The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth Volume Iii Part 15

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1820.

From which immediately leaps out A Dog, and yelping runs about. 1807.

And instantly a Dog is seen, Glancing from that covert green. 1815.]

[Variant 2:

1820.

... does ... 1807.]

[Variant 3:

1837.

binds 1807.]

[Variant 4:

1815.

Not knowing what to think 1807.]

[Variant 5:

1837.

Towards the Dog, o'er rocks and stones, 1807.]

[Variant 6:

1815.

Sad sight! the Shepherd with a sigh 1807.]

[Variant 7:

And signs and circ.u.mstances dawned Till everything was clear; He made discovery of his name. MS.]

[Variant 8:

1815.

But hear a wonder now, for sake Of which this mournful Tale I tell! 1807.]

[Variant 9:

1827.

On which the Traveller thus had died 1807.]

FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: Tarn is a _small_ Mere or Lake mostly high up in the mountains,--W. W.]

[Footnote B: Compare the reference to Helvellyn, and its "deep coves, shaped by skeleton arms," in the 'Musings near Aquapendente' (1837).

Wordsworth here describes Red Tarn, under Helvellyn, to the east; but Charles Gough was killed on the Kepplecove side of Swirell Edge, and not at Red Tarn. Bishop Watson of Llandaff, writing to Hayley (see 'Anecdotes of the Life of Bishop Watson', p. 440), writes about Charles Gouche (evidently Gough). He had been lodging at "the Cherry Inn," near Wytheburn, sometime before his death.--Ed.]

[Footnote C: Compare 'The Excursion', book iv. ll. 1185-94.--Ed.]

Thomas Wilkinson--referred to in the notes to 'The Solitary Reaper', vol. ii. pp. 399, 400, and the verses 'To the Spade of a Friend', in vol. iv.--alludes to this incident at some length in his poem, 'Emont Vale'. Wilkinson attended the funeral of young Gough, and writes of the incident with feeling, but without inspiration. Gough perished early in April, and his body was not found till July 22nd, 1805. A reference to his fate will be found in Lockhart's 'Life of Scott' (vol. ii. p. 274); also in a letter of Mr. Luff of Patterdale, to his wife, July 23rd, 1805. Henry Crabb Robinson records (see his 'Diary, Reminiscences', etc., vol. ii. p. 25) a conversation with Wordsworth, in which he said of this poem, that "he purposely made the narrative as prosaic as possible, in order that no discredit might be thrown on the truth of the incident."--Ed.

INCIDENT CHARACTERISTIC OF A FAVOURITE DOG [A]