Wordsworth's Poetical Works, Volume 2

Meanwhile I from the helm admire

... I soberly admire

Or deep into the heavens

Or into massy clouds

... are ill-built,
But proud let him be who has seen them;

That darling speck ...

And there it is, ...

Out—out—and, like a brooding hen,
Beside your sooty hearth-stone cower;
Go, creep along the dirt, and pick
Your way with your good walking-stick,
Just three good miles an hour!

My radiant Pinnace, you forget

For I myself, in very truth,

Off flew my sparkling Boat in scorn,
Yea in a trance of indignation!

Spurning her freight with indignation!

... to my stone-table
Limp'd on with some vexation.

... tow'rd my stone-table

Breath fail'd me as I spake—but soon
With lips, no doubt, and visage pale,
And sore too from a slight contusion,
Did I, to cover my confusion,
Begin the promised Tale.

All by the moonlight river side
It gave three miserable groans;
"'Tis come then to a pretty pass,"
Said Peter to the groaning Ass,
"But I will bang your bones!"

"Good Sir!"—the Vicar's voice exclaim'd,
"You rush at once into the middle;"
And little Bess, with accent sweeter,
Cried, "O dear Sir! but who is Peter?"
Said Stephen,—"'Tis a downright riddle!"

The Squire said, "Sure as paradise
Was lost to man by Adam's sinning,
This leap is for us all too bold;

Like winds that lash the waves, or smite
The woods, the autumnal foliage thinning—
"Hold!" said the Squire, "I pray you, hold!

The woods, autumnal foliage thinning—

... its ponderous knell,
Its far-renowned alarum!

... his ponderous knell,
A far-renowned alarum!

... that ponderous knell—
His far-renowned alarum!

With Peter Bell, I need not tell
That this had never been the case;—

Till he is brought to an old quarry,

"What! would'st thou daunt me grisly den?
Back must I, having come so far?
Stretch as thou wilt thy gloomy jaws,
I'll on, nor would I give two straws
For lantern or for star!"

And so, where on the huge rough stones
The black and massy shadows lay,
And through the dark, ...

Now you'll suppose that Peter Bell
Felt small temptation here to tarry,
And so it was,—but I must add,
His heart was not a little glad
When he was out of the old quarry.

And now he is among the trees;

"No doubt I'm founder'd in these woods—
For once," quoth he, "I will be wise,
With better speed I'll back again—
And, lest the journey should prove vain,
Will take yon Ass, my lawful prize!"

Off Peter hied,—"A comely beast!
Though not so plump as he might be;
My honest friend, with such a platter,
You should have been a little fatter,
But come, Sir, come with me!"

But first doth Peter deem it fit
To spy about him far and near;

"A prize," cried Peter, stepping back
To spy ...

With ready heel the creature's side;

With ready heel his shaggy side;

"What's this!" cried Peter, brandishing
A new-peel'd sapling white as cream;
The Ass knew well what Peter said,
But, as before, hung down his head
Over the silent stream.

A new-peeled sapling;—though, I deem,
The Ass knew well what Peter said,
He, as before, ...

... —though I deem,
This threat was understood full well,
Firm, as before, the Sentinel
Stood by the silent stream.

"I'll cure you of these desperate tricks"—
And, with deliberate action slow,
His staff high-raising, in the pride
Of skill, upon the Ass's hide

What followed?—yielding to the shock
The Ass, as if ...

The Beast on his tormentor turned
A shining hazel eye.

Towards the river ...

Heav'd his lank sides, ...

All by the moonlight river side
He gave three miserable groans,
"'Tis come then to a pretty pass,"
Said Peter to the groaning ass,
"But I will bang your bones!"

And Peter halts to gather breath,
And now full clearly was it shown
(What he before in part had seen)
How gaunt was the poor Ass and lean,
Yea wasted to a skeleton!

In the editions of 1820-1832, only the second of these stanzas is retained, with the following change of text in 1827:

And, while he halts, was clearly shown
(What he before in part had seen)
How gaunt the Creature was, and lean,

But, while upon the ground he lay,

That instant, while outstretched he lay,

A loud and piteous bray!

... an endless shout,
The long dry see-saw ...

And Peter now uplifts his eyes;
Steady the moon doth look and clear,
And like themselves the rocks appear,
And tranquil are the skies,

And quiet are the skies.

1845
... its ponderous knell, Its far-renowned alarum!	1819
... his ponderous knell, A far-renowned alarum!	1836
... that ponderous knell— His far-renowned alarum!	1840

1827
Meanwhile I from the helm admire	1819
... I soberly admire	C.

In the editions of 1819 and 1820 only.
Out—out—and, like a brooding hen, Beside your sooty hearth-stone cower; Go, creep along the dirt, and pick Your way with your good walking-stick, Just three good miles an hour!

1820
All by the moonlight river side It gave three miserable groans; "'Tis come then to a pretty pass," Said Peter to the groaning Ass, "But I will bang your bones!"	1819

In the two editions of 1819 only.
"Good Sir!"—the Vicar's voice exclaim'd, "You rush at once into the middle;" And little Bess, with accent sweeter, Cried, "O dear Sir! but who is Peter?" Said Stephen,—"'Tis a downright riddle!"

In the editions of 1819 to 1832 only.
"What's this!" cried Peter, brandishing A new-peel'd sapling white as cream; The Ass knew well what Peter said, But, as before, hung down his head Over the silent stream.	1819
A new-peeled sapling;—though, I deem, The Ass knew well what Peter said, He, as before, ...	1920
... —though I deem, This threat was understood full well, Firm, as before, the Sentinel Stood by the silent stream.	1827

1827
"I'll cure you of these desperate tricks"— And, with deliberate action slow, His staff high-raising, in the pride Of skill, upon the Ass's hide	C. and 1819.

1836. In the two editions of 1819 this stanza formed two stanzas, thus:
All by the moonlight river side He gave three miserable groans, "'Tis come then to a pretty pass," Said Peter to the groaning ass, "But I will bang your bones!" And Peter halts to gather breath, And now full clearly was it shown (What he before in part had seen) How gaunt was the poor Ass and lean, Yea wasted to a skeleton!	1819
In the editions of 1820-1832, only the second of these stanzas is retained, with the following change of text in 1827:
And, while he halts, was clearly shown (What he before in part had seen) How gaunt the Creature was, and lean,	1827