Identifier: backgroundsoflit01mabi (find matches)
Title: Backgrounds of literature
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Mabie, Hamilton Wright, 1846-1916
Subjects: Literary landmarks Authors
Publisher: New York : Outlook Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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Text Appearing Before Image:
THE LAKE COUNTRY
the beauty of the daffodil dancing along the
margin of the bay, and that other beauty which
flashes upon
. . . that inward eyeWhich is the bliss of solitude.
In October, 1787, Wordsworth left the Lake
Country for the first time and took up his resi-
dence in the southwestern corner of the first
quadrangle of St. Johns College, Cambridgge
Here he found another kind of beauty: the
beauty of low-lying fields, of streams that run
through marshes to the sea, of low, veiled skies.
Here, too, was the ripe loveliness of an ancient
seat of learning; and here, above all, were the
richest traditions and associations of English
poetry. Those glorious windows and noble
roofs which Milton loved so well Wordsworth
loved also, and from those dark carven seats
where one sits to-day under the spell of choral
singing of almost angelic sweetness he doubtless
searched, with reverent gaze. That branching roof
Self-poised, and scooped into ten thousand cells
Where light and shade repose, where music dwells.
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Text Appearing After Image:
AND WORDSWORTH
Lingering, and wandering on as loth to die—
Like thoughts whose very sweetness yieldeth proof
That they were born for immortahty.
Having taken his Bachelors degree in Janu-
ary, 1791, Wordsworth went up to London,
uncertain as to his future vocation. Every
reader of his poetry knows how vividly he saw
certain things in London—the thrush that sang
on Wood Street, and by the magic of its notes
made poor Susan suddenly aware of trees
and mountains, of rolling vapor and running
streams; and that noble vision from Westmin-
ster Bridge; but the great city touched him
mainly as it reminded him of things remote
from its turmoil and alien to its mighty rush
and war of strife and toil. In November of the
same year he landed in France, at the very mo-
ment when the hopes of humanity were still full
winged on their sublimest flight; hopes so soon
to fall, maimed and bruised, to the earth whence
they had risen with such exultant joy. Thes
piritual crisis through which the ardent young
poet passed lies outside the scope of this article ;
it may be said in passing, however, that those
who are tempted to make the usual common-
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