Linenotes

No more of Usurpation's doom'd defeat

4o.

[5-6]

Beneath whose shadowy banners wide unfurl'd
Justice leads forth her tyrant-quelling hosts.

4o, Sibylline Leaves.

The Will, The Word, The Breath, The Living God 1828, 1829.

Added in 1834.

[9-12]

The Harp which hanging high between the shields
Of Brutus and Leonidas oft gives
A fitful music to the breezy touch
Of patriot spirits that demand their fame.

4o.

Man's] Earth's Sibylline Leaves, 1828, 1829.

But chiefly this with holiest habitude
Of constant Faith, him First, him Last to view

4o.

[23-6]

Things from their shadows. Know thyself my Soul!
Confirm'd thy strength, thy pinions fledged for flight
Bursting this shell and leaving next thy nest
Soon upward soaring shalt thou fix intense
Thine eaglet eye on Heaven's Eternal Sun!

4o.

The substance from its shadow—Earth's broad shade
Revealing by Eclipse, the Eternal Sun.

Sibylline Leaves.

[The text of lines 23-6 is given in the Errata p. [lxii].]

om. 4o.

seems] is 4o.

Form one all-conscious Spirit, who directs 4o.

om. 4o.

involvéd] component 4o.

lightnings] lightning 4o.

Niemi] Niemi's 4o.

deem] deemed 1829.

[96-7]

Speeds from the mother of Death his destin'd way
To snatch the murderer from his secret cell.

4o.

Between lines 99-100:

(Where live the innocent as far from cares
As from the storms and overwhelming waves
Dark tumbling on the surface of the deep).

4o, Sibylline Leaves, 1828, 1829.

These lines form part of an addition (lines 111-21) which dates from 1834.

Where] There 4o, Sibylline Leaves, 1828, 1829.

om. 4o.

'scaping] escaping 4o, Sibylline Leaves, 1828, 1829.

fateful word] fatal sound 4o.

[112-21]

thence thro' . . . Untenanted are not included in 4o, Sibylline Leaves, 1828, or 1829. For lines 113-15 vide ante, variant of line of the text.

Ocean] Ocean's 1828, 1829.

foll.

To rear some realm with patient discipline,
Aye bidding Pain, dark Error's uncouth child,
Blameless Parenticide! his snakey scourge
Lift fierce against his Mother! Thus they make
Of transient Evil ever-during Good
Themselves probationary, and denied
Confess'd to view by preternatural deed
To o'erwhelm the will, save on some fated day
Headstrong, or with petition'd might from God.
And such perhaps the guardian Power whose ken
Still dwelt on France. He from the invisible World
Burst on the Maiden's eye, impregning Air
With Voices and strange Shapes, illusions apt
Shadowy of Truth. [And first a landscape rose
More wild and waste and desolate, than where
The white bear drifting on a field of ice
Howls to her sunder'd cubs with piteous rage
And savage agony.] Mid the drear scene
A craggy mass uprear'd its misty brow,
Untouch'd by breath of Spring, unwont to know
Red Summer's influence, or the chearful face
Of Autumn; yet its fragments many and huge
Astounded ocean with the dreadful dance
Of whirlpools numberless, absorbing oft
The blameless fisher at his perilous toil.

4o.

Note—Lines 148-223 of the Second Book of Joan of Arc are by Southey. Coleridge's unpublished poem of 1796 (The Visions of the Maid of Orleans) begins at line 127 of the text, ending at line 277. The remaining portion of the Destiny of Nations is taken from lines contributed to the Second Book. Lines 136-40 of variant 130 foll. form the concluding fragment of the Destiny of Nations. Lines 141-3 of the variant are by Southey. (See his Preface to Joan of Arc, 1796, p. vi.) The remaining lines of the variant were never reprinted.

human] mortal Sibylline Leaves (correction made in Errata, p. [xii]).

an] a 1834.

now] new Sibylline Leaves, 1828.

An] A 1834.

dew-damp] dew-damps 4o.

Tyrants] Monarchs 4o, Sibylline Leaves, 1828, 1829.

Between lines and 315 of the text, the text of the original version (after line 259 of Joan of Arc, Book II) continues:—

'These are the fiends that o'er thy native land
Spread Guilt and Horror. Maid belov'd of Heaven!
Dar'st thou inspir'd by the holy flame of Love
Encounter such fell shapes, nor fear to meet
Their wrath, their wiles? O Maiden dar'st thou die?'
'Father of Heaven: I will not fear.' she said,
'My arm is weak, but mighty is thy sword.'

She spake and as she spake the trump was heard
That echoed ominous o'er the streets of Rome,
When the first Caesar totter'd o'er the grave
By Freedom delv'd: the Trump, whose chilling blast
On Marathon and on Plataea's plain
Scatter'd the Persian.—From his obscure haunt, &c.

[Lines 267-72, She spake . . . the Persian, are claimed by Southey.]

Shriek'd Fear the ghastliest of Ambition's throng 4o.

Feverous] Fev'rish 4o, Sibylline Leaves, 1817, 1828, 1829.

Between lines and 321 of the text, the text of Joan of Arc, Book II, continues:—

'Lo she goes!
To Orleans lo! she goes—the mission'd Maid!
The Victor Hosts wither beneath her arm!
And what are Crecy, Poictiers, Azincour
But noisy echoes in the ear of Pride?'
Ambition heard and startled on his throne;
But strait a smile of savage joy illum'd
His grisly features, like the sheety Burst
Of Lightning o'er the awaken'd midnight clouds
Wide flash'd. [For lo! a flaming pile reflects
Its red light fierce and gloomy on the face
Of Superstition and her goblin Son
Loud-laughing Cruelty, who to the stake
A female fix'd, of bold and beauteous mien,
Her snow-white Limbs by iron fetters bruis'd
Her breast expos'd.] Joan saw, she saw and knew
Her perfect image. Nature thro' her frame
One pang shot shiv'ring; but, that frail pang soon
Dismiss'd, 'Even so, &c.

4o.

[The passage included in brackets was claimed by Southey.]

calmest] calmy 4o.

[339-40]

But lo! no more was seen the ice-pil'd mount
And meteor-lighted dome.—An Isle appear'd

4o.

white] rough 4o.

and] or 4o.

[366-7]

The Sea meantime his Billows darkest roll'd,
And each stain'd wave dash'd on the shore a corse.

4o.

[369-72]

His hideous features blended with the mist,
The long black locks of Slaughter. Peace beheld
And o'er the plain

4o.

Like hideous features blended with the clouds Sibylline Leaves, 1817. (Errata: for 'blended', &c., read 'looming on the mist'. S. L., p. [xii].)

[378-9]

The name of Justice written on thy brow
Resplendent shone

4o, S. L. 1817.

(The reading of the text is given as an emendation in the Errata, Sibylline Leaves, 1817, p. [xii].)

That plays around the sick man's throbbing temples

4o.

Chieftains'] Chieftain's 4o.

said] replied 4o, S. L., 1828.

Between lines and 423 of the text, the text of Joan of Arc, Book II, inserts:—

A Vapor rose, pierc'd by the Maiden's eye.
Guiding its course Oppression sate within,
With terror pale and rage, yet laugh'd at times
Musing on Vengeance: trembled in his hand
A Sceptre fiercely-grasp'd. O'er Ocean westward
The Vapor sail'd

4o.

[145:A] These images imageless, these Small-Capitals constituting themselves Personifications, I despised even at that time; but was forced to introduce them, to preserve the connection with the machinery of the Poem, previously adopted by Southey. S. T. C.

After of the text, the text of Joan of Arc inserts:—

Envy sate guiding—Envy, hag-abhorr'd!
Like Justice mask'd, and doom'd to aid the fight
Victorious 'gainst oppression. Hush'd awhile

4o.

[These lines were assigned by Coleridge to Southey.]

with] by 4o.

[437-8]

Shriek'd Ambition's ghastly throng
And with them those the locust Fiends that crawl'd

4o.

[146:B] —if Locusts how could they shriek? I must have caught the contagion of unthinkingness. S. T. C. 4o.

heavenly] goodly 4o.

Love] Law 4o.

For lines 470-74 vide ante var. of lines 130 foll.