m
a, an en es c r d d b i gh t
e e n t th . oes e oon a r n ess o e s ce n e ?

Th m e i g fb
e an n ? It h bo bj t d t h t t
ar as uld t b w i t h i t h ti p
ee n o ec e f a a s ar c o no e n e s o

th m e S
on h uld C l i dg h v o h g d t h
o er l i t d w i t h f t ac s
o . e a e c an e ese n es o acc o r

W h l t i th p m i th u
3 e re a er n g i f d t D it b m m
e oe s e c r se a a n r e e rre o oe s e co e o re o r

l t i bl t t h A i t M i ?
e ss e rr e o e n c en ar n e r

D th P t g i l by u i g th th d i y w d hym d i 1 21 8
oes e oe a n or ose s n e ra er o r n ar or s r e n .

Wh t
4
a th W d di g G
c a us e s tt f e e n ue s o e ar

LI5
w t d b W d w t
e re s u
o h I th c mp
es e i h pp y
or r s e o ar s o n a a one
.
g y s .
 TH E RI M E o r TH E AN C E N I T M ARI N E R 15

L III .

I fe ar thee an d thy glitte ri n g eye ,

”
An d thy skinny h an d s o b row n .

330 Fe ar not fe ar not t h ou W edding Guest !

, ,
-

This body dro p p ed n ot down .

L IV .

Alo n e alone all all alon e

, , , .

Alo n e on a wide wide se a ! 1

,

An d n eve r a s aint took pity on

My soul in ago ny .

LV .

Th e m any m e n so be a utiful ! ,
2

An d they all d e ad did lie

And a thous an d thous and slimy things
Lived on ; an d so did I .

L VI .

I loo ked u p on the ro tting sea ,

An d d rew my eyes aw ay ;
I looked upo n the r ot ting de c k ,

An d there the de ad men lay

LV I I .

I l ook ed to He aven an d tried to p r ay ;

245 But or eve r a p raye r h ad gusht ,

A wicked whispe r c ame an d m ade ,

My h e ar t as dry as dust 3
.

1
v p u i hm t m t i bl f th M i t h t b s h ut up
C an yo u c on ce i e o f an y n s en o re e rr e or e ar n e r an o e

al w h h d d
o ne i t t ese ea m e n W h t i t h ff t f th p t i ti f t h w d lo e ? H w
a s e e ec o e re e on o e or a n o

i t h i f l i g f i l ti
s s ee n f th A
o i t M i
so a on op v d th ugh ut t h wh l p m
e nc en ar n e r re s e r e ro o e o e oe

Wh y h uld h
2
l l t h m b ti f l T h t d t w i ll b i t t d i m p
s o e ca e en e au u e s u en e n e re s e n co ar

i g th
n xp i
e e f th A i t M i
er e n ces o w ith t hef Ch i ti
n c eni th fi t p t i f
ar n e r o se o r s an n e rs or on o

B y un
“P lg i m P g
i
an s
’
r
”
p i lly w h Ch i ti
’
s ro s th C
re s s , N ti
es th ec a en r s an s ee e ro s s . o ce e

adj t i v
ec d i d i bi g t h
e s us e n e s cr n e sce ne .

W ld t h ff t h v b m t i bl if w e had b t ld wh t t h w ic k d
9 ou e e ec a e e en o re e rr e ee n o a e e

wh i p w s
s er a
 16 TH E RI M E or TH E AN C I E N T M A RI N E R

LV III .

I clos e d my lids an d k e p t them clos e ,

An d the b alls like pulse s be at ‘

- °

Fo r the sky an d the se a an d the s e a an d t h e sky ,

.

L ay like a lo a d on my we ary eye ,

An d the de ad were at my feet 1

.

L IX .

The cold swe at melted from their limbs ,

N or rot n o r r eek did they

255 The look with w hich they looked on m e
H ad never p assed aw ay

An
’
o rph an s cu rse w o uld dr ag to H e ll
A spi r it f rom o n high ;
But oh ! mo r e ho rrible th an th at
’
I s a cu rs e i n a de ad m an s eye !
Seve n d ays seve n n ights I s aw th at cu rse
, , ,

An d yet I could not die .

I
“2 5 gggld
'

h' 1 l
,8 n The Moo n went u p the sky
m ovm g ,

2551355 11
1 1 11
An d n owhere did abide :
$22,233? d
1 265 Softly she w as going up ,

An d a st ar or two beside
ll m v
ye t s t i o e
on w d ; d v ywh th bl k y b l g t th m d i t h i pp i t d
ar an e er e re e ue s e on s o e an s e r a o n e re s t , an d
th i tiv u t y d th i l h m wh i h t h y t u d
,

e r na w
e co t n r an u e r o n n a ura o es, c e en er n an n o nce as
l d s t h t a c t i ly x p ct d d y t t h i
,

or a re il
er a nt j y at t h i
e iv l e e , an e e re s a s en o e r arr a .

L XII .

Her be ams bemocked the sultry m ain -

Like Ap r il ho ar fr o st spre ad ; -

1 C m p w i th
o are A t I S I I I 1 19“M acb eth
q N t h w C l i d g fill
, ut
c , o .
, .
,
s . o e o o er e s o

the s ugg ties m d by Sh k p

ons If y u h v v h d
a e av fv es ll h w
e are . o a e e er a a se e re e e r, re ca o

y o ur e y d t m pl
e s an th bb d H w d th m v m t f t h t h i d l i
e es ro e . fl ct t h o oe s e o e en o e r n e re e e

s uff e r n i g f th A o i t M i e n c en ar n e r
1 W h i h i m b ut if l t h t w t z
c s o re eath m p y i g gl
u ,
Df d e se o s an as o r e ac c o an n o ss ? e en

y o ur a n s w D
e rs yw d
. gg t t h p ib i l it y f m i g l i f
oe s an or su es e oss o co n re e
 TH E RI M E or TH E AN C I E N T M A RI N E R 17

Bu t
’
where the ship s huge sh adow lay ,

Th e ch armed w at e r bu rn t alw ay
1

A s till an d awful re d .

LXIII .

Beyond the sh adow of the shi p

I w atched the w ater s n akes -

They move d i n tr acks of shi n i n g white ,

An d when they re ared the elfish light ,

Fell off in ho ary fl ak e s .

2

L XI V .

W it hin the sh ado w of the shi p ,

I w atche d thei r r ich atti re '

Bl ue glossy g ree n an d velvet bl ack

, ,

They co iled an d sw am ; an d ev e ry t rack

Was a fl ash of golde n fire .

LX V .

0 h app y living thi n gs ! n o tongue 3

Thei r bea uty migh t decl are

4
A sp ri n g of love gushed from my he art
An d I blessed the m un aw are :
S u re my kind s ai n t took pity on m e ,

And I bless ed them u n aw are .

L X VL

The selfs ame moment I could p r ay ; The S e p ll b e

gin s t o b k re a .

And f ro m my neck so free

29 0 The Alb atross fell off an d s ank
Like le ad into the se a 5
.

1
Ch ar m ed h as g d i g ific t d i v t i
an i n te re s ti n an s n an er a on .

H w d th
9 o o t ti g
e l f th w t
co n ras n w it h i d w i th ut t h
co o rs o h d w f th e a er n an o e s a o o e

s h ip fl t th M i
re ec e p i i t u l d i ti ? W h t w d i t h i d i p t i h i t t
ar ne r s s
’
r a co n on a or s n s e sc r on n a

th up
e s t l i th
e rn a ura n C m p t h pp
e sce n e f th
o k w ith i t h h d w
are e a e aran ce o e sna es n e s a o

o f th h i p w it h t h t f t h b y d W h i h t h m b ti ful
e s a o o se e on . c are e ore eau

H w h
1 o h p k f th w t
as e s o k sb f
en o e W h t i d u hi m w t g d
a er sna e e o re a n ce s no o re ar

t h m d i ff
e t lye re n

W i th wh at p c d i g l i m y w
4 re e n t t 1 284?
ne a e co n ras .

W uld th i d iv i i h v b m
5
o s s on ff t i v if t h pu i hm
a e ee n t f th M i
o re e h d ec e e n s en o e ar ne r a
 18 TH E RI M E o r TH E AN C E N I T M A RI N E R

P A RT V .

L XVII .

0 sleep ! i t is a gentle thing ,

Beloved from p o le to p ole !

To M ary Q ue en the p r aise be given !
29 5 S he sent the gentle slee p from He aven ,

Th at slid into my soul .

1

L XVIII .

The silly buckets o n the deck

2

Th at h ad so long rem ained ,

I dre amt th at they were fille d with dew ;

300 And when I awoke it r ain e d 3
, .

L XIX .

My lip s w e re wet my th ro at w as cold , ,

My g arments all we r e d an k ;
Su re I h ad d r unken i n my d re ams
4
And still my body d ran k .

LX X .

3 05 I moved an d could not feel my limbs

,

I w as so light almost -

I thought th at I h ad died in slee p ,

And w as a blessed ghost 5

.

He h the a re
s o un d d
s , an
L XXI
se e th t ge
s ran
i gh t d
s
co mm ti
s an
o
An d soon I he ar d a r o ari ng m u d
on ,
i th ky d 3 10
n
th l m
e e e
e s
t en
I
an
t
.
d i d not come ane ar ,

b d i b d m fully C a you fi d th i ll u t t i s i l i t tu
een e s cr e o re n i l i f wh n o er s ra on n era re o r n e e re

m enby bl i g t h h v bl d t h m lv ? I th
e ss n o e rs a e y f
e s se h vi g th e se es s ere an re as on or a n e

l
re e ase of th A i t M i e m i th e m i ddl d i v i i f th p m
n c en ar n e r c o e n e s on o e oe

H w h
1 C l idg p k f l p i Ch i t b l
o as o er e s o H w h Sh k p
en o s ee i th n r s a e o as a es e are , n e

d t f M cb t h
s ec o n ac o W h t i th ff t f th ll i t t i i th l t l i ? D
a e
”
a s e e ec o e a e ra on n e as ne o

y t i t hi p t
ou no e n y th c
s f ff ti v
ar an ll i t ti
o er as e s o e ec e a e ra on

T2 i th d i ti
race y t h h g i m i g f si lly
n e c o n ar e c an es n e an n o .

H w lo g h
2 o hi t t n f m thi t l t d
as s o r ure ro rs as e

I4
y w d f th i
s an t z m pl y d i
or o u u u l m
s s an ae o e n an n s a an n e r

I5
th is h g f f l i g d t m e th n
s c an e o ee au n W h t i th x t ig
ue o or a one c se ? a s e e ac s

ni fi f
can ce o bl d gh t a ess e os
 TH E R IME o r TH E A N C I E N T M A RI N E R 19

But wit h its sound it shook the s ails ,

Th at we re so thi n an d se re .
1

L XXI I .

The u pp er ai r bu r st i n to life !
An d a hundred fir e fl ags shee n , 2 -

3 15 To an d fro they we r e hu r ried about !

An d to an d fro an d i n an d out , ,

4
The w an st ar s d an ced between .

L XXIII .

And the coming wind did r o ar more loud ,

An d the s ails di d sigh like sedge

320 And the r ain po u r ed down f ro m o n e bl ack
cloud
The Moon w as at its edge .

LX X I v

The t hick bl ack clou d w as cleft an d still ,

The M oon w as at its s ide

Like w ate r s sh o t from some high c rag ,

325 The light n ing fell with n ever a j ag 6

.

A rive r stee p an d wide 7

.

L XX V .

The lo ud wind n eve r re ached the ship ,

Y et n o w the ship moved o n !

Be n e ath the lightning an d t h e Moon
3 30 The de a d m en g ave a gro an .

W hy t h d j t i v u d i d i b i g th i l p i lly g d
1
are e a ec es se n e s cr n e sa s es ec a oo o n es

W h t m t w pply i l 31 4 t m p l t t h
2 a us e su t n . o co e e e s e n e n ce

W h t i th ff t f th dd i ti l l i i t h i t z ?
3 a s e e ec o e a ona ne n s s an a

C mp thio arew i t h t h t d i b d i t z XXX I W h i h i t h m v i v i d

s s ce n e a e sc r e n s an a . c s e o re ,

an d why ? W uld t h p i t u o h v b m e ff ti v i f th
c re t h d ba e h i dd ee n o re e ec e e s ars a ee n en

f m vi w
ro e

W hy d th P t f
5 o es p t dly t th u d m d by t h i l
e oe re e r s o re ea e o e so n a e e sa s

W h t p v i u i ll u t t i h v w
‘
1
a re o st d f C l i dg
s ra u f t
on s g h m ly
a e e no e o o er
’
e s se o s ro n , o e

w d
or s

D i b th i
7 e s cr i y ue w w d
s s cen e n o r o n or s .

8
C y u di
an v l t i th p m th f
o sc o er th t
a er u th nhi p t m v e ? oe e o rce a ca se s e s o o e on

W h t i th P t p u p i p
a s e oe
’
ti g t h
s hip
r os ew “ i pi d
n re re s e n n e s
’
s c re as ns re
20 TH E RI M E O F TH E AN C I E N T M AR I N E R

L XXVI .

They g ro an ed they sti rred they all upros e

, ,

N or spoke n o r moved thei r eyes ;

,

I t had been st ran ge eve n i n a d re am , ,

T o h ave seen those de ad m en r ise

L XX V II .

Th e helmsm an stee red the shi p mo ved on ,

Y e t never a breeze up blew ;

The m ari n e r s all gan wo rk the ro p es ’
,

W he r e they we r e w o rit to do ;
They r ai sed their limbs lik e lifeless tools
W e we r e a gh astly c re w .
1

L XXVIII .

’
The body of my b r othe r s son
S tood by m e k n ee to k n ee ,

The body an d I pu lled at o n e ro p e ,

3 44 But he s ai d nought to me ”
.

L XXIX
2
I fe ar thee an ci e n t Mar ine r
,

Be c alm tho u W eddi n g Guest !

,
-

T w as n ot th o se s o uls th at fled i n p ain ,

Which to thei r co r ses c ame ag ain ,

But a t roo p of spi rits blest 3 - -

L XXX .

35 0 Fo r —
when it d awned they d ropped the i r ar ms ,

An d cluste r ed round the m ast

W d w th ugg t d th t th d d m
1 or s or s es e a e ea e n s ai l th h ip W h t w d i th i t z
e s . a or n s s an a

w ll p
e re t th f l i g
re s en s f th A
e i t M i
ee n s o e n c en ar n e r H w d t hi
o t z d w ith oe s s s an a a cc o r

th f t
e ll t t d t t h M i
a e a o e o e ar n er

Th l t i t
2 e p t i f th W dd i g G u
as n e rru on o e e n est . D oe s h i s fear s ee m as g reat as at t he

p d i g i t pti
rece n n e rru on s

W h l t i th p m t h s p i i t
1 e re a er n e oe are es e r s ag ai n m e n t i one d
22 TH E RI M E o r TH E A N C I E N T M ARI N E R

L XXXV .

Till noo n we quietly s aile d on ,

Yet neve r a b reeze di d b re athe

3 75 Slowly an d sm o othly we n t the shi p ,

Moved onw ar d from b en e ath .

L XXX V I .
1

l
T he o ne s o e m U nder the keel n i n e f athom dee p
Sp i ri fi o m t h e
fi
,

s o ut p o lc e ar

m
fi e on t h e l )
F r om the l an d of m i st an d snow ,
as ? tfi
ar a s e
The sp i ri t sl i d an d I t w as h e
li
n e,i b di n o e
c t th
en e o e an 380 Th at m ade the ship to go
g li t
e p b ut
c roo ,
.

32 123333
111 61
The s ails at n oon left o ff thei r tune
And the shi p stood still al s o .

L XXXVII .

The Sun r ight u p above t h e ma st

,

H ad fixed her to the oce an :

38 5 But i n a minute she gan sti r ’
,

W ith a short une asy motion

B ackw ards an d forw ards h alf her len g th
W ith a short une asy motion .

L XXXVIII .

Then like a p aw in g hor s e let go ,

390 She m ade a sudden boun d

I t flung the bloo d i n to my he ad ,

An d I fell down in a swound .

the b eauty o f z a ? W hy d y u i m gi th p t h t d p t h f u t z
th e stan o o a ne e oe c os e o ro ese o r s a n as

wh ich f ll w d t z XXX IV i th v i f 1798

o o e s an a L n e e rs o n o

L i t 0 l i t th u W dd i g g t !
s en , s en , N v o dd t l w h de n -
u es e e r sa er a e as ear
M i i t h u h t t hy w i ll
ar n e re o By m f w m b
as : a an o o an o rn :
t h t wh i h m f th i Th M i ll d t w k ’
For a t c y co es ou tu o ne e e, e ar n e re s a re rn o or
d th m ko a e A il t b f s s en as e orn e .

M y b dy d ul t b ti ll
o an so o e s .

N v dd t l w t ld
e er s a er a e Th M i as ll g
o p ll th p e ar n e re s a
’
an u e ro es ,
T o a m f w m b :
an o o an B t l k m t h y ld
o rn u oo on e e n
’
o
S dd
a d wi
e r an th w dd i g gu t
ser Th gh t I I m t h i
an e i
n -
es ou a as n as a r
Th u 1t i t m w m Th y t m b h ld
,
’ ”
o r se o -
o rro orn . e c an n o e e o .

C m p t h gl w it h t h t f t z x x v A t h y t d i ct y ? H v w
1 o are e os s a o s an a . re e co n ra or a e e

a y h i t g iv
n n t th ub q t
e n as f th v
o l e s se ue n c o urs e o e e ss e

W h t p p i v d by t h h i ft i g f
2 a ur ose t i th i l i
s s er e d 387 e s n o a c ce n s n s n e an
 T H E RI N E or TH E AN C I E N T '
M A RI N E R 23

L XXXIX .

H ow lo n g in th at s ame fit I lay ,

I ha ve not to decl are ;

39 5 But ere my livi n g life retu r ned
1

I he ar d an d in my soul disce rn e d
Two voices in the ai r .

’
I s i t h e ? quoth on e I s this t h e ,

By him who died on c ross ,

400 W ith his c r uel bow he l ai d full low

The h ar mless Alb at ross .

XCI .

The s p i r i t who bi deth by hi m s el f

I n t he lan d of mist an d snow
s
.
,

He lo ved the b ir d th at l ove d the m an

405 W ho shot h i m with his bow 3
.
’

X C II .

Th e o ther w as a s ofter voice ,

As soft as honey dew : -

Q u oth he The m an h ath p en ance do ne

, ,

An d p e n ance m o r e will d o 4 ’
.

1 W ld co
ou n sci ous lif xp ll C l i d g w u ld i m p ly i li vi g lif
e e re s s a o er e o n n e
2 Wh t d a oes th P tm
e by p k i g i th gl
oe e an f th pi it d m
s ea n R dn e os s o ese s r s as e on s ? e re a

t h e m ot to
of wi t h
th e
at

c es
th e
of
e

“
b gi i g f the p m C m p th t u f t h
nn n

M b t h W h t m ti v i p
ac e
o

.
”
t d by
oe

a
pi it w i th t h t
.

h f th v i o
o

e
are

s re
e na

re s e n e
re o

e ac
ese S

o
r s

e se o ce s ?
a

W hy thare e se p i l tw h s ? I th
s ec a o y ig i fi
c o en i th ki d f h w
s e re an s n can c e n e n o o

u d by t h M
se e ari n e r

d oes th e A n c ie n t M i h i m lf l y m ph i
ar n er th v l se a e as s o n e
-

a ue o f
,
lo v e
4
W hy n o t sh a ll d o i n ste a d f w i ll d ? T t h gh t h m i d
o o rac e ro u e re a n er o f the p m th
oe e

l
f ulfi m e n t of . t h e s i ri t p ’
p ro
s a ph y f th f th
ec o p e f th A e i ur er en an c o e nc e n t M ari n e r . I s

t h e p e n an ce s h o w n i n t h e
-
, re s t f th p
o m vew t h t f th p t
oe as s e e re as a o e as
24 TH E RI M E O F TH E AN C I E N T M A RI N E R

VO I C E FIR ST .
1

But tell m e t ell me ! sp e ak a g ain

, ,

Thy soft res p onse renewi n g

W h at m akes th at shi p drive on so f ast ?
W h at i s the O ce an do ing ? ’

XCI v .

S E C O N D VO I C E .

S till as a sl ave before his lo rd ,

The O ce an h ath no bl ast ;

His gre at b r ight eye m os t silently -

Up to the Moon is c ast — 2

XCV .

I f he m ay know w hi ch w ay to go ;
For she guides h i m smooth o r gri m .

See b r other see ! how gr aciously

, ,
’
S he looketh down on him .

X CVI .

FIRST VO I C E .

But why d r ives on t h at shi p so f ast

W ithout or w ave o r Wind
S E C O N D VO I C E .

The ai r is cut aw ay be fore ,

And closes fro m behind .

X C VI I .

Fly b r oth er fly ! more high mor e high !

, ,
'
“

O r w e sh all be bel ated

W hy d s th Poet
1 oe t t t h d v i e f i nt r d u i ng t h
e r e s or o e tw v i
e ? Why
c
‘

ot o c es e o o ces no

b gi t h i p t w i t h l 430
e n s ar .

St t i y u
2 a e nw l gu g th
o r o nt hl th ugh t f t h i s t
an a e z D y u fi d any
e ce n r
‘

o
’

'
o s an a . O o n

th o f t h P oe t t t i g c m m n f t s :i v ry b aut i f l l g g
’
i ta n u an ua e
'

o er ns n ces e s s a n o o ac e e
 TH E RI M E O F TH E A NC I E N T M A R I N E R 25

For slow an d slow th at shi p will go ,

’ ’
W hen the M arine r s t rance i s ab ated .

X C VIII .

I woke an d we we re s ailin g on
,

As in a ge n tle we athe r
T w as night c alm night the Moon
’
, ,
w as
The dea d men stood together .

X C IX .

All stoo d together o n the deck

Fo r a ch ar nel dungeon fit te r -
°

All fixed on m e thei r stony eyes ,

Th at in the Moon did glitter .

C .

Th e p ang the c u rse with which they died

, , ,

H ad never p a ssed aw ay
440 I could n ot d raw my eyes from the irs ,

N o r tu r n them u p to p r ay .
1

An d now this s p e l l w as sn apt : once m or e

I viewed th e oc ean green ,

An d look e d far fo rth yet little s aw ,

445 O f wh at h ad else bee n seen

C II .

Like one th at on a lon e some ro ad

,

Doth w alk in fe ar an d d re ad ,

And h avi n g o n ce tu rned ro un d w alks on

And tu rns n o more his he ad ;
45 0 B ec ause he knows a f rightful fien d
Doth close behind him t r e ad 2
.

1
W hy c an n o t th e M ari n e r p y ra
2
Wh t a c au s e s the M ’
f
ari n e r s e ar ? Cf . w i th st an z a X II . s e n se are t h e y
co rre s p di g
on n s t an z as
 26 TH E R IME O F TH E AN C I E N T M ARI N E R

01 1 1 .

But soon there bre athed a wind on m e,

N or sou n d nor motio n m ade
I ts p ath w as not u p on the s ea ,

I n rip p le o r in sh ad e 1
.

CI V .

I t r aised my r it f an ned my cheek hai

,

Like a me adow g ale O f spring -

I t mi n gle d st rangely with my fe ars ,

Yet it felt like a w elcoming .

CV
S wiftly swiftly fl ew the shi p
,

Yet she s aile d softly too

S weetly sweetly ble w th e breeze
,

O n m e alo n e it blew .

C VI .

gggt figg
t e
O h ! d r e am of j oy ! is this indeed
12“
a er

3332 46 5
t
8
The light house top I see ? -

00 11 11 11 7
I s this the hill ? i s this the kirk ?
I s this mine own countree ? 2

C VII .

’
W e d r ifted o er the h arbor b ar -

An d I with sobs did p r ay

470 O le t m e b e a w ake my God
,

O r let m e slee p alw ay 3

.

1Wh d w e re i v t h fi t i t i m t io t h t t h v y g i
o e rece e e rs b ut t e d W uld
n a n a e o a e s a o o n o

t h is p t i
or f th p m h v be
on o e m
oe ff e t i v i f w h d b
a e en t ld m i d t il f
ore e c e e a e en o ore n e a o

th e re tu f th h i p W h h v w t d a s i m il ap id i ty i t h m v m t f t h
rn o e s ere a e e no e ar r n e o e en o e

t y
s or
2I wh t p d i g p g h s t g e m t i b i d i t d by t h
n a re ce n as s a e a s ron f th o on ee n n ca e e use o e

i t
n erro g t i ? C m p w i t h t z v Cf l w i th L gf ll w s Li gh th u
a on o are s an a 1. . a so on e o
’
o se

Th m i m mb wh e h i ld
ar n e r re e e rs en a c

O hi fi t v y g h n w it f d
s rs d i k o a e e sa a e an s n

A d wh t u i g f m dv
n tu
e n re w i ld rn n ro a en re s ,

H w it i gi e sa c bi k
r se a a n o e r o
’
e an s
’
r n .
”

9 W hy i i t t l t h M i
s n a u rah ld f t h i i gh t i b ut a d am
e ar n e r s ou ear s s s re
 TH E RI M E O F TH E AN C I E N T M ARI N E R . 27

CV III .

The h arbo r bay w as cl ea r as gl a ss -

So smoothly i t w as s t re w n !
An d o n the bay the moo n l i ght lay ,

1
And the sh adow of the moo n .

CI X .

The rock shone b right the ki rk no less ,

Th at st ands above the r ock

The moo n light s teeped i n sile n tness 2

The ste ady we athercock 3

.

CX .

And the bay w as white with sile n t light ,

Till r isi n g f rom the s am e ,

Full m any sh apes th a t sh a dows wer e , ,

I n c r imson colo r s c ame .

A little dist ance f rom the p ro w

48 5 Those crimso n sh adows we r e
I tu rn ed my eye s upon the deck
O h Ch r ist ! wh at s aw I the re
,
! 4

1 I s s ha d o w h e re us e di n i ts or di n ar y s e n se
2
Su gg est i v e of R em ors e, i v , 3 .

m y l d th th k th
T he d an c ou s, e s e a, e ro c s, e s an s

Li i t h s i l t m hi ”
e n e en oo n s ne .

W h i h i t h m i m p iv t h d p t u f t h h i p m i d h
3 c s e ore res s e, e e ar re o e s a c e e rs or its
retu i
rn il H
n s w i t d i t h d iti f 1 798 fiv t z
e nc e e re e re n se r e n e e on o e s an as :

Th m li gh t b y w wh it ll Th y l i f t d up t h i t iff wh i t m ’
e oon a as e a o er e e e r s e ar s,
T i ll i i g f m t h
r s n m ro Th y h ld t h m t igh t d t igh t
e sa e, e e e s ra an
F ll m y h p t h t h d w w
u an s a A d
es , h i gh t m b t l i k t h
a s a o s e re , n e ac r ar u rn e a o rc ,

Li k f t
e as O h m o rc A t h th t b
es c a e . p i gh t o rc a
’
s o rn e u r ,

A li tt l di t f m th p w Th i t y b ll gl i t t d e r s on e e a s e re on

Th d k d h d w w ;
ose
e
ar
s an c e
-
re
I
s
ro
th
a
d
o
m ky
e
s
l i gh t
ro
e re
n e re an s o .

But I w t h t my w fl h
s oo n sa
I a
d o
my h n
d w yes
gl d
’
d
’
t
W as red i as n a p y
are
ra an uru ea a a
F t h l ki g b f or oo n as e o re .
I tu u d my h d i f
r
’
d d d ea Th w n ear anb z up th b y rea , e re as n o re e e on e a ,

A d by t h h ly
n d e o N w vro o g i t th h o a e a a ns e s o re .

Th b d i
,

h d d d d
’
e o es w
a a va n c an no
B f th m t th y t d
e o re e as e s oo .

W hy h d th A ci t M i fai l d t t ic t h i s sp ctacl befo

4 a e n en ar n er e o no e e e re
28 TH E RI M E O F TH E AN C I E N T M ARI N E R

C XII .

E ac h corse lay fl at lifeless an d fl at

‘

, ,

And by the holy rood !

,

49 0 A m an all light a se raph m an -

, ,

O n eve ry co r se the re stood .

C XIII .

Thi s se rap h b and e ach w ave d hi s h and ;

-

I t w as a he avenly sight !

They stood as sign als t o the l and ,

E ach o n e a lovely light ; 1

CX I V O

Th is se r ap h b an d e ach Wav e d h is h and

’

, ,

No vo i ce did they imp art

No voice ; but oh ! the silence s ank
Like music on my he ar t .

CXV .

500 But soon I he ard the d ash of o ars ,

’
I he ar d the Pilot s cheer ;
My h e a d w as tu rned p erfo rce aw ay ,

An d I s aw a bo at ap pe ar 2
.

C XVI .

Th e Pilot an d the Pilot s boy

’
, ,

5 05 I he ar d them c oming f ast :

De ar Lo r d in He aven ! it w as a j oy
The de ad men coul d not bl ast 3
.

1 C m p th i
o are w i t h t h t f t z XX I X
s s ce n e a o s an a L .

2 Af t t h i t z pp d i th 1798 v i th f ll w i g
er s s an a a eare n e e rs o n e o o n

Th v i h d ll th l v ly l igh t
en an s e a e o e s

Th b d i w e o es ro s e an e

W i th i l t p h t h i pl c s en ace , e ac o s a e,

C m b k t h gh tly w a e ac e as c re .

Th wi d th t h d m t i n made
e n a s a e n or o o ,

O m l o it bl w n e a ne e ,

3 Th m e ni g of bla t
e a n s
30 TH E
'

RI M E O F TH E AN C I E N T M A RI NE R

The pl anks loo ke d w arped ! an d see tho se s ails

5 30 H o w thin they are an d se r e ! 1

I n ever s aw aught like to them ,

U nle ss p erch ance it we r e

XXII C .

B rown skeletons of le aves th at lag

My fo r est b r ook alo n g ; -

5 35 W hen the ivy tod is he avy with snow -

An d the owlet whoops to t h e w olf below ,

” 2 ’
Th at e ats the she wolf s you n g -
.

C XXI II .

De ar Lord ! it h at h a fiendish loo k

( The Pilot m a de r eply )
5 40 I am a fe ar ed Push on push on !
-

S ai d the He r mit chee r ily .

C XXI V .

The bo at c ame close r to th e shi p ,

But I n or s p ake n or sti rr ed ;

The bo at c ame close bene ath the shi p ,

5 45 An d str aight a sou n d w as he ar d .

3
C XX V .

hp
T h e s i s ud U nder the w ate r it rumbled on ,
d e n ly s m k e t h
Still louder an d more d re ad
'

I t r e ached the shi p it split the ,

bay ;
4
The ship wen t do w n like lead -
.

5 50
S tunned by th at loud an d d re adful s o u nd
W hich sky an d oc e an smot e ,

1 Wh t dj t iv h v b u d b f i d i b i g th pp
a a ec es a e ee n f th il
se e o re n e s cr n e a earan ce o e sa s ?
2 W i t h wh t f li g d th h m i t g d th h i p
a ee n s
'

oes e er re ar e s
3 W h t i t h ff t f t h i g l it y i th m t i l u tu f th fi t l i f
a s e e ec o e rre u ar n e e r ca st r c re o e rs ne o

h
t is
“
t nz ?
s a a

W h h t h m p i i t h i l i b u ed b f ? I wh i h p l i
'

1 e re as e co ar so n n s ne ee n s e o re n c ac e s

t he co mp i th m
ar s o n pp p i t
e ore a ro r a e
 TH E R IME O F TH E AN C I E N T M A RI N E R 31

Like o n e th a t h ath be e n s e v e n d ays d row n ed

My body lay aflo at ;
But swi ft as d re am s mys elf I found ,
’
W ithin the Pilo t s bo at .

C XX V II .

Up on the whirl where s ank the shi p , ,

The bo at spu n r ound an d round ;

An d all w as still s ave th at the hill ,

Was telling of the sound .

C XX V II I .

—
I moved my lips the Pi lot sh r ieked
An d fell down i n a fit ;
The Holy He r mit r aise d hi s eyes ,

And p r aye d where he did sit .

C XXIX .

’
I took the o ars : the Pilot s boy ,

W ho n o w doth c razy go ,

L aughed loud an d lo n g an d all the while ,

His eyes we n t to an d fro .

H a ! h a ! qu o th he ’ ’
full pl ai n I see , ,
’
The Devil knows how to r o w 1
.

C XXX .

And now all in my own count ree

, ,

I stood on the firm l and !

The He r mit stepped fo rth f rom the bo at
And s c arcely he could st and .

C XXXI .

’ 2
O sh r ive m e sh r iv e me h oly
‘
, , m an !
The He r mit c rossed his bro w .

1 W h t b i d t h my
a , es es e s t e ri ou s d i ppsa e aran c e o f th e h i p i d uc
s , n es th e pl i ’
ot s b o y to
mi st a k t h A i nt M i
e e nc e ar n e r fo r th D vi l
e e ,
an d the h m it t k
er o as , Wh a t m an ner of
m an ar t th ou
2 Wh at a dd d i d e Of t h A
e a e nc ie n t M ari n e r s
’
p e n an ce d o w e ge t fro m th gle o ss
 32 TH E RI M E o r TH E AN C I E N T M AR I N E R

Say
’
quick quoth he , ,
I bi d
thee s ay

W h at m anne r of m an art thou ?

C XXXII .

Fo rt hw i t h thi s f r am e of mine w as wrenche d

W ith a woful ago n y ,

580 Wh ich fo rced me to begi n my t ale ;

An d then i t left m e free .

C XXXII I .

if i irl é gt t
gy
‘ a ‘
o u
S ince then at an uncert ain hou r , ,
o ut fii s ut ure
l if e an ago n
Th at agony returns
c o n s t rai n e t h
h i m t o t ra v l
e
An d till my gh astly t ale i s told ,
la dn to 580
P

Th l s he ar t W i th i n me bu rns .

C XXXI V .

I p ass lik e n ight f rom l an d to l an d ;

, ,
1

I h ave str an ge p owe r of s peech ;

Th at moment th at hi s f ace I s ee ,

I know the m an th at must he ar m e

5 90 To him my t ale I te ach .

C XXXV .

W h at loud u p ro ar bu r sts from th at doo r !

The wedding guests ar e there : -

But in the g arden bo wer the bri d e -

An d bride m aids singing are -

5 95 And h ark the little ves p er bell -

W hich biddeth me to p rayer ! 2

C XXXVI .

O W eddi n g Gue st ! this soul h ath b e en -

Alo n e o n a wi de wide s e a
“I a li k i h t ” W h t d iff
1
ss , t id
e n im pl i d i th i mp ia Sh ld ere n e as are e n s co ar s o n ou
p g .

thi x p l t i f th p ll x t d by th A i t M i h v b g i v
s e an a on o e s e e er e t th e nc en ar n e r a e e en e n us a e

b gi i g f t h p m
e nn n C l idg h d t h t i k i g t h ugh t th t p i bly th p i h
o e oe o er e a e s r n o a o ss e un s

m t f f tu l i f m y
en o a ui t i
reb i g i g b k t h c ci u
e a f th
c on s sP t n r n n ac e on s o s ne s s o e as .

R bi
o D i y : II 1 29
n s on s
’
ar , .

T w h t p c di g t z
9 o a w h b ugh t b ck ? H ow d th l t t w l i s
re e n s an a are e ere ro a o e as o ne

p p u f th t f th p m
re are s or e res o e oe
 TH E RI M E O F TH E A NC I E NT M A RI N E R 33

S o lonely t w as th at God himself ,

600 Sc arce se e m e d t here to be .

C XXX V II .

O sweete r th an the m arr i age fe as t -

,
’
T is sweete r far to me ,

To w alk togethe r to the kirk

W ith a goodly comp any — 1

C XXX V III .

To w alk togethe r to the ki rk

An d all together p ray ,

W hile e ach to his g re at F ather bends ,

O ld m e n an d b abe s an d loving f r iends

,
-

, ,

And youths an d m aide n s gay !

2
O XX X I X .

F arewell f arewell ! bu t this I t e ll

,

To thee thou W ed ding Guest !

,
-

H e p r ayeth well who love th well ,

Both m an an d bird an d bea st .

CXL .

H e p r ayeth bes t who loveth b est ,

All things bo th gre at an d sm all ;

For th e de ar God who loveth us ,
”
H e m ade an d loveth all .

C X LI .

The M ari n er wh ose eye i s b r ight, ,

Wh ose be ard with age i s ho ar ,

W hy h uld t h M i
1 s o e ar n e r n o w l v
o e to w lk t
a o the k i k w i th g d ly m p y
r a oo co an
3W h t i th k y w d
a s e e or of h t is an d th e s uc c e e di g t
n z H th i
s an m w d
a ? as s sa e or

v d i m il pu p i
s er e a s ar r ose n an y p rece di g p n o rt i o n o f th p m e Cf w i th R l igi
oe . e o us

Mu i g
s n s

Th i e re Mi d s o ne m ip t Mi d
n , o ne o n re s e n n ,

O m i fi H i m t h ly
n c, m i L v
s os o na e s o e,

V i w ll t i
e s a d H l v
crea i t ll
on an e o es a ,

A d bl d c ll s i t v y g d ”
n it e s ses an a er oo .
34 TH E RI M E or TH E AN C I E N T M ARI N E R

I s g o n e : an d 1
W eddin g G uest
n ow t he -

’
Tu rn e d f r om the brideg r oom s door .

C X L II .

H e we n t l ike o n e th at h ath be en stunn e d ,

And is of sense fo rlorn :
A s adde r an d a wise r m an
6 25 H e r ose the m o r row mo rn 2
.

1W uld yt h i g h v e b g i d l t by t ll i g m
o an n a een f t h l i fe
a ne or os e n ore o e of the A n ci en t

M i
ar n er W hy ot d th p m w it h t z
n en e oe s an a CXL
9W h t w th ff t f th t y up th W ddi g Gu t ? W hy t h i
a as e e ec o e s or on e e n es s e ffec t
,
rat h er

thanam a em e t a d t
z n s uch s h v c h
n act
error i z d h im b f a a e ar er e e o re 9
.
 TH E V I SI O N O F SI R LA U N FA L

N O T E BY TH E AUTH O R —Ac c ord in g t o t he my t h o l og y o f t he Ro m an c ers

. ,

t he Sa n G re al o r H o ly G rai l w as t h e c u p o ut o f w h i c h Je s u s p artoo k o f
, ,

t he l as t s u ppe r w i t h h i s d i s c i p l e s I t w as b rou g h t i n t o E n g l an d by
.

Jo s e p h o f A ri m at h e a a n d re m ai n e d t h e re a n o bj e c t o f p i l g ri m ag e an d
, ,

a d o rat i o n fo r m an y y e ars i n t h e k e e p i n g o f hi s l i n e a l d e
,
sce n d a n t s I t .

w a s i n c u mb e n t u p o n t h o se w h o h a d c h a rg e o f i t t o b e c h a st e i n t h o ug h t ,

w or d a n d d e e d ; b u t o n e o f t h e k e e p ers h a v i n g b ro k e n t h i s co n d i t i o n
, ,

t he H o ly G rai l d i sa pp e a re d F ro m t h at t i m e i t w as a f a v o ri t e e n te r p ri se
'

o f t h e k n i g h t s o f A r t h u r s c o u r t t o g o i n s earc h o f i t Si r Ga l ah a d w a s
’
.

a t l a s t s u c cess f u l i n fin d i n g i t as m ay b e r ea d i n t h e se v e n te e n t h b oo k o f
,

t h e Ro m a n c e o f K i n g A r t h u r Te n n y s on h as m ad e Si r G a l a h a d t h e
.

s u b j e c t o f o n e o f t h e m o st e x u i s ite o f hi s p oe m s
q .

The p l o t ( if I m ay g i v e t h at n a m e t o a n y t h in g s o s l i g h t ) o f t h e f o ll o w
i n g p oe m i s m y o w n a n d t o s e r ve i t s p u rp os e s I h a ve e n l arge d t h e
, , ,

c i rc l e o f c o m p e t i t i o n i n s e arc h o f t h e m i rac u l o u s c up i n s u c h a m a n n e r

a s t o i n c l u d e n o t o n ly o t h e r p e rs o n s t h an t h e h e ro e s o f t h e Ro u n d Tabl e
, ,

b u t a l so a p e ri o d o f t i m e s u b se q u e n t t o t h e d at e o f K i n g Arth u r s re i g n
’
.

P RE L U D E T O P A RT F I RST
O VE R his keys the musi n g o rg an is t 1

Beginning d o ubtfully an d far aw ay 2

,

Fi r st lets his finge r s w ande r as they list ,

And builds a b r idge from D re am lan d for hi s lay ‘

5 Then as the touch of his loved instrument

,

Giv e s hope an d fervor ne are r dr aws his theme , ,

First guesse d by f ain t auror al flushes sent

Alo n g the w avering vist a of his dre am .

1 fi t t z a th ugh p i t d
The rs s an , p o r n e as a art o f th e P l d
re u e to P art Fi rs t , is lly
re a a

l i ttl i t d u t i t t h wh l p m I t g i v
e n ro c on o e o e oe . es the i d ea of th e p v
oe t s re e ri e as
’
he f ll w
o o s
h i t h ugh t w i t h
s o t th i gi d i ty f
ou fix d
e r o a e c o n s t ruct i o n .

9 F ar w y f m wh m
a a wh at
ro o or
36 TH E VI SIO N o r SI R LA UN FAL

Not only around our inf ancy

10 Doth he ave n with all its s p lendo r s lie °

D aily with souls th at cringe an d p lot

,

W e Sin ais climb an d know it not ; 2

O ver our m anhood bend the skies ;

Ag ai n st o ur f allen an d t r aito r live s
Th e g r e at winds utte r p r opheci e s ;
W ith our f ai n t he arts the mount ai n st r i ves ;
4
I ts arm s out stretched the drui d wood -

,
'

W aits with its ben e di ci t e ; -

And to o ur age s d ro w sy blood ’

S til l sh Ou t s the inspirin g se a .

E arth gets its p r ice for wh at E arth gives us ;

5

The be gg ar i s t axed for a corner to die in ,

The p riest h ath his fee w ho comes an d shrives us

W e b arg ai n for the gr av e s we lie in ;
25 At the Devil s booth are all things sold 6 ’
,

E ach ounce of dr o ss costs i ts ounce of gold ;

For a c ap an d bells our lives we p ay ,
’
Bubbles we e ar n with a whole soul s t asking ;
’
Tis he aven alone tha t is given aw ay
30 ’
Tis only Go d m ay b e h ad for the aski n g ;
The r e i s no p rice set on the l avish su m mer
An d Ju n e m ay be h ad by the p oo r est come r .

1 Th e a ll W d sw h
us i o n i s t o th I m I mm t l i ty t h
or o rt
’
s
“O d e on e n ti at i o n s on or a
”
e
“
,

fi t l i of st
rs ne v O u b i th i b t l p d f g tt i g L i 20 p b bly
an z a , r r s u a s ee an a or e n .
"
ne ro a

f t t h l t p t f t z I X f th m p m P i bly l i 21 m y h v b
re e rs o e as ar o s an a o e sa e oe . os s ne a a e e en

sugg t d
es e mm t W d s w t h E t h fill h l p w i t h t
as a c o en on fh
or w or
’
s ar s er a reas ure s o er o n .
”

Th t ud
e s t h u ld
en d th d
s o rea e o e.

S Ex d I L w ll t t m t i th li t u
2 ’
ee x x 3 o us x , . s o e s s a e en n e se n es r e

N tu
3 ai m l y l t G d th w
re s o re o a o o an e .

W h h L gf ll w p k f t h f t
4 e re as on t d i g l i k D uid ? I p t y
e o s o en o e ore s as s an n e r s n oe r

w d
or f t m v l bl f wh t t h y i m p ly t h f wh t t h y x p
s are o en o re a ua e Wh t
or a e an or a e e re s s . a

i
s sugg t d by d u i d
es e r

J t wh t d L w l l m by E th
5
us a oe s o e e an ar

W h t i th m ph ti w d i th i l i
a s e e a c or n s ne
 38 TH E V I S I ON O F SI R L A U N FA L

NO m at t er how b arren the p ast m ay h ave been ,

Tis enough for us now th at t he le aves are g r e en ;

’

W e sit in the w arm sh ade an d f ee l right well

H O W the sap creep s u p an d the bl o ssoms swell ;
W e m ay shut our eyes but we cannot hel p kno wi n g ,

Th at skies are cle ar an d gr ass i s growi n g ;

The b reeze comes whispering in our e ar

Th at d an delio n s are blossoming n e ar ,

Th at m aize h as sp routed th at Stre ams are flowin g , ,

Th at the r ive r is blue r th an the Sky ,

Th at t he robin is pl astering his house h ard by ;

And if the b r eeze ke p t the good news b ack ,

Fo r othe r couriers we shoul d not l ack ;

’
W e could guess it all by you heife r s lo wing ,

And h ark ! how cle ar bold Ch anticleer ,

W armed with the new wine of the ye ar ,

Tells all in his lu ty c rowing ! 1

80 Joy comes g rief goes we know not how ;

, ,

E ve rything is h appy n ow ,

Eve rythi n g is u p w ar d St r iving ;

’

Tis as e asy now for the he art to b e t rue

AS for the g r ass t o be g ree n o r skie s to be blue
’
Tis the n atu ral w ay of livi n g :
W ho knows whither the clouds h ave fl ed ?
I n the unsc arred he aven they le ave no w ake ;
An d the eyes fo rget the te ar s they h ave shed ,

The he art fo rgets i ts so r row an d ache ;

9 0 The soul p ar t akes the se aso n s youth ’
,

An d the sul p hu r ous r ifts of p assio n an d woe

1 Wh at i s the e ff e ctOf t h ch gi g m v m t f t h l i ?
e an n o e en O ese ne s L w ll
H o w h as o e

s e c ure d hi s e ff t i t h i d
ec s n s i pt i
e sc r—b y t h u Of p i lly pp p
on e se es ec a a ro ri a te w dor bys, o r

t he l ti
se e c on o f ty p ic l d t i l
a e a s
 TH E VI S I O N O F SI R L A UN FA L 39

Lie deep ne ath a Sile n ce pu r e an d smooth

’
,

Like bu rn t out c raters he aled with snow

-

Wh at w o n de r i f Si r L aun fal n o w 1

95 Remembered the kee p i n g of his vow ?

PA RT F I RS T 2

I .

My golden Spu r s n ow b ri n g to me 3

An d b rin g to me my richest m al l
Fo r to mo rr ow I go over l and an d s e a
-

I n se ar ch of the Holy G rail ;

Sh all neve r a be d for me he sp r e ad ‘

N o r Sh all a pillo w be unde r my he ad

Till I begin my vow to kee p ;
4
He r e on the rushes will I slee p ,

An d p e rch ance the r e m ay come a vision

”
E re day c r e ate the wo r ld an ew .

Slowly Si r L au n fal s eyes grew dim ’

,

Slumbe r fell like a cloud on him ,

And into his soul the vision fl ew 5

.

The crows fl ap pe d ove r by twos an d threes

1 10 I n the p ool d r owsed the c attl e u p to their kne e s
The little birds s ang as if it we re
The one day of summer in all the ye ar ,

An d the very le aves seemed to Si n g on the trees

W hy d L w ll b gi t p k f Si L u f l udd ly w i t h ut t ll i g u w h
1 o es o e e n o s ea o r a n a s en ,
o e n s o

an d wh t h w a e as

Sh w h w t h i
9 o ti
o su t i th pi i t Of th p l d
s sec on s a ns e s r e re u e .

G ld pu w t h ymb l Of k igh t h d W h
3 o en s rs e re k igh t d i g d h i m lf
e s o n oo . en a n s rac e se

h i g ld
s o p w h k d ff h i h l by t h
en s u rs e re k l v
ac e o s ee s e c oo
’
s c ea e r .

W h t i t h ig i fi
4 a s Of Si L f l l p i g t h
e s n c an ce h r aun a
’
s s ee n on e rus es

W h t i t h p u p Of t h i pp l t
5 a s e r d dy i g i t i l
os e t th
s a l f th
ea o s o un s n n o s en ce a e c os e o e

t
s an z a
40 TH E VI S I ON O F SI R L A UN FA L

The c as tle alone i n the l andsc ape lay

Like an out po s t of winte r dull an d gr ay ; ,
’
T was the p roudest h all i n the No r th Countree ,
1

And never its g ate s m ight o p ened b e ,

S ave to lord o r l ady of high degree ;

2
S ummer besiege d it on every Side ,

But the churlish Stone her ass aults defied ;

3
S he could n ot sc ale the chilly w all ,

Though round it for le agues her p avilions t al l

S tretche d left an d right ,

O ver the hills an d out of sight ;

G ree n an d b r o ad w as eve ry tent ,

An d ou t of e ach a murmur went

T ill the breeze fell O ff at n i ght .

Th e dr awbridge d ro pp ed with a surly clan gf ‘

And through the d ark arc h a ch arger s p rang ,

Be aring S ir L aun fal the m aiden knight , ,

I n his gilded m ail th at fl am e d so b r ight

,

I t seemed the d ark c astle h ad g athe r ed all

Those sh afts the fierce sun h ad Shot ove r its w al l
I n h is siege of three hundred summers long ,

An d binding them all in one bl azing she af ,

H ad c ast them forth : so young an d st rong , ,

And lightsome as a locust le af ,

S ir L au n fal fl ashed forth in his unsc arred m ail ,

To seek i n all cli m es fo r the H oly Gr ail .

1 40 It w as on hill an d stre am an d tree

m orn i n g
’
An d mo rning in the young knight s he art ;
1 W h t hym f Th A ci t M i
a r e o e n i hen ll d ?
ar n e r s ere re ca e
9 W h t i th i d f t h i d t h f w f ll w i g l i
a s e ea o s an e e O f 11 1 40 144
o o n nes . .
-
.

3 W h t th
a o t bl i
er no a t c e f p ifi ti
ns a n es o d y u fi d i th p m
e rs o n ca on o o n n e oe
4 P i t out som g d x m p l f ll it t i i t h i t z
o n e oo e a es o a e ra on n s s an a .
 TH E VI S I O N O F SI R L A UN FA L 41

O nly t he c as tle moodily

Re bu ffe d the gifts of the su n shi n e f ree ,

An d gloomed by its el f ap ar t ;
1 45 Th e se aso n brimmed all othe r thi n gs up
’
Full as the r ain fill s the p itcher p l an t s cup -
.

AS S i r L au n fal m ade morn through the d arksome g ate ,

’
He w as w ar e of a le p e r c r ouched by the s ame
1

W ho begge d with his h and an d mo aned as he s ate ;

An d a lo athing ove r Si r L au n fal c ame ;
The su n shine we n t out of his soul with a th r ill ,

The fle sh n e ath h i s ar mo r di d Shrink an d c rawl

’
,

An d midw ay its le ap h i s he art stood still

L i ke a f rozen w ate r f all ;
Fo r thi s m an SO foul an d bent of st atu r e
, ,

Rasped h ar shly ag ainst his d ainty n atu r e ,

An d seemed the o n e blot o n t h e summer m orn ,

S o he tosse d hi m a p iece of gold in scorn .

The leper r aised not the gol d f r om the dus t

160 Better to me the poo r m an s c r ust ’
,

Bette r the blessi n g of the poo r

Though I tu r n me empty f r om his doo r ;
Th at i s no t rue alms which the h and c an hold ;
H e gives nothing b ut wo rthless gol d
16 5 W ho gives f r om a sen se of duty ; 2

But he who gives a Slende r mite 3

,

And gives to th at which i s out O f Sight ,

1 H o w di d Ch i t o
r s n ce re ce i v e a lp
e er
2
D o th e gl my c t l
oo as e an d t he b i ll ia
r nt Si r L aun fal s t an df or m th i g i
t he sa e n n th e
p ’
oet s mi dn
2
W h t b i bl i l
a ca yi h
s to r s ere s u gg es te d]
!
42 TH E VI SIO N O F SI R L A U N FAL

Th at thre ad of the all sust ai n i n g Be auty -

W hich r u n s th r ough all an d doth all u n ite

The h an d c an n ot cl asp the whole of hi s alms ,

The he ar t outst r etche s i ts e age r p alm s ,

Fo r a go d goes with it an d m akes it sto re

T o the soul th at w as st arvi n g i n d ark n ess befo re .

P RE L U D E T O PA RT SE O O N D 1

Down swe p t the chill wi n d f ro m the mou n t ai n p e ak ,

1 75 F r om t he snow five tho us an d su mme r s old 3

O n open wold an d hill top ble ak -

I t h ad g athe red all the cold

’
And whi r led it like sleet on the w ande r er s che ek '

I t c arr ied a Shive r eve rywhe re

180 F ro m the unle afed boughs an d p astu res b ar e
The little br ook he ar d it an d built a r oof
’
Ne at h which he coul d house him wi n t e r p roof ,
-

’
All night by th e whi te st ars f ros ty gle ams
He g roi n ed h i s ar ches an d m atched his be am s ;
4

185 Slende r an d cle ar were hi s cry s t al s p ar s

A S t h e l ashes of light th at t r im the st ar s ;
He sculptu red eve ry su m me r delight
I n his b alls an d ch ambe r s out of sight ;
Sometimes hi s ti n klin g w at e r s sli p t .

190 Dow n th rough a f rost le aved fo re st c rypt 5 - -

Long Sp arkling aisle s of steel stemmed tree s

,
-

Be n di n g to c ounte r feit a b reez e

1 W h t d iff t
a f
ere n re as o n or i n t ro d i g uc n d p l ud
s e co n re e W h i c h p l ud i th
re e s e

m ore b ut i ful W h i h t h m
ea c e o re s u gg ti v es e Whi h c s eas o n do y u i m gi
o a th p t
ne e oe

p f
re e rre d
C mp th i
9 o are s p
d e s c ri t i o n of w w i th t h t i W h i tt i
i n t er wb a n
’
er s Sn o o un d .
”
The
s t ud t w il l b i t
en e n e re s t e di n re a d i g L w ll
n y A G d W d f Wi
o e
’
s es sa , oo or or n t er .
”

W hy sum m
2
ers i n s te a d of w i n ters ?
S th e i ll u t
4 ee s rat i o n s i n the di c t i o n ari e s .

Cryp t b c u e a se i t w as d w o n un d e rn e at h , as if in a ce ll ar ; f or es t b e c aus e th e i c e f z ro e

i f m ft
n or o re e s .
 TH E VIS I O N O F SI R L A UN FA L 43

S ometimes the roof n o f r et work knew

But silvery mosses tha t down w ar d grew ;
Sometimes it w as c ar ved i n sh arp relief
W ith qu ai n t ar abesques o f ice fern l eaf -
°

Sometimes i t w as simply s m ooth an d cle ar

Fo r the gl ad n ess o f he aven to shine through an d ,

He h ad c aught the no dding bul r ush to p s -

An d hung them thickly with di amon d drop s ,

W hich c ryst alled the be ams of moon an d sun ,

An d m ade a st ar O f every one :

’
No mo rt al builde r s most r are device
Coul d m at ch this winte r p al ace of ice ; -

’
Tw as as if every im age th at m ir rored lay
I n his de p ths se re n e th rough the summer day ,

E ach flitting Sh ado w o f e arth an d sky

Lest the h appy mo del Shoul d be lost ,

H ad been m imicke d in f a i ry m asonry

By the elfin builders of the f rost .

W ithin th e h all are son g an d l aughter ,

1

The cheeks O f Christm as glo w red an d j olly ,

And sp rout ing i s eve ry co rbel an d r after

With the lightsome g reen o f ivy an d holly ;
215 Through th e deep gulf of the chimn ey wid e
‘

W allows the Yule log s r o ar ing tide ; -

’

The b road fl ame pennons d r oo p an d fl ap

-

And belly an d tug as a fl ag i n the wind ;

Like a locust sh rills the imp r iso n ed s ap ,

220 Hu n ted to de at h i n its g alle r i e s blin d ;

An d swi ft little t r oop s of Silent Sp arks ,

N o w p ausing now sc atte r ing aw ay as in fe ar

, ,
’
GO thre adi ng the s oot fo r e st s t angled d arks
- -

Like he r ds O f st artled de er .

dy th d t i l Of th i p ict h d b W h at w d z
A

1 St u e e a s s ure an d t en e s c ri e it . or s t an a

fi rs t s h w t h h g i Si L f l
o s e c an e n r a un a
 44
-

TH E VI S I O N O F SI R L A UN FA L

225But the wind without w as e age r an d sh ar p ,

S i
’
Of r L au n f l
a s g r ay h ai r it m akes a h arp 1
,

And r attles an d wrings

The icy st r ings ,

Singi n g i n d re ary monotone, ,

230 A Ch r istm as c ar ol of its own

,

W hose burde n s till as he m ight guess , ,

Was Shelte rless Shelte rless shelterless ! ”

, ,

The voice o f t he s enesch al fl ared like a to r ch

A s he shouted the w ande re r aw ay f r om the po rch ,

235 An d he s at down in the g atew ay an

d s aw all n ight 2

The g re at h all fire so cheery an d bold -

, ,

Th rough the window slits of the c astle old -

Buil d out its p ie r s o f r u ddy light

Ag ainst the d rift of the cold 3
.

PA RT S E C O ND

240 There w as neve r a le af on bush o r tre e

The b are boughs r attled shudde ri n gly
The river w a s dumb an d could not Spe ak ,
’
Fo r the f rost s swift s huttles its sh r oud had spun ;
A Si n gle c r o w on the t r ee top ble ak -

2 45
F r om his Shini n g fe athe r s she d O ff the cold sun ;
Ag a in i t w as mo rni n g but Sh r u n k an d cold ,

AS i f h e r vei n s we r e s apless an d old ,

An d she rose u p dec r epitly

Fo r a l ast di m look at e ar th an d se a .

1 I s fig b g i i g i th i l i
th e ure e p i lly g d
nn n n s ne es ec a oo es p e c ia lly pp p a ro ri a t e

W ld t h p m h v g i d l t by i t m i i
ou e oe a e a ne or os s o ss o n
1
S th l i
can e ne .
3W h t i th m t p i t q w d i t h i t z
a s e os c ure s ue or n s s an a
1
I th
n an o d it i t h i l in i g i v
er e on F th w
s v Wie s en , or e ea er n te r i ts s h ro u dh ad s p un .
"

Whi h di g d y p f
c re a n o d why
ou re e r , an

5W i t h wh t p d i g l i m y w c t t th i W hy
a re ce n ne a e on ras s a s in gl e c ro w ?
46 TH E VISI ON O F SI R L AUN FAL

The l e p e r l an k as the r ain bl an ched bone

,
-

,
1

Tha t cowered b eside him a thin g as lone ,

And white as the ice i sl e s o f No rthe rn se as -

I n the desol ate horro r O f his dise ase .

And S ir L aun fal s aid I behol d in thee ,

An im age O f Him who died on the t re e ;

Th ou also h ast h ad thy c r ow n O f tho r ns ,

Thou als o h ast h ad th e wo rld s bu ffets an d sco rns ’

And to thy life we r e not denied

The woun d s in the h ands an d feet an d side ;
Mild M ary s Son acknowledge me ’
, ,
” 3
Behold through him I give to thee !
, ,

The n the soul O f the l e per stood up i n h i s ey e s

An d looked at Si r L au n fal an d st raightw ay he ,

29 0 Remembered in wh at a h aughtier guise

He h ad flu n g an alm s to le p ros i e ,

4
W hen he c aged his you n g life up in gilded m ail
And set fo rth in se arch O f the H oly Gr ail ,

The he art within him w as ashes an d dust .

29 5 He p arted in tw ain his Si n gle c ru st ,

’
H e b r oke the ice on the st re amlet s b r ink ,

And g ave the lepe r to e at an d d rink ;

Tw as a moldy c rust of co ar se b rown b re ad ,
’
Tw as w ate r out of a woode n bowl ,

300 Yet with fin e Whe aten b r e ad w as the leper fed

An d tw as r e d wi n e he dr an k with his thirsty soul
’
.

1 W h t d iff
a e re n t p as s a e sg in Th e A n c i en t M ari n e r are re c a ll de h li
by t i s ne

by 11 . 27 8 , 28 1 f
3
M tt h w x 32
Se e a e . .

3
SeeM tt h w X X V 40
a e . .

4 Wh y i g d
s cap i lly w ll h
e es ec a e c o se n
 TH E VI SIO N O F SI R L A U N FA L 47

AS Si r L aun fal mused with a downc ast f ace ,

A light shone r ou n d about the pl ace

The lep e r n o lo n ge r crouched at hi s SI de ,

But stood before hi m glorified ,

Shini n g an d t al l an d f ai r an d st raight 1

As the pill a r th at stood by the Be autiful G ate ,

Himself the G ate whe reby m e n can

3

E n te r the te m p l e o f God in M an .

VIII .

3 10 His wo rds were Shed softer t h an le aves f rom the pine 4

,

An d they fell 0 11 Si r Lau n fal as sn ows on the b ri n e ‘

W hich mi n gle thei r soft n ess an d qui et in one

W ith the sh aggy u n rest they flo at down upon ;
An d the voice th at w as calm er th an s ilence s aid .

L O it is I be n o t af r aid ! 5
, ,

I n m any climes without av ail , ,

Thou h as t spent thy life for the Holy Gr ail ;

—
Behol d it i s he r e thi s cu p which thou ,

Didst fill at the stre amlet for m e but n ow ;

3 20 This crust is m body broken fo r thee
y ,

This w at er His blood th at died on the tree ;

The H oly S u pp er i s ke p t indeed , ,
’
I n wh atso w e sh are with an other s need
Not th at which we give but wh at we sh are , ,

325 Fo r the gift witho u t the giver i s b are

;

W h t i t h ff ct i t h i s l i f th e p ti ti f a d
1 a s e e e n ne o re e on o n

A t III 2
3 c s , .

J h K 9
3 o n , .

I thi w d b tt
4 s s th orlm th di g f
e er th d iti
an ca W hy er , e rea n o an an o er e on
5 Di p v ty d t h
s e ase , w ll c m t u w i th b i g u t c ; b ut
o er , ea , s o rro , a o e o s un en n co n e n an e s

f m
ro ft
one a th th m
e r an o k f ll ff d w b h ld f
er ewh i h t i t he gl y
as a s o , an e e o ace s c re a n or

and c lm f h v i g l
a o k d i th f
a n f G d Lett I 78
oo e n e a ce o o .
”
e rs , , .

3
Th t ud t mu t h
e s en ll th b l i f t h t t h b d d w i Of th H ly S
s e re rec a e e e a e re a an ne e o ac

ram t b m t h t u l b dy d bl d f Ch i t
en e ca e e ac a o an oo o r s .
48 TH E VISI ON O F SI R L A U N FA L

W ho bestows hi m self with his alms fee ds three ,

” 1
H imself his hun g ering neighbor an d me
, ,
.

Si r L au n fal woke as from a swound : a ,

The Gr ail i n my c as tle here i s found !

H ang my idle ar mo r up on the w all ,

Le t it be the s p ider s b anquet h all ;

’
-

He must be fenced with stronger m ail

Who would seek an d find the Holy Gr ail .

The c astle g ate St an ds op e n n o w -

335 And the w an de rer i s w e lcome to th e h all

As the h an gbi r d is to the e lm t r ee bough -

N O longe r scowl the tu rr ets t all ,

’
The Summe r s long siege at l ast is o er ;
’

W hen the fi r st poo r outc ast went in at the doo r ,

3 40 She en t ered with h i m in disguise ,

And m aste red the fortress by surprise ;

The r e is no spot Sh e loves SO well on g rou n d
She linge r s an d smiles there the whole ye ar r ound ;
The m e anest se r f on S ir L au n fal s land ’

3 45 H as h all an d bowe r at his comm and ;

3

An d ther e s n o p oo r m an in the North Countree

’

4
But is lord O f the e arldom as much as h e .

W i t h t h i m p L igh H u t l it tl p m Ab u B Adh m
1 s co are e n
’
s e oe o en e .
”

T wh t p c d i g l i
3 O d t h t y tu
a re e W h i Th A cie t M i
n ne oes e s or re rn e re , n e n n ar n er,

d w o tie no imi l d vi ?
ce a s ar e ce
“M L w ll t ld m t h t i
r . o e b yh d h h d b e ubj ct t v i i
o e a wh i h s n ce o oo e a en s e o s on s , c

app d u lly i t h v i g C mm ly h s w a fig u i m d i v l t um wh i h
e are sua n e e en n . o on e a re n e ae a cos e c

k pte id
on o n e sf hi m Th l t v i i
e o h h d w as W h i l
. t yi g t E gl i h
e u t y
as s on e a e s a n a an n s co n r

h u Aft d i
o se . i th d w i g
er m h w a figu i t h d
n n er, n ef m di v l
ra n -
roo e sa re n e re ss o a e a
e a

sch l o arTh f m w
. v y d i sti c t I t b k d t h i m
e or as d d t mi d t
er n . ec on e o an , e er ne o s ee

wh i t w ld g h f ll w d i t ut t h t
e re ou o, wh Of a sudd i t d i pp d
e o o e o on e e rrac e , ere en sa eare .
”

N t by D
o e S W M i t h ll q
r . t d i
. L tt II 37 1
. c e , uo e n e e rs , , .

H ll
3
a d b w i an f t h Old b ll d p h
o er j u t wh t i m t by h w d
s one o e a a r as es s a s e an e ac or .

Wh t i g i d by endi g th p m w i t h b ll ad t
4 a s a ne n e oe a a no e
 TH E V I SI ON or SI R L A UN FAL 49

TH E SE A RC H
Co m p are c are f ully w it h t he Vi s i o n of Si r L au nfa l t h e se l i ne s w ri tte n
a b o ut a y ear b e f ore Sh o w h o w t h e t w o po e m s d e v e lo p t h e s a m e c e n t ra l
“
.

t h oug h t Wh at p art of Si r Laun fal i s m os t c l o se ly p ara ll e l e d by

.
”

”
The Searc h

I went to see k for Ch ri st ,

And N ature s e emed so f ai r

Th at fi r st the wo o ds an d fields my youth entice d -

And I w as sure to find him there

The tem p le I forsook ,

And to th e solitude
Allegi an ce p ai d ; but W inter came an d shook
The c r own an d pu rple f r om my wood ;
His snows like dese rt s ands with sco rn ful d rift
, , ,

Besieged the columned aisle an d p al ace g ate -

My Thebes cut deep with m an y a solemn ri f t

, ,

But e pit aphe d h e r own se p ulchred st at e

Then I rem embe r ed whom I went to seek ,

An d blessed blunt W inte r for his counsel ble ak .

B ack t o the wo rld I turned ,

For Chri st I s aid is King ;

, ,

S o the cr am pe d alley an d the hut I s p urned ,

As far ben e ath hi s soj ou rni ng

Mi d p ower an d we alth I sought ,

But found no tr ace o f him ,

And all the cost ly O ffe rings I h ad brought

W ith sudden r ust an d mould grew di m
I fou n d his tomb indeed where by thei r l aws
, , ,

All must on sta ted d ays themselve s im p r ison ,

’
Mo cking with bre ad a de ad c r eed s grin n ing j aw s -

W itles s h ow long the life h ad th ence arisen ;

Due sac r ifice to th i s they set ap art ,

P rizing it m o r e th an Christ s own livi n g he art

’
.
50 I I
TH E V S O N O F SI R L A U N FA L

So f rom my feet the dus t

O f the p roud Worl d I shook ;
Th e n c ame de a r Love an d Sh ared with m e his c r ust ,
’
An d h al f my so rr ow s b urden took .

’
After the W orld s soft bed ,

I ts ric h an d d ai n ty f ar e,
’
Like down see med Love s co ar se p illo w to my he ad ,

H i s che ap foo d seemed as m ann a r are ;

Fr esh t rodden p rints o f b are an d bleedi n g feet
-

Tu rne d to t he heedle ss c i ty w he n ce I c am e ,

H ar d by I s aw an d s p ri n gs O f wo r shi p swee t
,

G u shed f rom m y cleft he art smitten by the sam e ;

Love looked m e in the f ace an d s p ake n o words ,
’
But st raight I knew those foot p rints were the Lo r d s .

I follow e d wh e re they led ,

An d in a hovel rude ,

W i t h n aught to fence the w e ather f ro m his he ad ,

The King I sought fo r meekly Stood

A n ak ed hung ry child
,

Clung rou n d h i s gr acious knee ,

And a p oor hu n ted sl ave looked u p an d smiled

To bless the smile th at s e t him free ;
N e w mir acles I s aw h i s p resence do ,

N O mo r e I knew the hovel b are an d p oor ,

The g ather ed chi p s i n to a woodpile g rew ,

Th e broken mo r sel swelled t o goodly store ;

I knelt an d wept : my Ch rist no mo r e I seek ,

H i s throne i s with the outc ast an d th e we ak .

S TAN D A RD L I T E RA T U R E S E RI E S

T I TL E S S HO W I N G A
G R D I NG

A M E RI C A N H I ST O RY

l y ( Coo p e r) N O 8
*D ee rs a e r
, . Fo r 5 t h an d 6 t h Y e ars .

D u t c hm an s Fi re si d e ( P au l d i ng ) N O 44 Fo r 6 t h a n d 7 t h Y e ars
’
. .
,

G ran df at h er s C h ai r ( H a w t h o r n e ) N O 46 Fo r 6 t h Y e a r
’
* . .
,
*
H ors e Sh o e Rob i n so n ( K e n n e dy ) N O 1 0
-

, . F or 6 t h a n d 7 t h Y e ars .

Kn i c k e rb o c k e r St ori e s ( I r v i n g ) N O 23 , . Fo r 7 t h a n d 8 t h Y e a r s .

*
L as t o f t he M o h i can s ( Co o p e r) N O 29 , . F o r 7 t h Y e ar .

*
P i l o t ( C o o p e r) N O 2 , . Fo r 6 t h an d 7 t h Y e ars .

Sp y ( C oo p er ) ,
Fo r 6 t h an d 7 t h Y e ars .

*
Wat e r Wi t c h ( C oo p e r) N o , . 27 F o r 7 t h Ye ar .

*
We s t w ard HO ! ( Ki n g s l e y ) ,
N O 33 . . Fo r 7 t h a n d 8 t h Y e a rs .

*
Y e m assee (Si m m s) ,
N o 32 . For 7 t h an d 8 t h Y ea rs .

E NG LI S H A N D S C O TTI S H H I STO RY

*
Haro ld ( B u l w e r L y tto n ) N O 1 2
-

, . Fo r 8th Ye ar .

*
I van h oe ( Sc o t t ) N O 24 , . Fo r 7th Ye ar .

*
Ke n i l w o rt h ( Sc o t t ) N O 7 , . Fo r 6th an d 7 th Years .

Ro b Ro y ( Sc o t t ) N o 3 , . Fo r 6th an d 7 t h Y e ars .

Tal e s o f a G ran d fat h e r ( Sc o t t ) , N O 28 . . For 6 th Y e ar .

*
Wa v e rl e y ( Sco t t ) N O 50 ,
. For 6t h an d 7 th Ye ars .

FRE N C H , S P AN I S H A N D RO M A N H I STO RY
A lh a mb ra ( I r v i n g) N O 4 , . For 6 th an d 7t h Ye ars .

*
p
L as t D ay s O f P o m e ii ( B u l w e r L y t t o n ) , N O -
. 38 . Fo r 7th Y e ar .

*
N i n et y T h re e ( H ug o) N O 1 8
-

, . For 7th Ye ar .

*
P e asan t a n d P ri n c e ( M art i n e au) N O 41 , . Fo r 6 th an d 7t h Ye ars .

*
Ta l e o f T w o C i t i e s ( D i c e n s ) , N O 6 0 k . F or 6th an d 7 t h Y e a rs .

FO R P RI M A RY G RA D E S

Fai ry Ta l e s ( For Se c o n d Sc h oo l Y ea r) N O 39 ,
. Fo r 2d Ye ar .

G ri m m s B e s t St o ri e s , N O 5 5 Y e ars
’
. F o r 3d an d 4t h .

H a n s An d e rs e n s B e s t Sto ri e s , N O 5 2 Fo r 3d Y e ar
’

. .

Ro b i n so n C r us oe ( D e f oe ) N O 25 , . For 3d an d 4t h Ye ars .

Sw i ss F a m i ly Ro b i n so n ( Wy s s) , N O 35 . For 4th Y ear .

Wo n d er B oo ( Haw t h o rn e) (4 St ori e s) , N O 1 6
k . Fo r 4t h Year .
 S T A N D A RD LITE R A T URE SE RI E S
FO R I NTE RM E D I ATE A N D G RA M M A R G RA D E S
* B l ac k B e au t y ( Se w all ) N O 3 1 , . . Fo r 5t h an d 6 t h Ye ars .

C h ri s t m as St o ri e s ( D i c k e n s ) N O 5 , . Fo r 5 t h a n d 6 t h Y ears .

G u ll i ve r s Tr a v e l s ( Sw i f t ) N O 13 F or 6 t h an d 7 t h Ye ars
’
. .
, .

L i t t l e N e ll ( D i c k e n s ) N O 22
, . . For 6 t h an d 7 t h Ye ars .

Pau l D o mb e y ( D i c k e n s) N o 1 4 , . Fo r 6 t h a n d 7 t h Y e ars .

Pi l g ri m s P ro g re s s ( B un y an ) N O 30 F or 5 t h Y e ar
’
, . .

*
Ro u n d t h e World i n E ig h t y D a y s ( V e rn e ) N o 3 4 , . F or 5 t h Y ear .

Sn ow I m ag e ( H aw t h orn e ) N O 20 , . F or 5 t h Y e ar .

Tw i c e To ld Ta l e s ( H aw t h o rn e ) N O 1 5 , . For 7 t h an d 8 t h Y e ars .

*
Tw o Y e ars B e f o re t h e M ast ( D an a) N O 1 9 , . F o r 6 t h Y e ar
Y oung M aroon e rs ( Go u ld i n g) N O 5 7 , . F or 5 t h and 6 t h Y e ars .

FO R C RI TI C A L STUD Y O F E NG LI SH

ln G ra m m a r an d H i g h Sc h o o ls

An c i e n t M ari n e r Cole rid e) an d V i si o n o f Si r

i “
fg
F11 T3 11 3
m
,

L au n fal n , Nr e
p g
o .

Cou rt sh i O f M i e s t an i s an (I Ot ife r P o e m s
. '

I
( L O I g fe llo w ) , N O 47 .
F u ll Te x t .

*
D avi d C o ppe rfie ld s C h i ldh o o d ( D i c e n s) N O 3 6 C o m l e t e
’
k . . . p .

E n o c h Ar d e n an d O t h e r P oe m s 6 F ull Te x t . .

E v an g e l i n e ( L on g fe ll o w ) , N O 21 F u ll Te x t. .

*
Fi ve G reat A ut h o rs , N O 42 . E ac h Se l e c t i on C o m l e t e
. p
p
.

Gare t h a n d L y n e t t e , e t c ( Te n n y s o n ) , N O 56
. T h re e C o m l e te P o e m s . .

Go ld s m i t h , G ray , B urn s an d o t h e r Ro m a n t i c
P oe t s o f t h e E ig h t ee n t h C e n t u ry , N O
k p
J u l i us C aes ar ( Sh a es e are ) , N O 5 1
19 Co m l e te P oe m s
C o m l e te .
.
i p
p
.
.

L ay o f t h e L as t M i n s t re l ( Sc o t t ) N O 40 Fu ll Te x t , . .

*
k
L a dy o f t h e L a e ( Sc ott) N o 9 , F u ll Te x t. .

k p
M ac b e t h ( Sh a es e are) , N O 5 3 . C o m l e te p .

M e rc h an t o f V e n i ce ( Sh a e s eare ) , N o 49 k p C o m l e te . p .

P ri n c e ss ( Te nn y so n ) , N O 5 4 . Fu ll Te x t .

P ri s o n e r o f C h i ll on a n d O t h e r Po e m s ( B y ro n ) , N O 1 1 . .

*
Po e m s of Kn i g h t ly A d v e n t u re , N O 26 E ac h Se l e c t i o n C o m l e te . p .

*
Si l as M arn er ( E l i o t ) , N O 43 . C om let e . p .

*
Si r R og e r d e C o v e rl e y Pa e rs N O 5 9 p Co m l et e , . . p .

k k
S et c h B oo , P ar t O n e , Sto ri es ( I r v i n g ) , N O 1 7 , 8 C o m l e t e Se l ec ti o n s . p
k k p
.

S e t c h B o o , P art Tw o E ssa y s ( I r v i n g ) N O 6 1 , 7 C o m l e t e Se l ec t i o n s
, .

*
k k
S e t c h B oo , C o mb i n e d ( I r v i n g ) N O 6 2 1 5 C o m l et e Se l e c t i o n s
, . . p .

*
So n g o f H i a w at h a ( L o n g fe ll o w ) , N O 3 7 F u ll Te x t . .

St o ri e s an d P oe m s by P oe , N O 5 8 1 0 C o m l e t e Se l e c t i o n s
. . p
“
,

*
k
Vi car o f W a e fie ld ( Go ld s m i t h ) , N O Co m l e t e . p .

V i s i o n o f Si r L au n fal ( L ow e ll ) , an d A n c i e n t
M ari n e r ( Co l e ri dg e ) , N O
Fu Te x t
.
i .