Title: George Crabbe: Poems, Volume 3 (of 3)
Author: George Crabbe
Editor: Sir Adolphus William Ward
Release date: April 4, 2019 [eBook #59204]
Language: English
Credits: Produced by Richard Tonsing and the Online Distributed
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Transcriber’s Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
The very miscellaneous nature of the contents of this third and last volume of the present edition of Crabbe’s Poems obliges me to trouble the reader with a rather lengthy series of prefatory remarks. Before, however, entering on these, I should like to supplement what was said in the Preface to Vol. 1 with regard to the source of the earliest among the Juvenilia there printed. Since writing that Preface I have at last had an opportunity of examining the whole set of Vols. I-VI (for the years 1770–5) of the elusive Lady’s Magazine, of which Vol. I was published by Robinson and Roberts, and the remaining five volumes by Robinson. Curiously enough, the 1773 volume of this Magazine contains, in the February number, a long piece of verse, apparently a prize poem, entitled An Essay on Hope; but the six lines quoted by the younger Crabbe are not to be found in this poem any more than in that printed in the October number of the 1772 volume of the Magazine. By another coincidence, a poem called The Bee, signed “Louisa Broughton,” appears in the April number of the same Magazine for 1774. I may add, that the June number of the same volume contains a poem, in Shenstone’s manner, addressed “To Miss E——r M——,” and signed “G. C., Cambridge, May 2, 1774.” It has an apologetic introductory note, which might have been written by Crabbe.
viTo turn to the present volume. The Tales of the Hall (Bks. XII-XXII), which occupy its earlier pages are, like the previous Tales contained in Vol. II, printed from the edition of 1823; and the variants are taken from the first edition (1819) and from the “Original MS.” readings given as footnotes in the edition of 1834. The Posthumous Tales are printed from Vol. VIII of the Poetical Works of Crabbe edited by his son (1834). The sources of the variants in the Posthumous Tales will be indicated immediately.
With regard to the remaining contents of the present volume, it may be convenient if I here, in accordance with a promise made in the Preface to Vol. II of the present edition, furnish some account of the Crabbe MSS. now in the possession of the Cambridge University Press, as well as of certain other collections of MSS. of which I have been fortunate enough to be allowed to make use. In each case, I have, for purposes of reference, indicated the marks by which, in a list given at the end of the Bibliography included in the present volume, the previously unpublished pieces by Crabbe, here printed from transcripts of the originals in the several collections, have been distinguished.
The MS. books acquired by the Cambridge University Press (U.P.) are five in number. One of these, half-bound in red, is throughout in Crabbe’s handwriting, and contains, together with fragments of the Posthumous Tales I, III, VI, VII and X, and a version of Lines written at Warwick (p. 428), in each case offering some variants which have been duly noted, Joseph’s Dream (p. 521) and some other pieces now printed for the first time. The writing, partly in pen, partly in pencil, on the first and the last four pages of this volume, has viibeen disregarded, as not sufficiently coherent to warrant an attempt at printing it. A note superscribed “Duchess of Rutland, Oct. 11th, 1824” (perhaps the lines in question were written in the Duchess’s album) states that the verses here entitled On a View of Barford (p. 505) refer to a picture drawn by Miss Bagot of that house, when occupied by Mr and Mrs Mills. This note further states that An Inscription at Guy’s Cliff which Crabbe has marked as “By ——,” and the verses added by him (p. 504) refer to a picture of Guy’s Cliff near Leamington, the property of Mr Bertie Greathead. Another note explains that the verses On a Drawing of Cadlands (p. 518) refer to a picture of Mr Drummond’s seat of that name by Lady Elizabeth Drummond; and that the “drawing by the Hon. Mrs. Smith (Eliza Forrester)” (p. 519) consisted of “a Landscape and other pieces.” This MS. book also contains an earlier copy of the lines entitled La Femme Jalouse (p. 507). The last three stanzas of the poem on a drawing of Brompton Park Cottage (p. 506) are added from the version given in this MS. book. From it are also taken a few readings in the stanzas For the Drawing of the Lady in the Green Mantle (p. 520). From it is also printed the fragment Joseph and Charles (p. 492), with which should be compared Vol. VIII, pp. 63 sq. of the edition of 1834, and indeed the whole tale of The Family of Love. It also contains a draft of The Equal Marriage (Posthumous Tales, III), with a few variants, noted among those printed at the end of the present volume; also a draft of Silford Hall (Posthumous Tales, I), with a considerable number of variants, of which the chief have been noted in the same place. There are also to be found here drafts of Lines written at Warwick (p. 428), and of the lines On a Drawing of the Elm Tree (p. 431), viii&c., there stated to be by Miss Chilibeen(?), both with variants. Finally, the same MS. book contains the lines which I have entitled Rest in the Lord (p. 523) and the unfinished lines And He said unto her, “Thy Sins are forgiven” (p. 524).
On the fly-leaf of a second Crabbe MS. book in the possession of the Cambridge University Press (U.P.) is written: “This MS. is by the Poet Crabbe and in his autograph. It is one of his Memorandum Books.” This book begins with three pages of almost illegible verse, which appear to contain an earlier draft of a portion of what follows. Then ensues the long MS. entitled Tracy, to which is prefixed, in Crabbe’s own handwriting, the date “1 Jan. 1813,” and which is interrupted at intervals by further illegible passages. On pp. “18–19” of this MS. book there is an account, only in part legible, of the beginning of the Lady’s Vision, which is continued in the portion printed in the present volume (from p. 450). The lines beginning “The good are happy,” appear to form no part of Tracy, though they have been inserted in the middle of it, and are therefore here printed as a separate piece, to which I have given the title Conscious Guiltiness (p. 498). The verses superscribed Jane Adair, which are similarly inserted in the text of Tracy, are likewise printed separately (p. 512), as are also those which I have respectively called Horatio (p. 513), Jacob and Rachel (p. 514), David and Saul (p. 515), Belief and Unbelief (p. 499), and The Task (p. 498). Then follows a version of the lines On receiving from a Lady a Present of a Ring (p. 432); then a version of Villars (Posthumous Tales, V); then the fragment of a tale, which I have entitled Susan and her Lovers (p. 462), interspersed with some illegible passages; then another ixfragment of a tale, Captain Godfrey (p. 468); then a further fragment, The Amours of G[eorge], which is obviously an early draft, in a different metre, of a large portion of The Elder Brother (Tales of the Hall, Bk. VII); then the Charade (Modesty) (p. 516); then a variant of the conclusion of the tale of Villars (see above); then the lines Tragic Tales, Why? a fragment (p. 474). Opening this volume at the other end, we find it to contain prose-sketches of certain of the Tales; a criticism of Gibbon and other miscellaneous matter; besides the verses on Miss Waldron’s Birthday (p. 502), and some partially illegible and quite incoherent fragments.
A third, small, MS. book (U.P.), of which the writing is throughout remarkably clear, and which has few variants from the text of the 1834 edition, contains, together with fifteen of the Posthumous Tales, The Funeral of the Squire, obviously designed as one of this series, and now printed for the first time (p. 489). There is nothing in this book that has not been previously printed except The Funeral.
A fourth, small, MS. book (U.P.) contains, together with some fragments of Tales of the Hall, Bks. VII and XI, of which the variants have been noted in Vol. II of this edition, and a version of the lines On the Death of Sir Samuel Romilly (p. 439), the stanzas entitled Matilda (p. 516). A number of pages in pencil have been unavoidably disregarded. In the same little book are a few fragmentary lines, hitherto unprinted, that must originally have been intended to form part of the Tales of the Hall (p. 473).
A fifth, also small, MS. book (U.P.) contains, besides a catalogue of Crabbe’s library at Trowbridge, and a few accounts, the two short pieces printed xin the present volume under the titles Momentary Grief (p. 507) and Enigma (Sovereign) (p. 515). A number of pages at the end of this volume have been cut out.
Through the kind offices of the Vice-Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, Mr W. Aldis Wright, I was allowed to examine a MS. volume in the Trinity Library (T.C.) which bears the following inscription: “This volume, which formerly belonged to Crabbe the poet was given to the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge, by Edward FitzGerald, M.A., April, 1871.” The obverse of the volume contains a list of Plants, beginning with Cryptogamia. On a fly-leaf are written, in a tremulous hand (probably Crabbe’s), the lines which I have entitled A Fragment (p. 497). Then follow, in Crabbe’s ordinary writing, the lines printed in the present volume under the title of Poverty and Love (ib.); and towards the end of the book, are, in Crabbe’s handwriting, the lines here called The Curate’s Progress (ib.). The reverse of this MS. book, which is on the cover very neatly dated September 23, 1793, contains, besides another shorter list of plants and much miscellaneous matter, a scribbled page of verse, from which I was only able to extract the following entire couplet:
Professor E. Dowden, LL.D., of Trinity College, Dublin, has added to previous obligations conferred on me in connexion with the present edition by allowing me the use of two small books belonging to him, in Crabbe’s handwriting (D.). One of these supplies the complete Tale of The Deserted Family, now for the first time printed (pp. 477–488). The other contains xidrafts of Posthumous Tales VI-XVI and XXII; the more important variants offered by these are inserted in the list at the end of the present volume. From this MS. book are also taken the verses entitled The Prodigal Going (p. 517).
The originals of certain pieces contained in the present volume are to be found in a book belonging to Mrs Mackay, of Trowbridge, which she has with the utmost liberality placed at my service. This interesting portion of Mrs Mackay’s collection (M.) contains a series of proof-engravings of Corbould’s, Westall’s and other illustrations of certain among the earlier editions of Crabbe’s Poems. It also includes a draft of a portion of The Sisters (Tales of the Hall, Bk. VIII; see Vol. II, and variants, ib.), and the lines To Lady Jersey (p. 435), in a version, of which the variants have been duly noted. From this book are taken the following poems: the stanzas called by me The Flowers of the Spring (p. 508), of which I have ventured to transpose the last two, and the fragment which I have named La Belle Dame sans Merci (p. 509). Both pieces are here printed for the first time. Mrs Mackay’s collection also contains, written on separate leaves, the blank-verse lines entitled by me The Passionate Pilgrim (p. 496), which are subscribed “Crabbe,” and of which the handwriting in several respects resembles that in Crabbe’s autograph of Midnight (see Vol. I), though less flowing than this; the couplets called by me Sorrow (p. 496), which are not in the handwriting of Crabbe; and, finally, the lines To the Hon. Mrs Spencer (p. 503), which are signed “Geo. Crabbe.”
Mr Buxton-Forman has most generously allowed me to print a series of pieces from his collection of xiiMSS. (B.F.). It includes the verses which are entirely in Crabbe’s handwriting, as is perhaps the signature appended, and which I have called Hopeless Love (p. 510); the fragment David Jones (p. 476) of which the text may be, the title is certainly not, in Crabbe’s hand; and the fragment which I have called Robert and Catharine (p. 475), as to which it seems uncertain whether the text is in Crabbe’s hand. It is manifestly an early draft of The Cousins (Posthumous Tales, XXI); but the actual phraseology in the two versions is very rarely the same. The following pieces are also derived from the same collection: those called by me Union (p. 511) and Revival (ib.), of which latter the third stanza appears in a rather different form on a separate leaf; Metamorphosis (p. 512); and Contentment (p. 493), a fragment of a tale. Mr Buxton-Forman’s Crabbe MSS. also include memoranda for Tales and drafts of parts of The Will (Posthumous Tales, XX) and of Belinda Waters (ib. XV). In neither case are the variants offered by these drafts of importance.
Finally, the late Duke of Rutland was so kind as to allow several pieces of verse in Crabbe’s own handwriting preserved at Belvoir to be transcribed for insertion in the present edition (B). Some of these, I cannot but think, were transcribed by the Duke’s own hand. Most of them were exhibited at the Crabbe Celebration held at Aldborough in September, 1905, and successfully arranged and organised by Mr Charles Ganz. The Verses to the Duke of Rutland dated Belvoir, August, 1784, were most kindly transcribed for me after the death of the late Duke by his Grace’s Chaplain and Librarian, the Rev. F. W. Knox. Of these pieces, the Verses written for the Duke of Rutland’s Birthday (January 4, 1817) (p. 499) and the lines entitled La xiiiFemme Jalouse (Teniers) (p. 507) are here printed for the first time; to the latter a few variants have been furnished from an earlier copy in one of the MS. books in the possession of the University Press (U.P.). The stanzas For the Drawing of the Lady in the Green Mantle (p. 520), and Brompton Park Cottage (p. 506), are also printed for the first time, from transcripts made by the late Duke of Rutland, or by his Grace’s instructions, from the originals at Belvoir. In the former case the original states the “Fair Artist” who drew the picture to have been Miss Isabella Forrester. In the latter the drawing in question is stated to have been made by Lady Sophia Norman, the cottage having been lent to the Duke, when ill, by Mr Greenwood. In the former case the last three stanzas, and in the latter a few various readings, have been supplied from one of the Crabbe MS. books in the possession of the Cambridge University Press (U.P.). To the lines From Belvoir Castle (p. 389), Storm and Calm (p. 396), and To Sarah, Countess of Jersey, on her Birthday (p. 435), previously printed in the 1834 edition, variants have been supplied from the Duke’s transcripts.
Of the Miscellaneous Verses previously printed reprinted in the present volume the two Poetical Epistles (April, 1780) are, by the kind permission of Mr Buxton-Forman, owner of the MSS., and of Dr W. Robertson Nicoll and Mr T. J. Wise, editors of Literary Anecdotes of the Nineteenth Century (1896), and of Messrs Hodder and Stoughton, reproduced at length from Vol. II of that work. Ten lines from the Epistle to Mira had already been printed in Vol. I (p. 67) from the Life (p. 58) in Vol. I of the 1834 edition.
From this edition also come, with the exception of the last but two and the last, all the remaining shorter xivpieces already published (some with variants, duly noted, from the University Press and Belvoir MSS., from the MSS. of Mrs Mackay, and from an article entitled Treasure Trove contributed by Miss M. Jourdain to The Book Monthly for May, 1906). This article, of which Miss Jourdain and her publishers (Messrs Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co.) kindly allowed me to make use, consists of pieces printed from transcripts made at Belvoir Castle. In Miss Jourdain’s article is included stanza v of The Friend in Love (p. 437), which is missing in the stanzas given in the Life (1834). A few variants in this version have been duly noted. I may add that between The World of Dreams and Sir Eustace Grey which in metre and otherwise are so closely associated with one another, no actual parallelisms either of sense or of form are noticeable. The exceptions referred to are the following. The Lines (Edinburgh, August 15, 1822) (p. 440) are printed, without variants, from a separately printed leaflet in my possession: and the Lines addressed to the Dowager Duchess of Rutland (p. 441) from The Casket (1829), with variants from Miss Jourdain’s article in The Book Monthly.
Of the Poems hitherto unpublished a list giving the source of each will be found at the close of the Bibliography in this volume. In the general sequence of these pieces I have so far as possible adopted a chronological order; the whole body of previously unpublished verse has however been divided into two groups—viz. tales and fragments of tales, and lyrical pieces; and, where there was no indication of date, the poems taken from the same collection of MSS. have been kept together.
It remains for me to return my sincere thanks to xvthe possessors of Crabbe MSS. already mentioned, and to others who have in various ways aided me in making this concluding volume of Crabbe’s Poems, and therewith the edition as a whole, as complete as possible. I should like, in especial, to thank Professor Morfill of Oxford for enriching the Bibliography at the close of this volume by enabling us to refer to two works which attest the very curious and significant fact of the interest in Crabbe taken in Russia.
The Bibliography itself has been drawn up by Mr A. T. Bartholomew, of Peterhouse and the University Library, who has again compiled the list of Variants, and to whom the present volume of this edition, like its predecessors, is throughout indebted for his continuous cooperation. It is a true pleasure to me to have been so zealously and efficiently aided in the performance of my task by a member of my own College.
p. xviii, l. 6 from bottom | } | for Mother’s read Wife’s. |
p. 414, l. 1 | ||
p. 567, last line |
TALES OF THE HALL: | PAGE | |
---|---|---|
XII. | Sir Owen Dale | 1 |
XIII. | Delay has Danger | 26 |
XIV. | The Natural Death of Love | 48 |
XV. | Gretna Green | 61 |
XVI. | Lady Barbara; or, The Ghost | 74 |
XVII. | The Widow | 100 |
XVIII. | Ellen | 115 |
XIX. | William Bailey | 126 |
XX. | The Cathedral-Walk | 147 |
XXI. | Smugglers and Poachers | 160 |
XXII. | The Visit Concluded | 178 |
POSTHUMOUS TALES | ||
I. | Silford Hall; or, The Happy Day | 194 |
II. | The Family of Love | 213 |
III. | The Equal Marriage | 241 |
IV. | Rachel | 250 |
V. | Villars | 255 |
THE FAREWELL AND RETURN | ||
VI. | The Farewell and Return | 269 |
VII. | The School-Fellow | 274 |
VIII. | Barnaby, the Shopman | 277 |
IX. | Jane | 282 |
xviiiX. | The Ancient Mansion | 287 |
XI. | The Merchant | 293 |
XII. | The Brother Burgesses | 297 |
XIII. | The Dean’s Lady | 301 |
XIV. | The Wife and Widow | 306 |
XV. | Belinda Waters | 311 |
XVI. | The Dealer and Clerk | 315 |
XVII. | Danvers and Rayner | 325 |
XVIII. | The Boat Race | 335 |
XIX. | Master William; or, Lad’s Love | 344 |
XX. | The Will | 351 |
XXI. | The Cousins | 358 |
XXII. | Preaching and Practice | 368 |
MISCELLANEOUS VERSES PREVIOUSLY PRINTED | |
---|---|
Poetical Epistles | 376 |
Epistle I | 378 |
Epistle II. To Mira | 387 |
[From Belvoir Castle] | 389 |
The Ladies of the Lake | 390 |
Infancy—A Fragment | 391 |
The Magnet | 395 |
Storm and Calm | 396 |
Satire | 398 |
[The New Samaritan] | 399 |
Belvoir Castle | 400 |
The World of Dreams | 403 |
[His Mother’s Wedding-Ring] | 414 |
[Parham Revisited] | 414 |
Flirtation | 415 |
Lines in Laura’s Album | 426 |
Lines written at Warwick | 428 |
On a drawing of the Elm Tree ... | 431 |
xixOn receiving from a Lady a present of a Ring | 432 |
To a Lady, with some Poetical Extracts | 433 |
To a Lady, on leaving her at Sidmouth | 434 |
To Sarah, Countess of Jersey, on her Birthday | 435 |
To a Lady who desired some verses at parting | 436 |
The Friend in Love | 437 |
[Disillusioned] | 438 |
[Lines] from a discarded Poem | 438 |
On the death of Sir Samuel Romilly | 439 |
Lines | 440 |
[Lines] | 441 |
Lines, addressed to the Dowager Duchess of Rutland | 441 |
FRAGMENTS OF TALES AND MISCELLANEOUS VERSES NOT PREVIOUSLY PRINTED | |
Tracy | 444 |
[Susan and her Lovers] | 462 |
Captain Godfrey | 468 |
The Amours of G[eorge] | 471 |
[Fragments of Tales of the Hall] | 473 |
Tragic Tales, Why? | 474 |
[Robert and Catharine] | 475 |
David Jones | 476 |
The Deserted Family | 477 |
The Funeral of the Squire | 489 |
Joseph and Charles | 492 |
[Contentment] | 493 |
To His Grace the Duke of Rutland | 493 |
[The Passionate Pilgrim] | 496 |
[Sorrow] | 496 |
[A Fragment] | 497 |
[Poverty and Love] | 497 |
[The Curate’s Progress] | 497 |
[The Task] | 498 |
[Conscious Guiltiness] | 498 |
[Belief and Unbelief] | 499 |
Verses written for the Duke of Rutland’s Birthday | 499 |
Miss Waldron’s Birthday | 502 |
xxTo the Hon. Mrs. Spencer | 503 |
An Inscription at Guy’s Cliff | 504 |
[On a view of] Barford | 505 |
Brompton Park Cottage | 506 |
[Momentary Grief] | 507 |
La Femme Jalouse (Teniers) | 507 |
[The Flowers of the Spring] | 508 |
[La Belle Dame Sans Merci] | 509 |
[Hopeless Love] | 510 |
[Union] | 511 |
[Revival] | 511 |
[Metamorphosis] | 512 |
Jane Adair | 512 |
[Horatio] | 513 |
[Jacob and Rachel] | 514 |
[David and Saul] | 515 |
Enigma | 515 |
Charade | 516 |
[Matilda] | 516 |
The Prodigal Going | 517 |
On a drawing of Cadlands | 518 |
[On] a drawing, by the Hon. Mrs. Smith (Eliza Forrester) | 519 |
For the drawing of the Lady in the Green Mantle | 520 |
Joseph’s Dream | 521 |
[Rest in the Lord!] | 523 |
And He said unto her “Thy sins are forgiven” | 524 |
Errata | 525 |
Variants | 526 |
Bibliography | 554 |
The Rector at the Hall—Why absent—He relates the Story of Sir Owen—His Marriage—Death of his Lady—His Mind acquires new Energy—His Passions awake—His Taste and Sensibility—Admires a Lady—Camilla—Her Purpose—Sir Owen’s Disappointment—His Spirit of Revenge—How gratified—The Dilemma of Love—An Example of Forgiveness—Its Effect.
Morning Excursion—Lady at Silford, who?—Reflections on Delay—Cecilia and Henry—The Lovers contracted—Visit to the Patron—Whom he finds there—Fanny described—The yielding of Vanity—Delay—Resentment—Want of Resolution—Further Entanglement—Danger—How met—Conclusion.
The Rector of the Parish—His Manner of teaching—Of living—Richard’s Correspondence—The Letters received—Love that survives Marriage—That dies in consequence—That is permitted to die for Want of Care—Henry and Emma, a Dialogue—Complaints on either Side—And Replies—Mutual Accusation—Defence of acknowledged Error—Means of restoring Happiness—The one to be adopted.
Richard meets an Acquaintance of his Youth—The Kind of Meeting—His School—The Doctor Sidmere and his Family—Belwood, a Pupil—The Doctor’s Opinion of him—The Opinion of his Wife—and of his Daughter—Consultation—The Lovers—Flight to Gretna Green—Return no more—The Doctor and his Lady—Belwood and his Wife—The Doctor reflects—Goes to his Son-in-law—His Reception and Return.
Introductory Discourse—For what Purpose would a Ghost appear?—How the Purpose would be answered—The Fact admitted, would not Doubts return?—Family Stories of Apparitions—Story of Lady Barbara—Her Widowhood—Resides with a Priest—His Family—A favourite Boy—His Education—His Fondness for the Lady—It becomes Love—His Reflections—His Declaration—Her Reply—Her Relation—Why she must not marry a second Time—How warned—Tokens of the Appearance—The Lover argues with the Lady—His Success—The Consequences of it.
The Morning Walk—Village Scenery—The Widow’s Dwelling—Her Story related—The first Husband—His Indulgence—Its Consequence—Dies—The second—His Authority—Its Effects—His Death—A third Husband—Determinately indulgent—He dies also—The Widow’s Retirement.
A Morning Ride—A Purchase of the Squire—The Way to it described—The former Proprietor—Richard’s Return—Inquiries respecting a Lady whom he had seen—Her History related—Her Attachment to a Tutor—They are parted—Impediments removed—How removed in vain—Fate of the Lover—Of Ellen.
Discourse on Jealousy—Of unsuspicious Men—Visit [to] William and his Wife—His Dwelling—Story of William and Fanny—Character of both—Their Contract—Fanny’s Visit to an Aunt—Its Consequences—Her Father’s Expectation—His Death—William a Wanderer—His Mode of Living—The Acquaintance he forms—Travels across the Kingdom—Whom he finds—The Event of their Meeting.
George in his hypochondriac State—A Family Mansion now a Farmhouse—The Company there—Their Conversation—Subjects afforded by the Pictures—Doubts if Spirits can appear—Arguments—Facts—The Relation of an old Lady—Her Walks in a Cathedral—Appearance there.
A Widow at the Hall—Inquiry of Richard—Relation of two Brothers—Their different Character—Disposition—Modes of thinking—James a Servant—Robert joins the Smugglers—Rachel at the Hall—James attached to her—Trade fails—Robert a Poacher—Is in Danger—How released—James and Rachel—Revenge excited—Association formed—Attack resolved—Preparation made for Resistance—A Night Adventure—Reflections.
Richard prepares to depart—Visits the Rector—His Reception—Visit to the Sisters—Their present Situation—The Morning of the last Day—The Conference of the Brothers—Their Excursion—Richard dissatisfied—The Brother expostulates—The End of their Ride, and of the Day’s Business—Conclusion.
[The next Tale, and a number of others, were originally designed for a separate volume, to be entitled “The Farewell and Return.” In a letter to Mrs. Leadbetter, written in 1823, the poet says—“In my ‘Farewell and Return’ I suppose a young man to take leave of his native place, and to exchange farewells with his friends and acquaintance there—in short, with as many characters as I have fancied I could manage. These, and their several situations and prospects, being briefly sketched, an interval is supposed to elapse; and our youth, a youth no more, returns to the scene of his early days. Twenty years have passed; and the interest, if there be any, consists in the completion, more or less unexpected, of the history of each person to whom he had originally bidden farewell.”
The reader will find the Tales written on this plan divided each into two or more sections, and will easily perceive where the farewell terminates and the return begins.]