The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume I Part 159

And are _you_ (said Alia to Constantius, on whose head sickness and sorrow had antedated Winter, ere yet the time of Vintage had pa.s.sed), Are you the happier for your Philosophy?

And the smile of Constantius was as the light from a purple cl.u.s.ter of the vine, gleaming through snowflakes, as he replied, The Boons of Philosophy are of higher worth, than what you, O Alia, mean by Happiness. But I will not seem to evade the question--Am _I_ the happier for my Philosophy? The calmer at least and the less unhappy, answered Constantius, for it has enabled me to find that selfless Reason is the best Comforter, and only sure friend of declining Life. At this moment the sounds of a carriage followed by the usual bravura executed on the brazen knocker announced a morning visit: and Alia hastened to receive the party. Meantime the grey-haired philosopher, left to his own musings, continued playing with the thoughts that Alia and Alia's question had excited, till he murmured them to himself in half audible words, which at first casually, and then for the amus.e.m.e.nt of his ear, he _punctuated_ with rhymes, without however conceiting that he had by these means changed them into poetry.'

LINENOTES:

[4] When thy own body first the example set. MS. S. T. C.

[5-11] om. MS. S. T. C.

[8] While--on whom] _While--on whom_ 1828, 1829.

[9] object] Body MS. S. T. C.

[13] are] _are_ 1828, 1829.

[14] thee--were] _thee--were_ 1828, 1829.

HOMELESS[460:1]

'O! Christmas Day, Oh! happy day!

A foretaste from above, To him who hath a happy home And love returned from love!'

O! Christmas Day, O gloomy day, 5 The barb in Memory's dart, To him who walks alone through Life, The desolate in heart.

1826.

FOOTNOTES:

[460:1] First published in the _Literary Magnet_, January, 1827, p. 71.

First collected in 1893. A transcript, possibly in Mrs. Gillman's handwriting, is inscribed on the fly-leaf of a copy of Bartram's _Travels in South Carolina_ which Coleridge purchased in April 1818. J.

D. Campbell prefixed the t.i.tle 'Homeless', and a.s.signed 1810 as a conjectural date. Attention was first called to publication in the _Literary Magnet_ by Mr. Bertram Dobell in the _Athenaeum_.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] An Impromptu on Christmas Day L. M. 1827.

[4] from] for L. M. 1827.

LINES[460:2]

SUGGESTED BY THE LAST WORDS OF BERENGARIUS

OB. ANNO DOM. 1088

No more 'twixt conscience staggering and the Pope Soon shall I now before my G.o.d appear, By him to be acquitted, as I hope; By him to be condemned, as I fear.--

REFLECTION ON THE ABOVE

Lynx amid moles! had I stood by thy bed, 5 Be of good cheer, meek soul! I would have said: I see a hope spring from that humble fear.

All are not strong alike through storms to steer Right onward. What? though dread of threatened death And dungeon torture made thy hand and breath 10 Inconstant to the truth within thy heart!

That truth, from which, through fear, thou twice didst start, Fear haply told thee, was a learned strife, Or not so vital as to claim thy life: And myriads had reached Heaven, who never knew 15 Where lay the difference 'twixt the false and true!

Ye, who secure 'mid trophies not your own, Judge him who won them when he stood alone, And proudly talk of recreant Berengare-- O first the age, and then the man compare! 20 That age how dark! congenial minds how rare!

No host of friends with kindred zeal did burn!

No throbbing hearts awaited his return!

Prostrate alike when prince and peasant fell, He only disenchanted from the spell, 25 Like the weak worm that gems the starless night, Moved in the scanty circlet of his light: And was it strange if he withdrew the ray That did but guide the night-birds to their prey?

The ascending day-star with a bolder eye 30 Hath lit each dew-drop on our trimmer lawn!

Yet not for this, if wise, shall we decry The spots and struggles of the timid Dawn; Lest so we tempt th' approaching Noon to scorn The mists and painted vapours of our Morn. 35

? 1826.

FOOTNOTES:

[460:2] First published in the _Literary Souvenir_, 1827. The _Epitaphium Testamentarium_ (vide _post_, p. 462) is printed in a footnote to the word 'Berengarius'. Included in 1828, 1829, and 1834.

LINENOTES:

[13] learned] _learned_ L. S.

[19] recreant] _recreant_ L. S., 1828, 1829.

[23] his] _his_ L. S.

[32] shall] will L. S., 1828, 1829.

[34] th' approaching] the coming L. S.

EPITAPHIUM TESTAMENTARIUM[462:1]

?? t?? ?S??S? t?? ?p??a???? Epitaphium testamentarium a?t???af??.