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And teach the Soul her native Calm;
While Passion with a languid Eye
Hangs o'er the fall of Harmony
And drinks the sacred Balm.
Slow as the fragrant whisper creeps
Along the lilied Vale,
The alter'd Eye of Conquest weeps,
And ruthless War grows pale
Relenting that his Heart forsook
Soft Concord of auspicious Look,
And Love, and social Poverty;
The Family of tender Fears,

The Sigh, that saddens and endears,
And Cares, that sweeten Joy.

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Then cease, thy frantic Tumults cease,
Ambition, Sire of War!

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WHO DESERTED HIM IN QUEST OF A MORE WEALTHY HUSBAND

IN THE EAST INDIES

THE dubious light sad glimmers o'er the sky:
'Tis silence all. By lonely anguish torn,
With wandering feet to gloomy groves I fly,
And wakeful Love still tracks my course forlorn.
And will you, cruel Julia! will you go?
And trust you to the Ocean's dark dismay?
Shall the wide wat'ry world between us flow?
And winds unpitying snatch my Hopes away?

1 First published in 1893, from MS. Letter, Feb. 13 [1792].

17 her] its W.

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18 languid] waning.W.

19 Hangs] Bends W'. As slow the whisper'd measure creeps Along the steaming Vale. W.

24 grows turns W. Demon, WAR IV,

31 Tumults] outrage W. 32 Thou scepter'd 35 oh] ah W. 38 chilly] flowrets' W.

Thus could you sport with my too easy heart?
Yet tremble, lest not unaveng'd I grieve!
The winds may learn your own delusive art,
And faithless Ocean smile-but to deceive!

1792.

WITH FIELDING'S AMELIA'1
VIRTUES and Woes alike too great for man
In the soft tale oft claim the useless sigh;
For vain the attempt to realise the plan,
On Folly's wings must Imitation fly.
With other aim has Fielding here display'd
Each social duty and each social care;
With just yet vivid colouring portray'd

What every wife should be, what many are.
And sure the Parent of a race so sweet

With double pleasure on the page shall dwell,
Each scene with sympathizing breast shall meet,
While Reason still with smiles delights to tell
Maternal hope, that her loved progeny

In all but sorrows shall Amelias be!

? 1792.

WRITTEN AFTER A WALK BEFORE SUPPER 3

THO' much averse, dear Jack, to flicker,

To find a likeness for friend V-ker,

I've made thro' Earth, and Air, and Sea,

A Voyage of Discovery!

And let me add (to ward off strife)

For V-ker and for V-ker's Wife-.
She large and round beyond belief,
A superfluity of beef!

1 First published in 1834.

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It is probable that the recipient of the Amelia was the mother of Coleridge's first love, Mary Evans.

First published in 1796, and secondly in P. and D. W., 1877-80. These lines, described as 'A Simile', were sent in a letter to the Rev. George Coleridge, dated August 9 [1792]. The Rev. Fulwood Smerdon, the 'Vicar' of the original MS., succeeded the Rev. John Coleridge as vicar of Ottery St. Mary in 1781. He was the 'Edmund' of 'Lines to a Friend', &c., vide post, pp. 74, 75.

With Fielding's 'Amelia '-Title] Sent to Mrs. 10 double] doubled MS. 0.

with an Amelia. MS. 0.

Written after, &c.-Title] Epistle iii. Written, &c., 1796.

1 dear Jack] at folk Letter, 1792.

2 A simile for Vicar Letter, 1792.

6 For Vicar and for Vicar's wife Letter, 1792. 7 large] gross Letter, 1792.

1792.

Her mind and body of a piece,

And both composed of kitchen-grease.

In short, Dame Truth might safely dub her
Vulgarity enshrin'd in blubber!

He, meagre bit of littleness,

All snuff, and musk, and politesse;

So thin, that strip him of his clothing,
He'd totter on the edge of Nothing!
In case of foe, he well might hide
Snug in the collops of her side.

Ah then, what simile will suit?
Spindle-leg in great jack-boot?
Pismire crawling in a rut?
Or a spigot in a butt?

Thus I humm'd and ha'd awhile,

When Madam Memory with a smile

Thus twitch'd my ear-Why sure, I ween,
In London streets thou oft hast seen
The very image of this pair:

A little Ape with huge She-Bear
Link'd by hapless chain together:

An unlick'd mass the one-the other

An antic small with nimble crupper-
But stop, my Muse! for here comes supper.

IMITATED FROM OSSIAN1

THE stream with languid murmur creeps,
In Lumin's flowery vale:

Beneath the dew the Lily weeps

Slow-waving to the gale.

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First published in 1796: included in 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834. The following note was attached in 1796 and 1803:-The flower hangs its [heavy] head waving at times to the gale. Why dost thou awake me, O Gale?' it seems to say, 'I am covered with the drops of Heaven. The time of my fading is near, the blast that shall scatter my leaves. To morrow shall the traveller come; he that saw me in my beauty_shall His eyes will search the field, [but] they will not find me. So shall they search in vain for the voice of Cona, after it has failed in the field.'-Berrathon, see Ossian's Poems, vol. ii. [ed. 1819, p. 481].

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12 enshrin'd enclos'd 19 will] can Letter, 1792. 23 I ha'd and hem'd Letter, 1792. 24 Madam Mrs. Letter, 1792. 28 huge] large Letter, 29 Link'd] Tied Letter, 1792. 31 small] lean Letter, 1792: huge 1796, 1877, 1888, 1893. For Antic huge read antic small Errata', 1796 p. [189]. Imitated, &c.-Title] Ode MS. E.

1792.

1793.

'Cease, restless gale!' it seems to say,
'Nor wake me with thy sighing!
The honours of my vernal day
On rapid wing are flying.

'To-morrow shall the Traveller come
Who late beheld me blooming:
His searching eye shall vainly roam
The dreary vale of Lumin.'

With eager gaze and wetted cheek

My wonted haunts along,

Thus, faithful Maiden! thou shalt seek
The Youth of simplest song.

But I along the breeze shall roll
The voice of feeble power;

And dwell, the Moon-beam of thy soul,
In Slumber's nightly hour.

THE COMPLAINT OF NINATHÓMA1

FROM THE SAME

How long will ye round me be swelling,
O ye blue-tumbling waves of the sea
Not always in caves was my dwelling,
Nor beneath the cold blast of the tree.
Through the high-sounding halls of Cathlóma
In the steps of my beauty I strayed;
The warriors beheld Ninathóma,

And they blesséd the white-bosom'd Maid!

A Ghost! by my cavern it darted!

In moon-beams the Spirit was drest

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1 First published in 1796: included in 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834. These lines were included in a letter from Coleridge to Mary Evans, dated Feb. 7, 1793. In 1796 and 1803 the following note was attached :'How long will ye roll around me, blue-tumbling waters of Ocean. My dwelling is not always in caves; nor beneath the whistling tree. My [The] feast is spread in Torthoma's Hall. [My father delighted in my voice.] The youths beheld me in [the steps of] my loveliness. They blessed the dark-haired Nina-thomà.'-Berrathon [Ossian's Poems, 1819, ii. 484]. 10 That erst, &c. MS. E. 15 faithful] lovely MS. E. 16 simplest] gentle MS. E.

The Complaint, &c.-Title] Effusion xxx. The Complaint, &c., 1796. 5 halls] Hall Letter, 1793. 8 white-bosom'd] dark-tressed Letter, 1793. Between 8-9 By my friends, by my Lovers discarded,

Like the flower of the Rock now I waste

That lifts her fair head unregarded,

And scatters its leaves on the blast. Letter, 1793.

For lovely appear the Departed

When they visit the dreams of my rest!
But disturb'd by the tempest's commotion
Fleet the shadowy forms of delight-
Ah cease, thou shrill blast of the Ocean!
To howl through my cavern by night.

1793.

SONGS OF THE PIXIES1

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THE Pixies, in the superstition of Devonshire, are a race of beings invisibly small, and harmless or friendly to man. At a small distance from a village in that county, half-way up a wood-covered hill, is an excavation called the Pixies' Parlour. The roots of old trees form its ceiling; and on its sides are innumerable cyphers, among which the author discovered his own cypher and those of his brothers, cut by the hand of their childhood. At the foot of the hill flows the river Otter.

To this place the Author, during the summer months of the year 1793, conducted a party of young ladies; one of whom, of stature elegantly small, and of complexion colourless yet clear, was proclaimed the Faery Queen. On which occasion the following Irregular Ode was written.

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WHOм the untaught Shepherds call
Pixies in their madrigal,

Fancy's children, here we dwell:

Welcome, Ladies! to our cell.

Here the wren of softest note

Builds its nest and warbles well;
Here the blackbird strains his throat;
Welcome, Ladies! to our cell.

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1 First published in 1796: included in 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834. The Songs of the Pixies forms part of the volume of MS. Poems presented to Mrs. Estlin, and of a quarto MS. volume which the poet retained for his own use.

13 disturb'd] dispers'd Letter, 1793.

Songs of the Pixies] This preface appears in all editions. Previous to 1834 the second paragraph read:-To this place the Author conducted a party of young Ladies, during the Summer months of the year 1793, &c.

The Songs of the Pixies, an irregular Ode. The lower orders of the people in Devonshire have a superstition concerning the existence of Pixies', a race of beings supposed to be invisibly small, and harmless or friendly to man. At a small village in the county, half-way up a Hill, is a large excavation called the 'Pixies'' Parlour. The roots of the trees growing above it form the ceiling-and on its sides are engraved innumerable cyphers, among which the author descried his own and those of his Brothers, cut by the rude hand of their childhood. At the foot of the Hill flows the River Otter. To this place the Author had the Honour of conducting a party of Young Ladies during the Summer months, on which occasion the following Poem was written. MS. E.

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