Passion or feeling, purpose, grief, or zeal,--
Which is the tyrant Spirit of our thought,
Is a stern task of soul:--No matter,--it is taught.[349]

CXII.

And for these words, thus woven into song,
It may be that they are a harmless wile,--[kw]
The colouring of the scenes which fleet along,[kx]
Which I would seize, in passing, to beguile
My breast, or that of others, for a while.
Fame is the thirst of youth,--but I am not[ky]
So young as to regard men's frown or smile,
As loss or guerdon of a glorious lot;--
I stood and stand alone,--remembered or forgot.

CXIII.

I have not loved the World, nor the World me;
I have not flattered its rank breath,[350] nor bowed
To its idolatries a patient knee,
Nor coined my cheek to smiles,--nor cried aloud
In worship of an echo: in the crowd
They could not deem me one of such--I stood
Among them, but not of them[351]--in a shroud
Of thoughts which were not their thoughts, and still could,
Had I not filed my mind, which thus itself subdued.[23.B.]

CXIV.

I have not loved the World, nor the World me,--
But let us part fair foes; I do believe,
Though I have found them not, that there may be
Words which are things,--hopes which will not deceive,
And Virtues which are merciful, nor weave
Snares for the failing; I would also deem
O'er others' griefs that some sincerely grieve--[kz][24.B.]
That two, or one, are almost what they seem,--
That Goodness is no name--and Happiness no dream.

CXV.[352]

My daughter! with thy name this song begun!
My daughter! with thy name thus much shall end!--
I see thee not--I hear thee not--but none
Can be so wrapt in thee; Thou art the Friend
To whom the shadows of far years extend:
Albeit my brow thou never should'st behold,
My voice shall with thy future visions blend,
And reach into thy heart,--when mine is cold,--
A token and a tone, even from thy father's mould.

CXVI.

To aid thy mind's developement,--to watch
Thy dawn of little joys,--to sit and see
Almost thy very growth,--to view thee catch
Knowledge of objects,--wonders yet to thee!
To hold thee lig