de was composed almost extempore, in front of
Rydal Mount before Church-time, on such a morning and precisely with
such objects before my eyes as are here described. The view taken of
Napoleon's character and proceedings is little in accordance with that
taken by some Historians and critical philosophers. I am glad and proud
of the difference, and trust that this series of Poems, infinitely below
the subject as they are, will survive to counteract in unsophisticated
minds the pernicious and degrading tendency of those views and doctrines
that lead to the idolatry of power as power, and in that false splendour
to lose sight of its real nature and constitution, as it often acts for
the gratification of its possessor without reference to a beneficial
end--an infirmity that has characterised men of all ages, classes, and
employments, since Nimrod became a mighty hunter before the Lord, [In
pencil is the following by Mr. Quillinan--In a letter to Southey about
the rhythm of this Ode Wordsworth, comparing the first paragraph of the
'Aeneid' with that of the 'Jerusalem Liberated,' says, that 'the measure
of the latter has the pace of a set of recruits shuffling to vulgar
music upon a parade, and receiving from the adjutant or drill-sergeant
the command to halt at every twenty steps.' Mr. W. had no ear for
instrumental music; or he would not have applied this vulgar sarcasm to
military march-music. Besides, awkward recruits are never drilled to
music at all. The Band on parade plays to perfectly-drilled troops. Ne
sutor ultra crepidam.]

270. _Spenser_. [Part II. Sonnet XLIII.]

'Assoiled from all encumbrance of our time.'
'From all this world's encumbrance did himself assoil.'

* * * * *

XI. MEMORIALS OF A TOUR ON THE CONTINENT, 1820.

271. *_Introductory Remarks_.

I set out in company with my wife and sister, and Mr. and Mrs.
Monkhouse, then just married, and Miss Horrocks. These two ladies,
sisters, we left at Berne, while Mr. Monkhouse took the opportunity of
making an excursion with us among the Alps, as far as Milan. Mr. H. C.
Robinson joined us at Lucerne, and when this ramble was completed we
rejoined at Geneva the two ladies we had left at Berne, and proceeded to
Paris, where Mr. Monkhouse and H. C. R. left us, and where we spent five
weeks, of which there is not a record in these poems.

272. _The Fishwomen of Calais_, [I.]

If in this Sonnet [I. of 'Memori