When I saw that rage was vain, 9
And to sulk would nothing gain,
Turning many a trick & wile
I began to soothe & smile.
And I sooth'd day after day, 13
Till upon the ground I stray;
And I smil'd night after night,
Seeking only for delight.
And I saw before me shine 17
Clusters of the wand'ring vine ;
And, beyond, a mirtle tree
Stretch'd its blossoms out to me.
But a Priest with holy look, 21
In his hands a holy book,
Pronounced curses on his head
Who the fruits or blossoms shed.
I beheld the Priest by night ; 25
He embrac'd my mirtle bright:
I beheld the Priest by day,
Where beneath my vines he lay.
Like a serpent in the day 29
Underneath my vines he lay :
Like a serpent in the night
He embrac'd my mirtle bright.
-12 When . . . smile] This stanza is an afterthought. ii Turn-
ing .. . wile] I began to MS. Book st rdg. del. ; Seeking many an artful
wile MS. Book znd rdg. del. ; Twining many a trick and wile Swinb.
13 sooth'd] grew MS. Book ist rdg. del. ; Swinb. retains this; smil'd MS.
Book 2nd rdg. del. ; EY omit. 14 stray] lay Swinb., EY, WBY.
smil'd] grew MS. Book ist rdg. del., Swinb. 17, 18 And . . . vine]
' But upon the earthly ground No delight was to be found.' MS. Book first beginning of this stanza del. EY put asterisks for 'was to.' 17 And I . . .] From this point onwards I give the earlier (and preferable) form of the remaining stanzas ; and print in a final note the revised form of stanzas 6-9. These changes are all dependent upon the substitution of ' many a Priest ' for ' a Priest ' in 1. 21. 21 But a Priest] My father then MS. Book 2rd rdg. look] book EY book (? look) WBY (Notes), p. 240. 24 fruits] fruit Swinb., EY. 28 vines] vine EY. 29-32 I beheld . . . bright] The two couplets of this stanza were originally written in M 2
