Book Eleventh: France [concluded] Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRST UVWXYZA2B2C2D2E2F2G2 H2I2H2H2JG2G2H2J2G2K 2L2M2D2N2D2H2G2O2M2H 2P2H2G2G2G2H2UG2Q2E2 G2H2G2G2H2H2H2R2S2G2 T2H2H2G2Q2H2H2H2G2U2 JG2H2H2H2T2H2V2H2QH2 W2H2H2U2X2G2SG2G2H2 Y2H2Z2A3G2G2G2G2G2B3 C3OD3G2H2B3E3MH2H2G2 H2F3H2G2G3H2H2G2H2G2 H2JH3UG2G3H2H2I3 E2R2R2TH2G2G2L2 H2G2H2H2H2I3E2H2G2C3 H2I3E2J3H2H2JH2H2K3 H2V2G2Z2G2H2H2G2G2G2 H2G2L3H2

FROM that time forth Authority in FranceA
Put on a milder face Terror had ceasedB
Yet everything was wanting that might giveC
Courage to them who looked for good by lightD
Of rational Experience for the shootsE
And hopeful blossoms of a second springF
Yet in me confidence was unimpairedG
The Senate's language and the public actsH
And measures of the Government though bothI
Weak and of heartless omen had not powerJ
To daunt me in the People was my trustK
And in the virtues which mine eyes had seenL
I knew that wound external could not takeM
Life from the young Republic that new foesN
Would only follow in the path of shameO
Their brethren and her triumphs be in the endP
Great universal irresistibleQ
This intuition led me to confoundR
One victory with another higher farS
Triumphs of unambitious peace at homeT
And noiseless fortitude Beholding stillU
Resistance strong as heretofore I thoughtV
That what was in degree the same was likewiseW
The same in quality that as the worseX
Of the two spirits then at strife remainedY
Untired the better surely would preserveZ
The heart that first had roused him Youth maintainsA2
In all conditions of societyB2
Communion more direct and intimateC2
With Nature hence ofttimes with reason tooD2
Than age or manhood even To Nature thenE2
Power had reverted habit custom lawF2
Had left an interregnum's open spaceG2
For 'her' to move about in uncontrolledH2
Hence could I see how Babel like their taskI2
Who by the recent deluge stupifiedH2
With their whole souls went culling from the dayH2
Its petty promises to build a towerJ
For their own safety laughed with my compeersG2
At gravest heads by enmity to FranceG2
Distempered till they found in every blastH2
Forced from the street disturbing newsman's hornJ2
For her great cause record or prophecyG2
Of utter ruin How might we believeK2
That wisdom could in any shape come nearL2
Men clinging to delusions so insaneM2
And thus experience proving that no fewD2
Of our opinions had been just we tookN2
Like credit to ourselves where less was dueD2
And thought that other notions were as soundH2
Yea could not but be right because we sawG2
That foolish men opposed themO2
To a strainM2
More animated I might here give wayH2
And tell since juvenile errors are my themeP2
What in those days through Britain was performedH2
To turn 'all' judgments out of their right courseG2
But this is passion over near ourselvesG2
Reality too close and too intenseG2
And intermixed with something in my mindH2
Of scorn and condemnation personalU
That would profane the sanctity of verseG2
Our Shepherds this say merely at that timeQ2
Acted or seemed at least to act like menE2
Thirsting to make the guardian crook of lawG2
A tool of murder they who ruled the StateH2
Though with such awful proof before their eyesG2
That he who would sow death reaps death or worseG2
And can reap nothing better child like longedH2
To imitate not wise enough to avoidH2
Or left by mere timidity betrayedH2
The plain straight road for one no better chosenR2
Than if their wish had been to undermineS2
Justice and make an end of LibertyG2
-
But from these bitter truths I must returnT2
To my own history It hath been toldH2
That I was led to take an eager partH2
In arguments of civil polityG2
Abruptly and indeed before my timeQ2
I had approached like other youths the shieldH2
Of human nature from the golden sideH2
And would have fought even to the death to attestH2
The quality of the metal which I sawG2
What there is best in individual manU2
Of wise in passion and sublime in powerJ
Benevolent in small societiesG2
And great in large ones I had oft revolvedH2
Felt deeply but not thoroughly understoodH2
By reason nay far from it they were yetH2
As cause was given me afterwards to learnT2
Not proof against the injuries of the dayH2
Lodged only at the sanctuary's doorV2
Not safe within its bosom Thus preparedH2
And with such general insight into evilQ
And of the bounds which sever it from goodH2
As books and common intercourse with lifeW2
Must needs have given to the inexperienced mindH2
When the world travels in a beaten roadH2
Guide faithful as is needed I beganU2
To meditate with ardour on the ruleX2
And management of nations what it isG2
And ought to be and strove to learn how farS
Their power or weakness wealth or povertyG2
Their happiness or misery dependsG2
Upon their laws and fashion of the StateH2
-
O pleasant exercise of hope and joyY2
For mighty were the auxiliars which then stoodH2
Upon our side us who were strong in loveZ2
Bliss was it in that dawn to be aliveA3
But to be young was very Heaven O timesG2
In which the meagre stale forbidding waysG2
Of custom law and statute took at onceG2
The attraction of a country in romanceG2
When Reason seemed the most to assert her rightsG2
When most intent on making of herselfB3
A prime enchantress to assist the workC3
Which then was going forward in her nameO
Not favoured spots alone but the whole EarthD3
The beauty wore of promise that which setsG2
As at some moments might not be unfeltH2
Among the bowers of Paradise itselfB3
The budding rose above the rose full blownE3
What temper at the prospect did not wakeM
To happiness unthought of The inertH2
Were roused and lively natures rapt awayH2
They who had fed their childhood upon dreamsG2
The play fellows of fancy who had madeH2
All powers of swiftness subtilty and strengthF3
Their ministers who in lordly wise had stirredH2
Among the grandest objects of the senseG2
And dealt with whatsoever they found thereG3
As if they had within some lurking rightH2
To wield it they too who of gentle moodH2
Had watched all gentle motions and to theseG2
Had fitted their own thoughts schemers more mildH2
And in the region of their peaceful selvesG2
Now was it that 'both' found the meek and loftyH2
Did both find helpers to their hearts' desireJ
And stuff at hand plastic as they could wishH3
Were called upon to exercise their skillU
Not in Utopia subterranean fieldsG2
Or some secreted island Heaven knows whereG3
But in the very world which is the worldH2
Of all of us the place where in the endH2
We find our happiness or not at allI3
-
Why should I not confess that Earth was thenE2
To me what an inheritance new fallenR2
Seems when the first time visited to oneR2
Who thither comes to find in it his homeT
He walks about and looks upon the spotH2
With cordial transport moulds it and remouldsG2
And is half pleased with things that are amissG2
'Twill be such joy to see them disappearL2
-
An active partisan I thus convokedH2
From every object pleasant circumstanceG2
To suit my ends I moved among mankindH2
With genial feelings still predominantH2
When erring erring on the better partH2
And in the kinder spirit placableI3
Indulgent as not uninformed that menE2
See as they have been taught AntiquityH2
Gives rights to error and aware no lessG2
That throwing off oppression must be workC3
As well of License as of LibertyH2
And above all for this was more than allI3
Not caring if the wind did now and thenE2
Blow keen upon an eminence that gaveJ3
Prospect so large into futurityH2
In brief a child of Nature as at firstH2
Diffusing only those affections widerJ
That from the cradle had grown up with meH2
And losing in no other way than lightH2
Is lost in light the weak in the more strongK3
-
In the main outline such it might be saidH2
Was my condition till with open warV2
Britain opposed the liberties of FranceG2
This threw me first out of the pale of loveZ2
Soured and corrupted upwards to the sourceG2
My sentiments was not as hithertoH2
A swallowing up of lesser things in greatH2
But change of them into their contrariesG2
And thus a way was opened for mistakesG2
And false conclusions in degree as grossG2
In kind more dangerous What had been a prideH2
Was now a shame my likings and my lovesG2
Ran in new channels leaving old ones dryL3
And hence a blow that in matH2

William Wordsworth



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