Interlineated Conclusions

Lines from the 1816 edition are numbered, while the copy from the letter to Southey are indented.
644 A little child, a limber elf,
A little child, a limber Elf
645 Singing, dancing to itself,
646 A fairy thing with red round cheeks
A faery thing with red round Cheeks
647 That always finds, and never seeks,
That always finds, and never seeks--
648 Makes such a vision to the sight
Doth make a Vision to the Sight,
649 As fills a father's eyes with light;
Which fills a Father's Eyes with Light!
650 And pleasures flow in so thick and fast
And Pleasures flow in so thick & fast
651 Upon his heart, that he at last
Upon his Heart, that he at last
652 Must needs express his love's excess.
Must needs express his Love's Excess
653 With words of unmeant bitterness
In Words of Wrong and Bitterness.
654 Perhaps 'tis pretty to force together
655 Thoughts so all unlike each other;
656 To mutter and mock a broken charm,
To mutter and mock a broken charm;
657 To dally with wrong that does no harm
To dally with Wrong, that does no Harm--
658 Perhaps 'tis tender too and pretty
Perhaps, 'tis tender too & pretty
659 At each wild word to feel within,
At each Wild word to feel within
660 A sweet recoil of love and pity.
A [s]weet Recoil of Love & Pity;
661 And what, if in a world of sin
And what if in a World of Sin
662 (O sorrow and shame should this be true!)
(O sorrow & shame! Should this be true)
663 Such giddiness of heart and brain
Such Giddiness of Heart & Brain
664 Comes seldom save from rage and pain,
Comes seldom, save from Rage & Pain,
665 So talks as it's most used to do.
So talks, as it's most us'd to do.--

back to Robert Southey | back to John Murray | go to Parallel Conclusions

Button Links