[The Poem is here simply reprinted verbatim in order to complete the book as Shelley issued it. The only alteration of text is the substitution of tracks for the misprint tracts in line 2, page 203. For various readings &c. see Vol. I of my edition of the Poetical Works, pages 72 et seq. The date at the end of the poem has been altered so as to accord with the facts. "June 23, 1816" is printed by both Shelley and Mrs. Shelley; but that is the date of the excursion from Montalegre to Hermance and Nerni. (See pages 171–2); and it was not till the 21st of July that Shelley and his party entered the Vale of Chamouni,—not till the 23rd that he saw from the source of the Arveiron the glacier of Montanvert, and visited in the evening the glacier of Boisson (see page 192). The primary inspiration recorded by Mrs Shelley as having taken place while the poet "lingered on the Bridge of Arve on his way through the Vale of Chamouni," seems to be referable to the 21st. when, on the road from Servoz (pages 189–90), the party must have crossed the bridge which Shelley calls (page 197) "Pont Pellisier, a wooden bridge over the Arve, and the ravine of the Arve"; but the poem, "composed," as Shelley says in the preface (page 120), "under the immediate impression of the deep and powerful feelings excited by the objects which it attempts to describe," was in all probability first written down on the evening of the 23rd of July 1816, whether while the poet was out with Ducrée, or after his return to Chamouni. We cannot, however, but assume from its high finish, that it was much elaborated on more than one occasion between that evening and the date of publication.—H. B. F.]
