We walked along, while bright and red Uprose the morning sun; And Matthew stopped, he looked, and said, "The will of G.o.d be done!"

A village schoolmaster was he, 5 With hair of glittering grey; As blithe a man as you could see On a spring holiday.

And on that morning, through the gra.s.s, And by the steaming rills, 10 We travelled merrily, to pa.s.s A day among the hills.

"Our work," said I, "was well begun, Then, from thy breast what thought, Beneath so beautiful a sun, 15 So sad a sigh has brought?"

A second time did Matthew stop; And fixing still his eye Upon the eastern mountain-top, To me he made reply: 20

"Yon cloud with that long purple cleft Brings fresh into my mind A day like this which I have left Full thirty years behind.

"And just above yon slope of corn 25 Such colours, and no other, Were in the sky, that April morn, Of this the very brother. [1]

"With rod and line I sued the sport Which that sweet season gave, [2] 30 And, to the church-yard come, [3] stopped short Beside my daughter's grave.

"Nine summers had she scarcely seen, The pride of all the vale; And then she sang [4];--she would have been 35 A very nightingale.

"Six feet in earth my Emma lay; And yet I loved her more, For so it seemed, than till that day I e'er had loved before. 40

"And, turning from her grave, I met, Beside the church-yard yew, A blooming Girl, whose hair was wet With points of morning dew.

"A basket on her head she bare; 45 Her brow was smooth and white: To see a child so very fair, It was a pure delight!

"No fountain from its rocky cave E'er tripped with foot so free; 50 She seemed as happy as a wave That dances on the sea. [A]

"There came from me a sigh of pain Which I could ill confine; I looked at her, and looked again: 55 And did not wish her mine!"

Matthew is in his grave, yet now, Methinks, I see him stand, As at that moment, with a bough [5]

Of wilding in his hand. 60

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1802.

And on that slope of springing corn The self-same crimson hue Fell from the sky that April morn, The same which now I view! 1800.]

[Variant 2:

1815.

With rod and line my silent sport I plied by Derwent's wave, 1800.]

[Variant 3:

1837.

And, coming to the church, ... 1800.]

[Variant 4:

1800.

... sung;--... 1802.

The text of 1815 returns to that of 1800.]

[Variant 5:

1820.

... his bough 1800.]

FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: Compare the 'Winters Tale', act IV. scene iii. ll. 140-2:

'when you do dance, I wish you A wave o' the sea, that you might ever do Nothing but that, etc.'

Ed.]

THE FOUNTAIN