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- 



