LINENOTES:
[1-15]
When faint and sad o"er Sorrow"s desart wild Slow journeys onward, poor Misfortune"s child; When fades each lovely form by Fancy drest, And inly pines the self-consuming breast; (No scourge of scorpions in thy right arm dread, No helmed terrors nodding o"er thy head,) a.s.sume, O DEATH! the cherub wings of PEACE, And bid the heartsick Wanderer"s Anguish cease.
1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.
[Lines 1-15 of the text were first printed in 1829.]
[16] these] yon 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.
[18-24]
Escap"d the sore wounds of Affliction"s rod Meek at the throne of Mercy and of G.o.d, Perchance, thou raisest high th" enraptur"d hymn Amid the blaze of Seraphim!
1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.
[25] Yet oft ("tis Nature"s bosom-startling call) 1794, 1796, 1828: Yet oft ("tis Nature"s call) 1797, 1803.
[26] should] shall 1829.
[30] Thy] The 1794.
[31-32]
And now a flash of Indignation high Darts through the tear that glistens in mine eye.
1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.
[35] his] her 1794.
[37] Disappointment"s deadly shade 1794.
[41] merciless] pitiless 1794.
[45] aye, as] om. 1797, 1803.
[46] He] And 1797, 1803.
[47-56]
How dauntless aella fray"d the Dacyan foes; And, as floating high in air, Glitter the sunny Visions fair, His eyes dance rapture, and his bosom glows!
1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.
[1794 reads "Danish foes"; 1797, 1803 read "See, as floating", &c.
Lines 48-56 were added in 1829.]
[58-71]
Friend to the friendless, to the sick man Health, With generous Joy he views th" _ideal_ wealth; He hears the Widow"s heaven-breath"d prayer of Praise; He marks the shelter"d Orphan"s tearful gaze; Or where the sorrow-shrivell"d Captive lay, 5 Pours the bright Blaze of Freedom"s noon-tide Ray: And now, indignant "grasps the patriot steel"
And her own iron rod he makes Oppression feel.
Clad in Nature"s rich array, And bright in all her tender hues, 10 Sweet Tree of Hope! thou loveliest child of Spring!
How fair didst thou disclose thine early bloom, Loading the west winds with its soft perfume!
And Fancy, elfin form of gorgeous wing, [And Fancy hovering round on shadowy wing, 1794.]
On every blossom hung her fostering dews, 15 That, changeful, wanton"d to the orient Day!
But soon upon thy poor unshelter"d Head [Ah! soon, &c. 1794.]
Did Penury her sickly mildew shed: And soon the scathing Lightning bade thee stand In frowning horror o"er the blighted Land
1794, 1796, 1828.
[Lines 1-8 of the preceding variant were omitted in 1797. Line 9 reads "Yes! Clad," &c., and line 12 reads "Most fair," &c. The entire variant, "Friend . . . Land," was omitted in 1803, but reappears in 1828. The quotation marks "grasps the patriot steel" which appear in 1796, but not in 1794, were inserted in 1828, but omitted in 1829, 1834. Lines 1-6 were included in "Lines written at the King"s Arms, Ross", as first published in the Cambridge Intelligencer, Sept. 27, 1794, and in the editions of 1797, 1828, 1829, and 1834.]
[72] Ah! where] Whither 1794, 1797.
[73] that lighten"d] light-flashing 1797, 1803.
[76] wan] cold 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828. lethal] anguish"d 1794, 1796, 1797, 1828.
[77] And dreadful was that bosom-rending sigh 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.
[78] the gloomy] that gloomy 1803.
[80] Prepar"d the poison"s power 1797, 1803.
[90] And mark thy mother"s tear 1797, 1803.
[98] low-born] low-bred 1794.
[99] with] at 1794. must] might 1794.
[102] black] dark 1794.
[103-13] These lines, which form the conclusion (ll. 80-90) of the Christ"s Hospital Version, were printed for the first time in 1834, with the following variants: l. 104 the Eternal"s] th" Eternal; l. 105 Seraphim] Cherubim; l. 112 to meet] t"oppose; l. 113 storm] storms.
[120] slow] rude 1794.
[121] Lone glittering thro" the Forest"s murksome pride 1794.
[123] mastering] mad"ning 1794, 1796, 1797, 1803, 1828.
[129] Here the Monody ends 1794.
[130-65] First printed in 1796.
[133] unshaped] shapeless 1803.
[136-39] om. 1803.