No More Learning

With him he also made a pedestrian tour in Wales in
1791. Jones afterwards became the incumbent of Soulderne, near
Deddington, in Oxfordshire; and Wordsworth described his parsonage there
in the sonnet, beginning "Where holy ground begins, unhallowed ends. "
(See Wordsworth's note to the sonnet 'Composed near Calais', p.
333. )--Ed.





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INSCRIPTION FOR THE SPOT WHERE THE HERMITAGE STOOD ON ST. HERBERT'S
ISLAND, DERWENT-WATER


Composed 1800. --Published 1800


Included in 1815 among the "Poems referring to the Period of Old Age,"
and in all subsequent editions among the "Inscriptions. "--Ed.




If thou in the dear love of some one Friend
Hast been so happy that thou know'st what thoughts
Will sometimes in the happiness of love
Make the heart sink, [A] then wilt thou reverence
This quiet spot; and, Stranger! not unmoved 5
Wilt thou behold this shapeless heap of stones,
The desolate ruins of St. Herbert's Cell.
Here stood his threshold; here was spread the roof
That sheltered him, a self-secluded Man,
After long exercise in social cares 10
And offices humane, intent to adore
The Deity, with undistracted mind,
And meditate on everlasting things,
In utter solitude. --But he had left
A Fellow-labourer, whom the good Man loved 15
As his own soul. And, when with eye upraised
To heaven he knelt before the crucifix,
While o'er the lake the cataract of Lodore
Pealed to his orisons, and when he paced
Along the beach of this small isle and thought 20
Of his Companion, he would pray that both
(Now that their earthly duties were fulfilled)
Might die in the same moment.
Nor in vain
So prayed he:--as our chronicles report,
Though here the Hermit numbered his last day 25
Far from St. Cuthbert his beloved Friend,
Those holy Men both died in the same hour. [1]



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VARIANT ON THE TEXT


[Variant 1:

1832.

The text of this poem underwent so many changes, which are not easily
shown by the plan adopted throughout this edition--portions of the
earliest version of 1800 being abandoned and again adopted, and the
whole arrangement of the passages being altered--that it seems desirable
to append the entire text of 1800, and extensive parts of that of
subsequent years. The final text of 1832 is printed above.


If thou in the dear love of some one friend
Hast been so happy, that thou know'st what thoughts
Will, sometimes, in the happiness of love
Make the heart sink, then wilt thou reverence
This quiet spot. --St. Herbert hither came
And here, for many seasons, from the world
Remov'd, and the affections of the world
He dwelt in solitude. He living here,
This island's sole inhabitant! had left
A Fellow-labourer, whom the good Man lov'd
As his own soul; and when within his cave
Alone he knelt before the crucifix
While o'er the lake the cataract of Lodore
Peal'd to his orisons, and when he pac'd
Along the beach of this small isle and thought
Of his Companion, he had pray'd that both
Might die in the same moment. Nor in vain
So pray'd he:--as our Chronicles report,
Though here the Hermit number'd his last days,
Far from St. Cuthbert his beloved friend,
Those holy men both died in the same hour. 1800.

The text of the editions of 1802 and 1805 (which are identical), omits
one line of the text of 1800. The passage reads:

He dwelt in solitude. --But he had left
A Fellow-labourer, whom .