The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume I Part 8

FOOTNOTES:

[18:1] First published in 1834, from _MS. O_. The text of 1893 follows an autograph MS. in the Editor's possession.

LINENOTES:

_Monody_] 1 Muse that late sang another's poignant pain MS. S. T. C.

[3] In slowest steps the funeral steeds shall go MS. S. T. C.

[4] Nodding their heads MS. S. T. C.

[5] each deadly weed MS. S. T. C.

[8] The] His MS. S. T. C.

[9] songs] song MS. S. T. C.

[15] issuing] hissing MS. S. T. C.

[16] pour] throw MS. S. T. C. steams] steam MS. S. T. C.

[18] thee] whom MS. S. T. C. Vine] Wine MS. S. T. C.

[19] who] that MS. S. T. C.

[21] various charms MS. S. T. C.

[23] extend] expand MS. S. T. C.

[25] How low the mighty sink MS. S. T. C.

[29] seiz'd] chear'd MS. S. T. C.

[30-1]

When from thy spout the stream did arching flow As if, inspir'd

MS. S. T. C.

[33] the glad] _Georgian_ MS. S. T. C.

[34] the swain] its form MS. S. T. C.

[35] _Note._ A parenthetical reflection of the Author's. MS. O.

[38] wings] wing MS. S. T. C.

GENEVIEVE[19:1]

Maid of my Love, sweet Genevieve!

In Beauty's light you glide along: Your eye is like the Star of Eve, And sweet your voice, as Seraph's song Yet not your heavenly beauty gives 5 This heart with Pa.s.sion soft to glow: Within your soul a voice there lives!

It bids you hear the tale of Woe.

When sinking low the sufferer wan Beholds no hand outstretch'd to save, 10 Fair, as the bosom of the Swan That rises graceful o'er the wave, I've seen your breast with pity heave, And _therefore_ love I you, sweet Genevieve!

1789-90.

FOOTNOTES:

[19:1] First published in the _Cambridge Intelligencer_ for Nov. 1, 1794: included in the editions of 1796, 1803, 1828, 1829, and 1834.

Three MSS. are extant; (1) an autograph in a copy-book made for the family [_MS. O_]; (2) an autograph in a copy-book presented to Mrs.

Estlin [_MS. E_]; and (3) a transcript included in a copy-book presented to Sara Coleridge in 1823 [_MS. O (c)_]. In an unpublished letter dated Dec. 18, 1807, Coleridge invokes the aid of Richard ['Conservation']

Sharp on behalf of a 'Mrs. Brewman, who was elected a nurse to one of the wards of Christ's Hospital at the time that I was a boy there'. He says elsewhere that he spent full half the time from seventeen to eighteen in the sick ward of Christ's Hospital. It is doubtless to this period, 1789-90, that _Pain_ and _Genevieve_, which, according to a Christ's Hospital tradition, were inspired by his 'Nurse's Daughter', must be a.s.signed.

'This little poem was written when the Author was a boy'--_Note 1796, 1803_.

LINENOTES:

t.i.tle] Sonnet iii. MS. O: Ode MS. E: A Sonnet MS. O (c): Effusion xvii.

1796. The heading, _Genevieve_, first appears in 1803.

[2] Thou glid'st along [so, too, in ll. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 14] MS. O, MS. E, MS. O (c), C. I.

[4] Thy voice is lovely as the MS. E: Thy voice is soft, &c. MS. O (c), C. I.

[8] It bids thee hear the tearful plaint of woe MS. E.

[10] no . . . save] no friendly hand that saves MS. E. outstretch'd]

stretcht out MS. O, MS. O (c), C. I.

[12] the wave] quick-rolling waves MS. E.

ON RECEIVING AN ACCOUNT THAT HIS ONLY SISTER'S DEATH WAS INEVITABLE[20:1]

The tear which mourn'd a brother's fate scarce dry-- Pain after pain, and woe succeeding woe-- Is my heart destin'd for another blow?

O my sweet sister! and must thou too die?

Ah! how has Disappointment pour'd the tear 5 O'er infant Hope destroy'd by early frost!

How are ye gone, whom most my soul held dear!