under
Jedborough
Tower
There liveth in the prime of glee,
A Woman, whose years are seventy-three,
And She .
There liveth in the prime of glee,
A Woman, whose years are seventy-three,
And She .
William Wordsworth
'Tis all that now remains for him!
The more I looked, I wondered more--
And, while I scanned them o'er and o'er, [4] 65
Some inward trouble suddenly
Broke from the Matron's strong black eye--[5]
A remnant of uneasy light,
A flash of something over-bright! [B]
Nor long this mystery did detain 70
My thoughts;--she told in pensive strain [6]
That she had borne a heavy yoke,
Been stricken by a twofold stroke;
Ill health of body; and had pined
Beneath worse ailments of the mind. 75
So be it! --but let praise ascend
To Him who is our lord and friend!
Who from disease and suffering
[7] Hath called for thee a second spring;
Repaid thee for that sore distress 80
By no untimely joyousness;
Which makes of thine a blissful state;
And cheers thy melancholy Mate!
* * * * *
VARIANTS ON THE TEXT
[Variant 1:
1827.
For . . . 1807. ]
[Variant 2:
1837.
. . .
under Jedborough Tower
There liveth in the prime of glee,
A Woman, whose years are seventy-three,
And She . . . 1807.
There lives a woman of seventy-three,
And she will dance and sing with thee, MS.
A Matron dwells, who though she bears
Our mortal complement of years,
Lives in the light of youthful glee, 1827. ]
[Variant 3:
1827.
. . . for mirth and cheer? 1807. ]
[Variant 4:
1827.
I look'd, I scann'd her o'er and o'er;
The more I look'd I wonder'd more: 1807. ]
[Variant 5:
1837.
When suddenly I seem'd to espy
A trouble in her strong black eye; 1807.
