Alas! where’er the current tends,
  Regret pursues and with it blends,—­
  Huge Criffel’s hoary top ascends
      By Skiddaw seen,—­40
  Neighbours we were, and loving friends
      We might have been;

  True friends though diversely inclined;
  But heart with heart and mind with mind,
  Where the main fibres are entwined, 45
      Through Nature’s skill,
  May even by contraries be joined
      More closely still.

  The tear will start, and let it flow;
  Thou “poor Inhabitant below,” [C] 50
  At this dread moment—­even so—­
      Might we together
  Have sate and talked where gowans blow,
      Or on wild heather.

  What treasures would have then been placed 55
  Within my reach; of knowledge graced
  By fancy what a rich repast! 
      But why go on?—­
  Oh! spare to sweep, thou mournful blast,
      His grave grass-grown. 60

  There, too, a Son, his joy and pride,
  (Not three weeks past the Stripling died,)
  Lies gathered to his Father’s side,
      Soul-moving sight! 
  Yet one to which is not denied 65
      Some sad delight.

  For he is safe, a quiet bed
  Hath early found among the dead,
  Harboured where none can be misled,
      Wronged, or distrest; 70
  And surely here it may be said
      That such are blest.

  And oh for Thee, by pitying grace
  Checked oft-times in a devious race,
  May He who halloweth the place 75
      Where Man is laid
  Receive thy Spirit in the embrace
      For which it prayed!

  Sighing I turned away; but ere
  Night fell I heard, or seemed to hear, 80
  Music that sorrow comes not near,
      A ritual hymn,
  Chanted in love that casts out fear
      By Seraphim. [D]

* * * * *

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1: 

1842.

  ... out of ...  MS.]

[Variant 2: 

  But wherefore tremble? ’tis no place
  Of pain and sorrow, but of grace,
  Of shelter, and of silent peace,
      And “friendly aid”;
  Grasped is he now in that embrace
      For which he prayed. [a] MS.]

[Variant 3: 

1845.

  Well might I mourn that He was gone
  Whose light I hailed when first it shone,
  When, breaking forth as nature’s own,
      It showed my youth 1842.]

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A:  It is dated thus by Wordsworth himself on three occasions, and the year of its composition is also indicated in the title of the poem.—­Ed.]