Composed 1805.--Published 1809
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An extract from the long poem on my own poetical education. It wasfirst published by Coleridge in his 'Friend', which is the reason of itshaving had a place in every edition of my poems since.--I. F.] These lines appeared first in 'The Friend', No. 11, October 26, 1809, p.163. They afterwards found a place amongst the "Poems of theImagination," in all the collective editions from 1815 onwards. They arepart of the eleventh book of 'The Prelude', entitled "France--(concluded)," ll. 105-144. Wordsworth gives the date 1805, but theselines possibly belong to the year 1804.--Ed. Oh! pleasant exercise of hope and joy!For mighty were [1] the auxiliars which then stoodUpon our side, we [2] who were strong in love!Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,But to be young was very heaven!--Oh! times, 5In which the meagre, stale, forbidding waysOf custom, law, and statute, took at onceThe attraction of a country in romance!When Reason seemed the most to assert her rights,When most intent on making of herself 10A prime Enchantress [3]--to assist the work,Which then was going forward in her name!Not favoured spots alone, but the whole earth,The beauty wore of promise, that which sets(As at some moment might not be unfelt [4] 15Among the bowers of paradise itself)The budding rose above the rose full blown.What temper at the prospect did not wakeTo happiness unthought of? The inertWere roused, and lively natures rapt away! 20They who had fed their childhood upon dreams,The playfellows of fancy, who had madeAll powers of swiftness, subtilty, and strengthTheir ministers,--who in lordly wise had stirred [5]Among the grandest objects of the sense, 25And dealt [6] with whatsoever they found thereAs if they had within some lurking rightTo wield it;--they, too, who, of gentle mood,Had watched all gentle motions, and to theseHad fitted their own thoughts, schemers more mild, 30And in the region of their peaceful selves;--Now was it that both [7] found, the meek and loftyDid both find, helpers to their heart's desire,And stuff at hand, plastic as they could wish;Were called upon to exercise their skill, 35Not in Utopia, subterranean [8] fields,Or some secreted island, Heaven knows where!But in the very world, which is the worldOf all of us,--the place where in the endWe find our happiness, or not at all! 40 * * * * *
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