Page:The Prelude, Wordsworth, 1850.djvu/28

6 Beneath a tree, slackening my thoughts by choice,

And settling into gentler happiness.

'Twas autumn, and a clear and placid day,

With warmth, as much as needed, from a sun

Two hours declined towards the west; a day

With silver clouds, and sunshine on the grass,

And in the sheltered and the sheltering grove

A perfect stillness. Many were the thoughts

Encouraged and dismissed, till choice was made

Of a known Vale, whither my feet should turn,

Nor rest till they had reached the very door

Of the one cottage which methought I saw.

No picture of mere memory ever looked

So fair; and while upon the fancied scene

I gazed with growing love, a higher power

Than Fancy gave assurance of some work

Of glory there forthwith to be begun,

Perhaps too there performed. Thus long I mused,

Nor e'er lost sight of what I mused upon,

Save when, amid the stately grove of oaks,

Now here, now there, an acorn, from its cup

Dislodged, through sere leaves rustled, or at once

To the bare earth dropped with a startling sound.

From that soft couch I rose not, till the sun

Had almost touched the horizon; casting then