The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Chapter 36 : VI[83:1]PITT Not always should the Tear's ambrosial dew Roll its soft anguish down

VI[83:1]

PITT

Not always should the Tear's ambrosial dew Roll its soft anguish down thy furrow'd cheek!

Not always heaven-breath'd tones of Suppliance meek Beseem thee, Mercy! Yon dark Scowler view, Who with proud words of dear-lov'd Freedom came-- 5 More blasting than the mildew from the South!

And kiss'd his country with Iscariot mouth (Ah! foul apostate from his Father's fame!)[83:2]

Then fix'd her on the Cross of deep distress, And at safe distance marks the thirsty Lance 10 Pierce her big side! But O! if some strange trance The eye-lids of thy stern-brow'd Sister[83:3] press, Seize, Mercy! thou more terrible the brand, 13 And hurl her thunderbolts with fiercer hand!

_December_ 23, 1794.

FOOTNOTES:

[83:1] First published in the _Morning Chronicle_, December 23, 1794, and, secondly, in _The Watchman_, No. V, April 2, 1796; included in 1796, 1803, and in 1852, with the following note:--'This Sonnet, and the ninth, to Stanhope, were among the pieces withdrawn from the second edition of 1797. They reappeared in the edition of 1803, and were again withdrawn in 1828, solely, it may be presumed, on account of their political vehemence. They will excite no angry feelings, and lead to no misapprehensions now, and as they are fully equal to their companions in poetical merit, the Editors have not scrupled to reproduce them. These Sonnets were originally ent.i.tled "Effusions".'

[83:2] Earl of Chatham.

[83:3] Justice.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] Effusion iii. 1796: To Mercy Watchman: Sonnet viii. 1803: Sonnet iii. 1852.

[8] Staining most foul a G.o.dlike Father's name M. C., Watchman.

[13] Seize thou more terrible th' avenging brand M. C.

VII[84:1]

TO THE REV. W. L. BOWLES[84:2]

[FIRST VERSION, PRINTED IN 'MORNING CHRONICLE', DECEMBER 26, 1794]

My heart has thank'd thee, BOWLES! for those soft strains, That, on the still air floating, tremblingly Wak'd in me Fancy, Love, and Sympathy!

For hence, not callous to a Brother's pains

Thro' Youth's gay prime and thornless paths I went; 5 And, when the _darker_ day of life began, And I did roam, a thought-bewilder'd man!

Thy kindred Lays an healing solace lent,

Each lonely pang with dreamy joys combin'd, And stole from vain REGRET her scorpion stings; 10 While shadowy PLEASURE, with mysterious wings, Brooded the wavy and tumultuous mind,

Like that great Spirit, who with plastic sweep Mov'd on the darkness of the formless Deep!

FOOTNOTES:

[84:1] First published in the _Morning Chronicle_, December 26, 1794.

First collected, _P. and D. W._, 1877, i. 138. The sonnet was sent in a letter to Southey, dated December 11, 1794. _Letters of S. T. C._, 1895, i. 111.

[84:2] Author of _Sonnets and other Poems_, published by Dilly. To Mr.

Bowles's poetry I have always thought the following remarks from Maximus Tyrius peculiarly applicable:--'I am not now treating of that poetry which is estimated by the pleasure it affords to the ear--the ear having been corrupted, and the judgment-seat of the perceptions; but of that which proceeds from the intellectual Helicon, that which is _dignified_, and appertaining to _human_ feelings, and entering into the soul.'--The 13th Sonnet for exquisite delicacy of painting; the 19th for tender simplicity; and the 25th for manly pathos, are compositions of, perhaps, unrivalled merit. Yet while I am selecting these, I almost accuse myself of causeless partiality; for surely never was a writer so equal in excellence!--S. T. C. [In this note as it first appeared in the _Morning Chronicle_ a Greek sentence preceded the supposed English translation.

It is not to be found in the _Dissertations_ of Maximus Tyrius, but the following pa.s.sage which, for verbal similitudes, may be compared with others (e. g. 20, 8, p. 243: 21, 3, p. 247; 28, 3, p. 336) is to be found in Davies and Markland's edition (Lips. 1725), vol. ii, p.

203:--?? t? t?? ???? t?? d?' a???? ?a? ?d?? ?a? ????? ?a? ?a??t??, ??e? ????? ?p? t?

???? ???sa?, t? te?p?? t?? ????? t???e?sa? . . . t?? ????? ?a? ?? t?? ????????

??sa?. . . .]

LINENOTES:

[3] Wak'd] Woke MS. Letter, Dec. 11, 1794.

[SECOND VERSION][85:1]

My heart has thank'd thee, BOWLES! for those soft strains Whose sadness soothes me, like the murmuring Of wild-bees in the sunny showers of spring!

For hence not callous to the mourner's pains

Through Youth's gay prime and thornless paths I went: 5 And when the mightier Throes of mind began, And drove me forth, a thought-bewilder'd man, Their mild and manliest melancholy lent

A mingled charm, such as the pang consign'd To slumber, though the big tear it renew'd; 10 Bidding a strange mysterious PLEASURE brood Over the wavy and tumultuous mind,

As the great SPIRIT erst with plastic sweep Mov'd on the darkness of the unform'd deep.

FOOTNOTES:

[85:1] First published in 1796: included in 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] Effusion i. 1796: Sonnet i. 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829, 1834.

[6-7]

And when the darker day of life began And I did roam, &c.

1796, 1797, 1803.