building and furnishing that house, and she added with pride that she had lived in her youth in the family of Lady Egerton, who was no high lady, and now was in the habit of coming to her house whenever she was at Jedburgh, and a hundred other things; for when she once began with Lady Egerton, she did not know how to stop, nor did I wish it, for she was very entertaining.  Mr. Scott sat with us an hour or two, and repeated a part of the ’Lay of the Last Minstrel’.  When he was gone our hostess came to see if we wanted anything, and to wish us good-night.  On all occasions her manners were governed by the same spirit:  there was no withdrawing one’s attention from her.  We were so much interested that William, long afterwards, thought it worth while to express in verse the sensations which she had excited, and which then remained as vividly in his mind as at the moment when we lost sight of Jedburgh.”

(From Dorothy Wordsworth’s ‘Recollections of a Tour made in Scotland’, 1803.)—­Ed.

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“FLY, SOME KIND HARBINGER, TO GRASMERE-DALE” [A]

Composed September 25, 1803.—­Published 1815

[This was actually composed the last day of our tour between Dalston and Grasmere.—­I.F.]

One of the “Miscellaneous Sonnets” in 1815 and 1820.—­Ed.

  Fly, some kind Harbinger, to Grasmere-dale! [1]
  Say that we come, and come by this day’s light;
  Fly upon swiftest wing round field and height, [2]
  But chiefly let one Cottage hear the tale;
  There let a mystery of joy prevail, 5
  The kitten frolic, like a gamesome sprite, [3]
  And Rover whine, as at a second sight
  Of near-approaching good that shall not fail: 
  And from that Infant’s face let joy appear;
  Yea, let our Mary’s one companion child—­10
  That hath her six weeks’ solitude beguiled
  With intimations manifold and dear,
  While we have wandered over wood and wild—­
  Smile on his Mother now with bolder cheer.

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VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1: 

1837.

  Fly, some kind Spirit, fly to Grasmere Vale! 1815.

  ... dale, 1827.]

[Variant 2: 

1837.

  Glad tidings!—­spread them over field and height; 1815.]

[Variant 3: 

1837.

  The Kitten frolic with unruly might, 1815.

  The happy Kitten bound with frolic might, 1827.]

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FOOTNOTE ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A:  In the editions of 1815 and 1820, this poem bore the title, ’On approaching Home, after a Tour in Scotland, 1803’,—­Ed.]