No More Learning

532. ) It will be seen, however, from the Fenwick note to 'Matthew', that
the Hawkshead Schoolmaster, like the Wanderer in 'The Excursion', was
"made up of several both of his class and men of other occupations;" but
of the four masters who taught Wordsworth at Hawkshead--Peake,
Christian, Taylor, and Bowman--Taylor was far the ablest, the most
interesting, and the most beloved by the boys, and it was doubtless the
memory of this man that gave rise to the above poem, and the four which
follow it. He was but thirty-two years old when he died, 12th June,
1786. This fact, taken in connection with line 14 of the 'Address', may
illustrate the composite character of 'Matthew'. --Ed.





* * * * *





MATTHEW


Composed 1799. --Published 1800


In the School of--is a tablet on which are inscribed, in gilt letters,
the names of the several persons who have been Schoolmasters there since
the foundation of the School, with the time at which they entered upon
and quitted their office. Opposite one of those names the Author wrote
the following lines. --W. W. 1800.

[Such a tablet as is here spoken of continued to be preserved in
Hawkshead School, though the inscriptions were not brought down to our
time. This, and other poems connected with Matthew, would not gain by a
literal detail of facts. Like the Wanderer in 'The Excursion' this
Schoolmaster was made up of several, both of his class and men of other
occupations. I do not ask pardon for what there is of untruth in such
verses, considered strictly as matters of fact.
It is enough, if, being
true and consistent in spirit, they move and teach in a manner not
unworthy of a Poet's calling. --I. F. ] [A]

In the editions of 1800 to 1820 this poem had no title except the note
prefixed to it above, although in the Table of Contents it was called
'Lines written on a Tablet in a School'. From 1820-32 "Matthew" is the
page heading, though there is no title. In the editions of 1827 and 1832
it was named, in the Table of Contents, by its first line, "If Nature,
for a favourite child. " In 1837 it was entitled 'Matthew'. It was
included among the "Poems of Sentiment and Reflection. " The Tablet, with
the names of the Masters inscribed on it, still exists in Hawkshead
School. --Ed.




If Nature, for a favourite child,
In thee hath tempered so her clay,
That every hour thy heart runs wild,
Yet never once doth go astray,

Read o'er these lines; and then review 5
This tablet, that thus humbly rears
In such diversity of hue
Its history of two hundred years.

--When through this little wreck of fame,
Cipher and syllable! thine eye 10
Has travelled down to Matthew's name,
Pause with no common sympathy.

And; if a sleeping tear should wake,
Then be it neither checked nor stayed:
For Matthew a request I make 15
Which for himself he had not made.

Poor Matthew, all his frolics o'er,
Is silent as a standing pool;
Far from the chimney's merry roar,
And murmur of the village school. 20

The sighs which Matthew heaved were sighs
Of one tired out with fun and madness;
The tears which came to Matthew's eyes
Were tears of light, the dew [1] of gladness.