John's; they were above the
College kitchens; and from the window of his bedroom he could look into
the antechapel of Trinity, with its statue of Newton.
College kitchens; and from the window of his bedroom he could look into
the antechapel of Trinity, with its statue of Newton.
William Wordsworth
But delight
That, in an easy temper lulled asleep,
Is still with Innocence its own reward,
This was not wanting. Carelessly I roamed
As through a wide museum from whose stores 620
A casual rarity is singled out
And has its brief perusal, then gives way
To others, all supplanted in their turn;
Till 'mid this crowded neighbourhood of things
That are by nature most unneighbourly, 625
The head turns round and cannot right itself;
And though an aching and a barren sense
Of gay confusion still be uppermost,
With few wise longings and but little love,
Yet to the memory something cleaves at last, 630
Whence profit may be drawn in times to come.
Thus in submissive idleness, my Friend!
The labouring time of autumn, winter, spring,
Eight months! rolled pleasingly away; the ninth
Came and returned me to my native hills. 635
* * * * *
FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT
[Footnote A: Wordsworth went from York to Cambridge, entering it by the
coach road from the north-west. This was doubtless the road which now
leads to the city from Girton. "The long-roofed chapel of King's
College" must have been seen from that road. --Ed. ]
[Footnote B: The Hoop Inn still exists, not now so famous as in the end
of last century. --Ed. ]
[Footnote C: He entered St. John's College in October 1787. His rooms in
the College were unknown to the officials a dozen years ago, although
they are pretty clearly indicated by Wordsworth in this passage. They
were in the first of the three courts of St.
John's; they were above the
College kitchens; and from the window of his bedroom he could look into
the antechapel of Trinity, with its statue of Newton. They have been
recently removed in connection with sundry improvements in the college
kitchen. For details, see the 'Life of Wordsworth' which will follow
this edition of his Works. --Ed. ]
[Footnote D: A village two and a half miles south of Cambridge.
"There are still some remains of the mill here celebrated by Chaucer
in his Reve's Tale. "
(Lewis' 'Topographical Dictionary of England', vol. iv. p. 390. )--Ed. ]
[Footnote E: S. T. C. , who entered Cambridge when Wordsworth left
it. --Ed.
That, in an easy temper lulled asleep,
Is still with Innocence its own reward,
This was not wanting. Carelessly I roamed
As through a wide museum from whose stores 620
A casual rarity is singled out
And has its brief perusal, then gives way
To others, all supplanted in their turn;
Till 'mid this crowded neighbourhood of things
That are by nature most unneighbourly, 625
The head turns round and cannot right itself;
And though an aching and a barren sense
Of gay confusion still be uppermost,
With few wise longings and but little love,
Yet to the memory something cleaves at last, 630
Whence profit may be drawn in times to come.
Thus in submissive idleness, my Friend!
The labouring time of autumn, winter, spring,
Eight months! rolled pleasingly away; the ninth
Came and returned me to my native hills. 635
* * * * *
FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT
[Footnote A: Wordsworth went from York to Cambridge, entering it by the
coach road from the north-west. This was doubtless the road which now
leads to the city from Girton. "The long-roofed chapel of King's
College" must have been seen from that road. --Ed. ]
[Footnote B: The Hoop Inn still exists, not now so famous as in the end
of last century. --Ed. ]
[Footnote C: He entered St. John's College in October 1787. His rooms in
the College were unknown to the officials a dozen years ago, although
they are pretty clearly indicated by Wordsworth in this passage. They
were in the first of the three courts of St.
John's; they were above the
College kitchens; and from the window of his bedroom he could look into
the antechapel of Trinity, with its statue of Newton. They have been
recently removed in connection with sundry improvements in the college
kitchen. For details, see the 'Life of Wordsworth' which will follow
this edition of his Works. --Ed. ]
[Footnote D: A village two and a half miles south of Cambridge.
"There are still some remains of the mill here celebrated by Chaucer
in his Reve's Tale. "
(Lewis' 'Topographical Dictionary of England', vol. iv. p. 390. )--Ed. ]
[Footnote E: S. T. C. , who entered Cambridge when Wordsworth left
it. --Ed.
