LIFE AT ELLEEAY. 87 



" Then sinless grew my hopes, my wishes pure, 

 Breeding a seraph loftiness of soul ; 

 Though free from pride, I felt of heaven secure 

 A step, a moment from the eternal goal 1 



" Those fearful doubts that strike the living blood, 



Those dreams that sink the heart, we know not why, 

 "Were changed to joy by this mysterious mood, 

 Sprung from the presence of Eternity. 



" I saw, returning to its fount sublime, 



The flood of being that from Nature flowed ; 

 And then, displaying at the death of time 

 The essence and the lineaments of God I 



" Thus pass'd the midnight hour, till from the wave 

 The orient sun flamed slowly up the sky ; 

 Such a blest spirit found illumined gaze, 

 And seem'd to realize my vision high." 



Another extract from the same book contains a touching record 

 of the associations connected with a summer day's ramble with 

 Wordsworth upon the slopes of Helvellyn. It appears to be an 

 outline iu prose of what was meant to form the subject of a poem, 

 to be entitled Red Tarn, and is as follows: — 



" Address to the reader about the reports he may have heard 

 about the beauty and sublimity of the lakes. 



" He probably has resolved to go up to Helvellyn to admire the 

 sublimity of that mountain : this is right. Now beneath that 

 mountain there is a little tarn which you will see. I will tell you 

 something about that tarn. Two persons were sitting silent and 

 alone beside that tarn, looking steadfastly on the water, and lost in 

 thought. These were two brothers who dearly loved each other, 

 and had done so from earliest youth to manhood.* The one was a 

 man of genius and a poet, who lived among these mountains enjoy- 

 ing his own thoughts. The other younger by a few years, and had 

 gone to sea, but had lately returned to see his brother, and resolved 

 to live with him. His brother accompanied him across the hills on 

 his way to join his ship for the last time, and here they sat, about 

 to part. They had talked over their future plans of happiness when 

 they were again to meet, and of their simple sports. As their last 



* Wordsworth and a brother who was afterwards drowned. 



