Page:The Excursion, Wordsworth, 1814.djvu/99

73 Left here when he was occupied in mind;

And by the Cottage Children has been found.

Heaven bless them, and their inconsiderate work;

To what odd purpose have the Darlings turned

This sad memorial of their hapless Friend!"

"Me, said I, most doth it surprize, to find

Such Book in such a place!" "A Book it is,"

He answered, "to the Person suited well,

Though little suited to surrounding things;

Nor, with the knowledge which my mind possessed,

Could I behold it undisturbed: 'tis strange,

I grant, and stranger still had been to see

The Man, who was its Owner, dwelling here,

With one poor Shepherd, far from all the world!

Now, if our errand hath been thrown away

As from these intimations I forebode,

Grieved shall I be—less for my sake than your's;

And least of all for Him who is no more."

By this the Book was in the Old Man's hand;

And he continued, glancing on the leaves

An eye of scorn. "The Lover," said he, "doomed