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II.

To JOANNA.

Amid the smoke of cities did you pass

Your time of early youth, and there you learn'd,
From years of quiet industry, to love

The living Beings by your own fire-side,

With such a strong devotion, that your heart
Is slow towards the sympathies of them
Who look upon the hills with tenderness,
And make dear friendships with the streams and
Yet we who are transgressors in this kind,
Dwelling retired in our simplicity

groves.

Among the woods and fields, we love you well,

Joanna

and I

guess, since you have been

So distant from us now for two long years,
That you will gladly listen to discourse
However trivial, if you thence are taught

That they, with whom you once were happy, talk
Familiarly of you and of old times.

While I was seated, now some ten days past,
Beneath those lofty firs, that overtop

Their ancient neighbour, the old Steeple tower,
The Vicar from his gloomy house hard by
Came forth to greet me, and when he had ask'd,
"How fares Joanna, that wild-hearted Maid !
And when will she return to us?" he paus'd,
And after short exchange of village news,

He with grave looks demanded, for what cause,
Reviving obsolete Idolatry,

I like a Runic Priest, in characters

Of formidable size, had chisel'd out

Some uncouth name upon the native rock,

Above the Rotha, by the forest side.
-Now, by those dear immunities of heart
Engender'd betwixt malice and true love,
I was not loth to be so catechiz'd,

And this was my reply." As it befel,
One summer morning we had walk'd abroad
At break of day, Joanna and myself.

-'Twas that delightful season, when the broom,
Full flower'd, and visible on every steep,
Along the copses runs in veins of gold.

Our pathway led us on to Rotha's banks,

And when we came in front of that tall rock

Which looks towards the East, I there stopp'd short, And trac'd the lofty barrier with my eye

From base to summit; such delight I found

To note in shrub and tree, in stone and flower,
That intermixture of delicious hues,

Along so vast a surface, all at once,

In one impression, by connecting force

Of their own beauty, imag'd in the heart.
-When I had gaz'd perhaps two minutes' space,
Joanna, looking in my eyes, beheld

That ravishment of mine, and laugh'd aloud..
The rock, like something starting from a sleep,
Took up the Lady's voice, and laugh'd again :
That ancient Woman seated on Helm-crag
Was ready with her cavern; Hammar-Scar,
And the tall Steep of Silver-How sent forth
A noise of laughter; southern Loughrigg heard,
And Fairfied answer'd with a mountain tone:
Helvellyn far into the clear blue sky

Carried the Lady's voice,-old Skiddaw blew
His speaking trumpet ;-back out of the clouds
Of Glaramara southward came the voice;
And Kirkstone toss'd it from his misty head.
Now whether, (said I to our cordial Friend
Who in the hey-day of astonishment

Smil'd in my face) this were in simple truth

A work accomplish'd by the brotherhood

Of ancient mountains, or my ear was touch'd
With dreams and visionary impulses,

Is not for me to tell; but sure I am

That there was a loud uproar in the hills.

And, while we both were listening, to my

side

The fair Joanna drew, is if she wish'd

To shelter from some object of her fear.

-And hence, long afterwards, when eighteen moons Were wasted, as I chanc'd to walk alone

Beneath this rock, at sun-rise, on a calm

And silent morning, I sate down, and there,

In

memory of affections old and true,

I chissel'd out in those rude characters
Joanna's name upon the living stone.

And I, and all who dwell by my fire-side

Have call'd the lovely rock, Joanna's Rock."

NOTE.

In Cumberland and Westmoreland are several Inscriptions upon the native rock which from the wasting of Time and

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