"In autumn evening from a poplar tree. Each like himself and like each other were At first; but some, distorted, seemed to be

"Obscure clouds, moulded by the casual air; And of this stuff the car's creative ray Wrought all the busy phantoms that were there,

"As the sun shapes the clouds. Thus on the way Mask after mask fell from the countenance

And form of all; and, long before the day

"Was old, the joy, which waked like heaven's glance

The sleepers in the oblivious valley, died;
And some grew weary of the ghastly dance,

"And fell, as I have fallen, by the wayside;

Those soonest from whose forms most shadows

passed,

And least of strength and beauty did abide."

530 Each like himself, and each like other, were . . . Rossetti. 534 Wrought, Boscombe MS. || Wrapt, Mrs. Shelley, 1824.

FRAGMENTS

PART III

MINOR FRAGMENTS

HOME

DEAR home, thou scene of earliest hopes and joys, The least of which wronged Memory ever makes Bitterer than all thine unremembered tears.

FRAGMENT OF A GHOST STORY

A SHOVEL of his ashes took
From the hearth's obscurest nook,
Muttering mysteries as she went.
Helen and Henry knew that Granny
Was as much afraid of ghosts as any,
And so they followed hard

But Helen clung to her brother's arm,
And her own spasm made her shake.

O MARY dear,

TO MARY

that you were here!

With your brown eyes bright and clear,
And your sweet voice, like a bird

Home. Forman. Published by Garnett, 1862, dated 1816. Fragment of a Ghost Story. Forman. Published by Garnett, 1862, dated 1816.

To Mary. Published by Mrs. Shelley, 1824, dated 1818.

Of this azure Italy.

Mary dear, come to me soon,
I am not well whilst thou art far;
As sunset to the sphered moon,
As twilight to the western star,
Thou, beloved, art to me.

O Mary dear, that you were here!
The Castle echo whispers "Here!"

TO MARY

THE world is dreary,

And I am weary

Of wandering on without thee, Mary ;

A joy was erewhile

In thy voice and thy smile,

And 'tis gone, when I should be gone too, Mary.

TO MARY

My dearest Mary, wherefore hast thou gone,
And left me in this dreary world alone!
Thy form is here indeed a lovely one-

To Mary. Published by Mrs. Shelley, 18392, dated 1819. 6 when where, Rossetti conj.

To Mary. Published by Mrs. Shelley, 18392, dated 1819.