Yes, It Was The Mountain Echo

Composed 1806.--Published 1807

[Written at Town-end, Grasmere. The echo came from Nab-scar, when I was walking on the opposite side of Rydal Mere. I will here mention, for my dear Sister's sake, that, while she was sitting alone one day high up on this part of Loughrigg Fell, she was so affected by the voice of the Cuckoo heard from the crags at some distance that she could not suppress a wish to have a stone inscribed with her name among the rocks from which the sound proceeded. On my return from my walk I recited these verses to Mrs. Wordsworth.--I. F.]

Classed among the "Poems of the Imagination."--ED.

Yes, it was the mountain Echo, Solitary, clear, profound, Answering to the shouting Cuckoo, Giving to her sound for sound!

Unsolicited reply To a babbling wanderer sent; Like her ordinary cry, Like--but oh, how different!

Hears not also mortal Life? Hear not we, unthinking Creatures! Slaves of folly, love, or strife-- Voices of two different natures?

Have not we too?--yes, we have Answers, and we know not whence; Echoes from beyond the grave, Recognised intelligence!

Such rebounds our inward ear[A] Catches sometimes from afar-- Listen, ponder, hold them dear; For of God,--of God they are.

The place where this echo was heard can easily be identified by any one walking along the southern or Loughrigg shore of Rydal. The Fenwick note refers to a wish of Dorothy Wordsworth to have her name inscribed on a stone among the rocks of Loughrigg Fell. It is impossible to know whether it was ever carried out or not. If it was, the place is undiscoverable, like the spot on the banks of the Rotha, where Joanna's name was graven "deep in the living rock," or the place where Wordsworth carved his wife's initials (as recorded in Mrs. Hemans' Memoirs), or where the daisy was found, which suggested the lines beginning

Small service is true service while it lasts;

and it is well that they are undiscoverable. It is so easy for posterity to vulgarise, by idle and unappreciative curiosity, spots that are sacred only to the few who feel them to be shrines. The very grave where Wordsworth rests runs the risk of being thus abused by the unthinking crowd. But, in the hope that no one will desecrate it, as the Rock of Names has been injured, I may mention that there is a stone near Rydal Mere, on the north-eastern slope of Loughrigg, with the initial "M." deeply cut. The exact locality I need not more minutely indicate.--ED.

VARIANTS:

1827.

Yes! full surely 'twas the Echo, Solitary, clear, profound, Answering to Thee, shouting Cuckoo! Giving to thee Sound for Sound. 1807.

Whence the Voice? from air or earth? This the Cuckoo cannot tell; But a startling sound had birth, As the Bird must know full well;

Only in the edition of 1807.

1815.

Like the voice through earth and sky By the restless Cuckoo sent; 1807.

Italics were first used in the edition of 1836.

1836.

Such within ourselves we hear Oft-times, ours though sent from far; 1807.

Such rebounds our inward ear Often catches from afar;-- 1827.

Often as thy inward ear Catches such rebounds, beware,-- 1832.

1807.

Giddy Mortals! hold them dear; 1827.

The edition of 1832 returns to the text of 1807.