The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume I Part 32

[28 foll.]

Where high-soul'd Pantisocracy shall dwell!

Where Mirth shall tickle Plenty's ribless side,[75:A]

And smiles from Beauty's Lip on sunbeams glide, Where Toil shall wed young Health that charming La.s.s!

And use his sleek cows for a looking-gla.s.s-- Where Rats shall mess with Terriers hand-in-glove And Mice with p.u.s.s.y's Whiskers sport in Love

MS. Oct. 1794.

[75:A] This is a truly poetical line of which the author has a.s.sured us that he did not _mean_ it to have any _meaning_.

Note by Ed. of MS. Oct. 1794.

[35-6]

Than Handel's softest airs that soothe to rest The tumult of a scoundrel Monarch's Breast.

MS. Oct. 1794.

Than _Banti's_ warbled airs that sooth to rest The tumult &c.

MS. Dec. 1794.

[36] The tumult of some SCOUNDREL Monarch's breast. M. C. 1796.

LINES ON A FRIEND[76:1]

WHO DIED OF A FRENZY FEVER INDUCED BY CALUMNIOUS REPORTS

Edmund! thy grave with aching eye I scan, And inly groan for Heaven's poor outcast--Man!

'Tis tempest all or gloom: in early youth If gifted with th' Ithuriel lance of Truth We force to start amid her feign'd caress 5 Vice, siren-hag! in native ugliness; A Brother's fate will haply rouse the tear, And on we go in heaviness and fear!

But if our fond hearts call to Pleasure's bower Some pigmy Folly in a careless hour, 10 The faithless guest shall stamp the enchanted ground, And mingled forms of Misery rise around: Heart-fretting Fear, with pallid look aghast, That courts the future woe to hide the past; Remorse, the poison'd arrow in his side, 15 And loud lewd Mirth, to Anguish close allied: Till Frenzy, fierce-eyed child of moping Pain, Darts her hot lightning-flash athwart the brain.

Rest, injur'd shade! Shall Slander squatting near Spit her cold venom in a dead man's ear? 20 'Twas thine to feel the sympathetic glow In Merit's joy, and Poverty's meek woe; Thine all, that cheer the moment as it flies, The zoneless Cares, and smiling Courtesies.

Nurs'd in thy heart the firmer Virtues grew, 25 And in thy heart they wither'd! Such chill dew Wan Indolence on each young blossom shed; And Vanity her filmy net-work spread, With eye that roll'd around in asking gaze, And tongue that traffick'd in the trade of praise. 30 Thy follies such! the hard world mark'd them well!

Were they more wise, the Proud who never fell?

Rest, injur'd shade! the poor man's grateful prayer On heaven-ward wing thy wounded soul shall bear.

As oft at twilight gloom thy grave I pa.s.s, 35 And sit me down upon its recent gra.s.s, With introverted eye I contemplate Similitude of soul, perhaps of--Fate!

To me hath Heaven with bounteous hand a.s.sign'd Energic Reason and a shaping mind, 40 The daring ken of Truth, the Patriot's part, And Pity's sigh, that breathes the gentle heart-- Sloth-jaundic'd all! and from my graspless hand Drop Friends.h.i.+p's precious pearls, like hour-gla.s.s sand.

I weep, yet stoop not! the faint anguish flows, 45 A dreamy pang in Morning's feverous doze.

Is this piled earth our Being's pa.s.sless mound?

Tell me, cold grave! is Death with poppies crown'd?

Tired Sentinel! mid fitful starts I nod, And fain would sleep, though pillowed on a clod! 50

1794.

FOOTNOTES:

[76:1] First published in 1796: included in 1797, 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834. Four MS. versions are extant, (1) in Letter to Southey, Nov. [6], 1794 (_Letters of S. T. C._, 1895, i. 98, 99): (2) in letter to George Coleridge, Nov. 6, 1794: (3) in the Estlin copy-book: (4) in the MS.

4{o}. The Friend was the Rev. Fulwood Smerdon, vicar of Ottery St. Mary, who died in August 1794.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] On the Death of a Friend who died of a Frenzy Fever brought on by anxiety MS. E.

[1] ----! thy grave MS. Letter to R. S.: Smerdon! thy grave MS. Letter to G. C.

[3] early] earliest MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E.

[5] We] He MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E, MS. 4{o}, 1796.

[7] will] shall MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E.

[8] And on he goes MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E, 1796: Onward we move 1803.

[9] his fond heart MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E, 1796.

[11] quick stamps MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E, MS. 4{o}.

[12] threaten round MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C.

[17] fierce-eyed] frantic MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E erased [See Lamb's Letter to Coleridge, June 10, 1796].

[19] squatting] couching MS Letter to G. C., MS. E [See Lamb's Letter, June 10, 1796].

[23] cheer] cheers MS. E.

[25] firmer] generous MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C.: manly MS. E.

[29] roll'd] prowl'd MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E.

[33-4]

the poor man's prayer of praise On heavenward wing thy wounded soul shall raise.

1796.

[35] As oft in Fancy's thought MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C.

[39] bounteous] liberal MS. Letters to R. S. and G. C., MS. E.

[41] ken] soul MS. Letter to R. S.