No More Learning

They are reprinted with some
unimportant alterations that were chiefly made very soon after their
publication. It would have been easy to amend them, in many passages,
both as to sentiment and expression, and I have not been altogether
able to resist the temptation: but attempts of this kind are made at
the risk of injuring those characteristic features, which, after all,
will be regarded as the principal recommendation of juvenile poems. "

In 1836 "unimportant" was erased before "alterations"; and after
"temptation" the following was added, "as will be obvious to the
attentive reader, in some instances: these are few, for I am aware that
attempts of this kind," etc.

"The above, which was written some time ago, scarcely applies to the
Poem, 'Descriptive Sketches', as it now stands. The corrections,
though numerous, are not, however, such as to prevent its retaining
with propriety a place in the class of 'Juvenile Pieces. '"

In the editions of 1845 and 1849, Wordsworth called his "Juvenile
Pieces," "Poems written in Youth. "--Ed.

["Dear native regions," etc. , 1786, Hawkshead. The beautiful image
with which this poem concludes suggested itself to me while I was
resting in a boat along with my companions under the shade of a
magnificent row of sycamores, which then extended their branches from
the shore of the promontory upon which stands the ancient, and at that
time the more picturesque, Hall of Coniston, the Seat of the Le
Flemings from very early times. The Poem of which it was the
conclusion, was of many hundred lines, and contained thoughts and
images, most of which have been dispersed through my other
writings. --I. F. ]

In the editions 1815 to 1832, the title given to this poem was 'Extract
from the conclusion of a Poem, composed upon leaving School'. The row of
sycamores at Hawkshead, referred to in the Fenwick note, no longer
exists.
In the "Autobiographical Memoranda," dictated by Wordsworth at Rydal
Mount in November 1847, he says, " . . . . I wrote, while yet a schoolboy,
a long poem running upon my own adventures, and the scenery of the
county in which I was brought up. The only part of that poem which has
been preserved is the conclusion of it, which stands at the beginning of
my collected Poems. " [A]

In the eighth book of 'The Prelude', (lines 468-475), this fragment is
introduced, and there Wordsworth tells us that once, when boating on
Coniston Lake (Thurston-mere) in his boyhood, he entered under a grove
of trees on its "western marge," and glided "along the line of
low-roofed water," "as in a cloister. " He adds,

while, in that shade
Loitering, I watched the golden beams of light
Flung from the setting sun, as they reposed
In silent beauty on the naked ridge
Of a high eastern hill--thus flowed my thoughts
In a pure stream of words fresh from the heart:

Ed.


* * * * *


THE POEM


Dear native regions, [B] I foretell,
From what I feel at this farewell,
That, wheresoe'er my steps may [1] tend,
And whensoe'er my course shall end,

If in that hour a single tie [2] 5
Survive of local sympathy,
My soul will cast the backward view,
The longing look alone on you.

Thus, while the Sun sinks down to rest
Far in the regions of the west, 10
Though to the vale no parting beam
Be given, not one memorial gleam, [3]
A lingering light he fondly throws [4]
On the dear hills [5] where first he rose.



* * * * *


[Footnote A: See the 'Memoirs of William Wordsworth', by Christopher
Wordsworth (1851), vol. i. pp. 10-31. --ED]


[Footnote B: Compare the 'Ode, composed in January 1816', stanza
v. --Ed.