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They who had fed their childhood upon dreams,
The playfellows of fancy, who had made
All powers of swiftness, subtilty, and strength
Their ministers,—who in lordly wise had stirred [5]
Among the grandest objects of the sense, 25
And dealt [6] with whatsoever they found there
As if they had within some lurking right
To wield it;—they, too, who, of gentle mood,
Had watched all gentle motions, and to these
Had fitted their own thoughts, schemers more mild, 30
And in the region of their peaceful selves;—
Now was it that both [7] found, the meek and lofty
Did both find, helpers to their heart’s desire,
And stuff at hand, plastic as they could wish;
Were called upon to exercise their skill, 35
Not in Utopia, subterranean [8] fields,
Or some secreted island, Heaven knows where!
But in the very world, which is the world
Of all of us,—the place where in the end
We find our happiness, or not at all! 40
* * * * *
[Variant 1: “were” omitted from the 1820 edition only.]
[Variant 2:
1809.
... us ... ‘The Prelude’, 1850.]
[Variant 3:
1815.
... Enchanter ... 1809.]
[Variant 4:
1832.
(To take an image which was felt no doubt 1809.
(As at some moments might not be unfelt ‘The Prelude’, 1850.]
[Variant 5:
1815.
Their ministers—used to stir in lordly wise 1809.]
[Variant 6:
1815.
And deal ... 1809.]
[Variant 7: “both” ‘italicised’ from 1815 to 1832, and also in ’The Prelude’.]
[Variant 8:
1832
... subterraneous ... 1809.]
Compare Coleridge’s remarks in ‘The Friend’, vol. ii. p. 38, before quoting this poem,
“My feelings and imagination did not remain unkindled in this general conflagration; and I confess I should be more inclined to be ashamed than proud of myself if they had! I was a sharer in the general vortex, though my little world described the path of its revolution in an orbit of its own,” etc.
Ed.
* * * * *
Composed 1805.—Published 1807
“Jam non consilio bonus, sed more
eo perductus, ut non tantum recte
facere possim, sed nisi recte facere non
possim.” [A]
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