ON A PORTRAIT OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON UPON THE FIELD OF WATERLOO [219]

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by williamwordsworth

by williamwordsworth

Composed August 31, 1840.--Published 1842

[This was composed while I was ascending Helvellyn in company with my daughter and her husband. She was on horseback, and rode to the top of the hill without once dismounting, a feat which it was scarcely possible to perform except during a season of dry weather; and a guide, with whom we fell in on the mountain, told us he believed it had never been accomplished before by any one.--I.F.]

One of the "Miscellaneous Sonnets"; but first published in the "Poems chiefly of Early and Late Years."--ED.

By Art's bold privilege Warrior and War-horse stand

On ground yet strewn with their last battle's wreck;

Let the Steed glory while his Master's hand

Lies fixed for ages on his conscious neck;

But by the Chieftain's look, though at his side

Hangs that day's treasured sword, how firm a check

Is given to triumph and all human pride!

Yon trophied Mound shrinks to a shadowy speck

In his calm presence! Him the mighty deed

Elates not, brought far nearer the grave's rest,

As shows that time-worn face, for he such seed

Has sown as yields, we trust, the fruit of fame

In Heaven;[220] hence no one blushes for thy name,

Conqueror, 'mid some sad thoughts, divinely blest!

[219] Haydon worked at this picture of Wellington from June to November, 1839. (See his Autobiography, vol. iii. pp. 108-131.) He writes under date, Sept. 4, 1840:--"Hard at work. I heard from dearWordsworth, with a glorious sonnet on the Duke, and Copenhagen.† It isvery fine, and I began a new journal directly, and put in the sonnet. God bless him." The following is part of Wordsworth's letter:--

"MY DEAR HAYDON,--We are all charmed with your etching. It is both poetically and pictorially conceived, and finely executed. I should have written immediately to thank you for it, and for your letter and the enclosed one, which is interesting, but I wished to gratify you by writing a sonnet. I now send it, but with an earnest request that it may not be put into circulation for some little time, as it is warm from the brain, and may require, in consequence, some little retouching. It has this, at least, remarkable attached to it, which will add to its value in your eyes, that it was actually composed while I was climbing Helvellyn last Monday."--ED.

† Wellington's war-horse.--ED.

[220] 1842.

... Since the mighty deed

Him years have brought far nearer the grave's rest,

He shows that face time-worn. But he such seed

Has sowed that bears, we trust, the fruit of fame

In Heaven....

From a copy sent to Haydon.