132 THE SOUTH COUNTRY 



the spiritual glory of childhood, in which Wordsworth 

 saw intimations of immortality. He speaks of " that 

 divine light wherewith I was born " and of his " pure 

 and virgin apprehensions," and recommends his friend to 

 pray earnestly for these gifts : " They will make you 

 angelical, and wholly celestial." It was by the " divine 

 knowledge " that he saw all things in the peace of 

 Eden 



" The corn was orient and immortal wheat, which 

 never should be reaped, nor was ever sown. I thought it 

 had stood from everlasting to everlasting. The dust and 

 stones of the street were as precious as gold; the gates 

 were at first the end of the world. The green trees when 

 I saw them first through one of the gates transported and 

 ravished me; their sweetness and unusual beauty made 

 my heart to leap and almost mad with ecstasy; they were 

 such strange and wonderful things. The Men ! O what 

 venerable and reverend creatures did the aged seem ! 

 Immortal Cherubims! And young men glittering and 

 sparkling angels, and maids strange seraphic pieces of life 

 and beauty! Boys and girls tumbling in the street, and 

 playing, were moving jewels. I knew not that they 

 were born or should die; but all things abided eternally 

 as they were in their proper places. Eternity was mani- 

 fest in the light of the day, and something infinite behind 

 everything appeared, which tallied with my expectation 

 and moved my desire. . . ." 



Yet was this light eclipsed. He was " with much ado " 

 perverted by the world, by the temptation of men and 

 worldly things and by " opinion and custom," not any 

 " inward corruption or depravation of Nature." 



For he tells us how he once entered a noble dining- 



