New poems and variant readings

by Robert Louis Stevenson

New Poems
AND VARIANT READINGS
BY
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

 

LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS

First published . November 25th, 1918.
Reprinted . . . . . November 27th, 1918.

 

All rights reserved

PREFACE

 

All Stevensonians owe a debt of gratitude to the Bibliophile Society of Boston for having discovered the following poems and given them light in a privately printed edition, thus making them known, in fact, to the world at large. Otherwise they would have remained scattered and hidden indefinitely in the hands of various collectors. They will be found extraordinarily interesting in their self-revelation, and some, indeed, are so intimate and personal that one understands why Stevenson withheld them from all eyes save his own. The love-poems in particular, though they are of very unequal merit, possess in common a really affecting sincerity. That Stevenson should have preserved these poems through all the vicissitudes of his wandering life shows how dearly he must have valued them; and shows, too, I think, beyond any contradiction, that he meant they should be ultimately published.

LLOYD OSBOURNE.

CONTENTS

	PAGE
PRAYER	1
LO! IN THINE HONEST EYES I READ	2
THOUGH DEEP INDIFFERENCE SHOULD DROWSE	2
MY HEART, WHEN FIRST THE BLACKBIRD SINGS	3
I DREAMED OF FOREST ALLEYS FAIR	4
ST. MARTIN'S SUMMER	6
DEDICATION	7
THE OLD CHIMÆRAS, OLD RECEIPTS	8
PRELUDE	10
THE VANQUISHED KNIGHT	11
TO THE COMMISSIONERS OF NORTHERN LIGHTS	11
THE RELIC TAKEN, WHAT AVAILS THE SHRINE?	13
ABOUT THE SHELTERED GARDEN GROUND	14
AFTER READING "ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA"	15
I KNOW NOT HOW, BUT AS I COUNT	15
SPRING SONG	16
THE SUMMER SUN SHONE ROUND ME	16
YOU LOOKED SO TEMPTING IN THE PEW	17
LOVE'S VICISSITUDES	18
DUDDINGSTONE	18
STOUT MARCHES LEAD TO CERTAIN ENDS	20
AWAY WITH FUNERAL MUSIC	20
TO SYDNEY	21
HAD I THE POWER THAT HAD THE WILL	23
O DULL COLD NORTHERN SKY	24
APOLOGETIC POSTSCRIPT OF A YEAR LATER	25
TO MARCUS	26
TO OTTILIE	27
THIS GLOOMY NORTHERN DAY	28
THE WIND IS WITHOUT THERE AND HOWLS IN THE TREES	29
A VALENTINE'S SONG	31
HAIL! CHILDISH SLAVES OF SOCIAL RULES	34
SWALLOWS TRAVEL TO AND FRO	36
TO MESDAMES ZASSETSKY AND GARSCHINE	37
TO MADAME GARSCHINE	39
MUSIC AT THE VILLA MARINA	39
FEAR NOT, DEAR FRIEND, BUT FREELY LIVE YOUR DAYS	40
LET LOVE GO, IF GO SHE WILL	41
I DO NOT FEAR TO OWN ME KIN	42
I AM LIKE ONE THAT FOR LONG DAYS HAD SATE	44
VOLUNTARY	45
ON NOW, ALTHOUGH THE YEAR BE DONE	47
IN THE GREEN AND GALLANT SPRING	47
DEATH, TO THE DEAD FOR EVERMORE	48
TO CHARLES BAXTER	49
I WHO ALL THE WINTER THROUGH	52
LOVE, WHAT IS LOVE?	53
SOON OUR FRIENDS PERISH	53
AS ONE WHO HAVING WANDERED ALL NIGHT LONG	53
STRANGE ARE THE WAYS OF MEN	55
THE WIND BLEW SHRILL AND SMART	56
MAN SAILS THE DEEP AWHILE	57
THE COCK'S CLEAR VOICE INTO THE CLEARER AIR	58
NOW WHEN THE NUMBER OF MY YEARS	59
WHAT MAN MAY LEARN, WHAT MAN MAY DO	60
SMALL IS THE TRUST WHEN LOVE IS GREEN	61
KNOW YOU THE RIVER NEAR TO GREZ	62
IT'S FORTH ACROSS THE ROARING FOAM	63
AN ENGLISH BREEZE	65
AS IN THEIR FLIGHT THE BIRDS OF SONG	66
THE PIPER	67
TO MRS. MACMARLAND	68
TO MISS CORNISH	69
TALES OF ARABIA	71
BEHOLD, AS GOBLINS DARK OF MIEN	72
STILL I LOVE TO RHYME	73
LONG TIME I LAY IN LITTLE EASE	74
FLOWER GOD, GOD OF THE SPRING	75
COME, MY BELOVED, HEAR FROM ME	76
SINCE YEARS AGO FOR EVERMORE	77
ENVOY FOR "A CHILD'S GARDEN OF VERSES"	78
FOR RICHMOND'S GARDEN WALL	80
HAIL, GUEST, AND ENTER FREELY!	80
LO, NOW, MY GUEST	81
SO LIVE, SO LOVE, SO USE THAT FRAGILE HOUR	81
AD SE IPSUM	82
BEFORE THIS LITTLE GIFT WAS COME	82
GO, LITTLE BOOK—THE ANCIENT PHRASE	83
MY LOVE WAS WARM	84
DEDICATORY POEM FOR "UNDERWOODS"	85
FAREWELL	86
THE FAR-FARERS	87
COME, MY LITTLE CHILDREN, HERE ARE SONGS FOR YOU	87
HOME FROM THE DAISIED MEADOWS	88
EARLY IN THE MORNING I HEAR ON YOUR PIANO	88
FAIR ISLE AT SEA	89
LOUD AND LOW IN THE CHIMNEY	89
I LOVE TO BE WARM BY THE RED FIRESIDE	90
AT LAST SHE COMES	90
MINE EYES WERE SWIFT TO KNOW THEE	90
FIXED IS THE DOOM	91
MEN ARE HEAVEN'S PIERS	92
THE ANGLER ROSE, HE TOOK HIS ROD	93
SPRING CAROL	94
TO WHAT SHALL I COMPARE HER	95
WHEN THE SUN COMES AFTER RAIN	96
LATE, O MILLER	97
TO FRIENDS AT HOME	97
I, WHOM APOLLO SOMETIME VISITED	98
TEMPEST TOSSED AND SORE AFFLICTED	98
VARIANT FORM OF THE PRECEDING POEM	99
I NOW, O FRIEND, WHOM NOISELESSLY THE SNOWS	100
SINCE THOU HAST GIVEN ME THIS GOOD HOPE, O GOD	103
GOD GAVE TO ME A CHILD IN PART	104
OVER THE LAND IS APRIL	105
LIGHT AS THE LINNET ON MY WAY I START	106
COME, HERE IS ADIEU TO THE CITY	106
IT BLOWS A SNOWING GALE	107
NE SIT ANCILLÆ TIBI AMOR PUDOR	107
TO ALL THAT LOVE THE FAR AND BLUE	108
THOU STRAINEST THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN FERN	110
TO ROSABELLE	111
NOW BARE TO THE BEHOLDER'S EYE	112
THE BOUR-TREE DEN	114
SONNETS	118
FRAGMENTS	123
AIR OF DIABELLI'S	128
EPITAPHIUM EROTII	132
DE M. ANTONIO	133
AD MAGISTRUM LUDI	133
AD NEPOTEM	134
IN CHARIDEMUM	135
DE LIGURRA	135
IN LUPUM	136
AD QUINTILIANUM	137
DE HORTIS JULII MARTIALIS	137
AD MARTIALEM	139
IN MAXIMUM	139
AD OLUM	140
DE CŒNATIONE MICÆ	140
DE EROTIO PUELLA	141
AD PISCATOREM	141