I find, however, that
Thurston
was the ancient name of Coniston; and
this carries us back to the time of the worship of Thor.
this carries us back to the time of the worship of Thor.
William Wordsworth
--Ed.
]
[Footnote h: Westmoreland. --Ed. ]
[Footnote i: See note [Footnote a], book ii. l. 451. --Ed. ]
[Footnote k: Coniston lake; see note [Footnote m below] on the following
page. --Ed. ]
[Footnote m: The eight lines which follow are a recast, in the blank
verse of 'The Prelude', of the youthful lines entitled 'Extract from the
Conclusion of a Poem, composed in Anticipation of leaving School'. These
were composed in Wordsworth's sixteenth year. As the contrast is
striking, the earlier lines may be transcribed:
'Dear native regions, I foretell,
From what I feel at this farewell,
That, wheresoe'er my steps may tend,
And whensoe'er my course shall end,
If in that hour a single tie
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,
Though to the vale no parting beam
Be given, not one memorial gleam,
A lingering light he fondly throws
On the dear hills where first he rose. '
The Fenwick note to this poem is as follows:
"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 with stands the
ancient, and at that time the more picturesque, Hall of Coniston. "
There is nothing in either poem definitely to connect "Thurstonmere"
with Coniston, although their identity is suggested by the Fenwick note.
I find, however, that Thurston was the ancient name of Coniston; and
this carries us back to the time of the worship of Thor. (See Lewis's
'Topographical Dictionary of England', vol. i. p. 662; also the
'Edinburgh Gazetteer' (1822), articles "Thurston" and "Coniston. ") The
site of the grove "on the shore of the promontory" at Coniston Lake is
easily identified, but the grove itself is gone. --Ed. ]
[Footnote n: Compare book iii. ll. 30 and 321-26; also book vi, ll. 25
and 95, both text and notes. --Ed. ]
[Footnote o: Probably in 1788. Compare book vii. ll. 61-68, and note
[Footnote K].
[Footnote h: Westmoreland. --Ed. ]
[Footnote i: See note [Footnote a], book ii. l. 451. --Ed. ]
[Footnote k: Coniston lake; see note [Footnote m below] on the following
page. --Ed. ]
[Footnote m: The eight lines which follow are a recast, in the blank
verse of 'The Prelude', of the youthful lines entitled 'Extract from the
Conclusion of a Poem, composed in Anticipation of leaving School'. These
were composed in Wordsworth's sixteenth year. As the contrast is
striking, the earlier lines may be transcribed:
'Dear native regions, I foretell,
From what I feel at this farewell,
That, wheresoe'er my steps may tend,
And whensoe'er my course shall end,
If in that hour a single tie
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,
Though to the vale no parting beam
Be given, not one memorial gleam,
A lingering light he fondly throws
On the dear hills where first he rose. '
The Fenwick note to this poem is as follows:
"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 with stands the
ancient, and at that time the more picturesque, Hall of Coniston. "
There is nothing in either poem definitely to connect "Thurstonmere"
with Coniston, although their identity is suggested by the Fenwick note.
I find, however, that Thurston was the ancient name of Coniston; and
this carries us back to the time of the worship of Thor. (See Lewis's
'Topographical Dictionary of England', vol. i. p. 662; also the
'Edinburgh Gazetteer' (1822), articles "Thurston" and "Coniston. ") The
site of the grove "on the shore of the promontory" at Coniston Lake is
easily identified, but the grove itself is gone. --Ed. ]
[Footnote n: Compare book iii. ll. 30 and 321-26; also book vi, ll. 25
and 95, both text and notes. --Ed. ]
[Footnote o: Probably in 1788. Compare book vii. ll. 61-68, and note
[Footnote K].
