The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth Volume Ii Part 149

Composed September 18, 1803.--Published 1807

[The castle here mentioned was Nidpath near Peebles. The person alluded to was the then Duke of Queensbury. The fact was told to me by Walter Scott.--I. F.]

In 1815 and 1820 this was one of the "Miscellaneous Sonnets."--Ed.

Degenerate Douglas! oh, the unworthy Lord!

Whom mere despite of heart could so far please, [1]

And love of havoc, (for with such disease Fame taxes him,) that he could send forth word To level with the dust a n.o.ble horde, 5 A brotherhood of venerable Trees, Leaving an ancient dome, and towers like these, Beggared and outraged!--Many hearts deplored The fate of those old Trees; and oft with pain The traveller, at this day, will stop and gaze 10 On wrongs, which Nature scarcely seems to heed: For sheltered places, bosoms, nooks, and bays, And the pure mountains, and the gentle Tweed, And the green silent pastures, yet remain.

VARIANT ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1807.

Now as I live, I pity that great Lord, Whom pure despite ...

MS. letter to Sir Walter Scott. Oct. 1803.

Ill wishes shall attend the unworthy Lord MS.]

"Sunday, September 18th.--After breakfast walked up the river to Neidpath Castle, about a mile and a half from the town. The castle stands upon a green hill, over-looking the Tweed, a strong square-towered edifice, neglected and desolate, though not in ruin, the garden overgrown with gra.s.s, and the high walls that fenced it broken down. The Tweed winds between green steeps, upon which, and close to the river side, large flocks of sheep pasturing; higher still are the grey mountains; but I need not describe the scene, for William has done it better than I could do in a sonnet which he wrote the same day; the five last lines, at least, of his poem will impart to you more of the feeling of the place than it would be possible for me to do."

(Dorothy Wordsworth's 'Recollections of a Tour made in Scotland'.) Writing to Sir Walter Scott (October 16, 1803), Wordsworth enclosed a copy of this sonnet, with the variation of text which has been quoted.

Lockhart tells us

"in that original shape Scott always recited it, and few lines in the language were more frequently in his mouth."

Compare Burns' 'Verses on the destruction of the Woods near Drumlanrig', which refer to the same subject.--Ed.

YARROW UNVISITED

Composed 1803.--Published 1807

See the various Poems the scene of which is laid upon the Banks of the Yarrow; in particular, the exquisite Ballad of Hamilton, beginning:

"Busk ye, busk ye, my bonny, bonny Bride, Busk ye, busk ye, my winsome Marrow!"

W. W. 1807.

One of the "Poems of the Imagination" in 1815 and 1820.--Ed.

From Stirling castle we had seen The mazy Forth unravelled; Had trod the banks of Clyde, and Tay, And with the Tweed had travelled; And when we came to Clovenford, 5 Then said my "_winsome Marrow_,"

"Whate'er betide, we'll turn aside, And see the Braes of Yarrow."

"Let Yarrow folk, _frae_ Selkirk town, Who have been buying, selling, 10 Go back to Yarrow, 'tis their own; Each maiden to her dwelling!

On Yarrow's banks let herons feed, Hares couch, and rabbits burrow!

But we will downward [1] with the Tweed, 15 Nor turn aside to Yarrow.

"There's Galla Water, Leader Haughs, Both lying right before us; And Dryborough, where with chiming Tweed The lintwhites sing in chorus; 20 There's pleasant Tiviot-dale, a land Made blithe with plough and harrow: Why throw away a needful day To go in search of Yarrow?

"What's Yarrow but a river bare, 25 That glides the dark hills under?

There are a thousand such elsewhere As worthy of your wonder."

--Strange words they seemed of slight and scorn; My True-love sighed for sorrow; 30 And looked me in the face, to think I thus could speak of Yarrow!

"Oh! green," said I, "are Yarrow's holms, And sweet is Yarrow flowing!

Fair hangs the apple frae the rock, [A] 35 But we will leave it growing.

O'er hilly path, and open Strath, We'll wander Scotland thorough; But, though so near, we will not turn Into the dale of Yarrow. 40

"Let beeves and home-bred kine partake The sweets of Burn-mill meadow; The swan on still St. Mary's Lake Float double, swan and shadow! [B]

We will not see them; will not go, 45 To-day, nor yet to-morrow; Enough if in our hearts we know There's such a place as Yarrow.

"Be Yarrow stream unseen, unknown!

It must, or we shall rue it: 50 We have a vision of our own; Ah! why should we undo it?

The treasured dreams of times long past, We'll keep them, winsome Marrow!

For when we're there, although 'tis fair, 55 'Twill be another Yarrow.

"If Care with freezing years should come, And wandering seem but folly,-- Should we be loth to stir from home, And yet be melancholy; 60 Should life be dull, and spirits low, 'Twill soothe us in our sorrow, That earth has something yet to show, The bonny holms of Yarrow!"

VARIANT ON THE TEXT