Tintern Abbey By William Wordsworth

Tintern Abbey

By William Wordsworth

I can hear again, after five long years, the soft murmur of this river, flowing down the mountains from its spring. I can see again these steep cliffs, and this restricted point of view creates in me a strong emotion, that is more and more deep because of the silence there is. While I was resting under this tree the day has come, and I could see inhabited regions with orchards, which at this season have unripe fruits and are all coloured in green, so that they mingle with the rest of the landscape. And again I can see these rows, these little green lines of wood limiting farms; and the rings of smoke coming from behind the trees. These are the signs of the presence of vagrant inhabitants, living in the wood, or of hermits living alone in the caves.

Although I've been away so long, I can still remember this landscape: And often, in lonely rooms, in the middle of the chaos of the cities, I felt gratitude to this Nature, especially in a state of weakness, 'cause it passed in my pure mind and gave me a great sense of calm, a pleasure I've never thought think I could feel anymore. Feelings that maybe were not so light, and that could give me a strong influence, so that they could remember me those little acts of love that in a man's life are so often forgotten. I think I could never ask more than this that let me be in contact with the Sublime; that blessed state of mind in which all the mysteries of life are lighted; that serene mood that let a man feel Love until he dies; that state of quietness in which we can see into the life of things by harmony and joy.

This cannot be a false belief, this is true. How often in difficult moments when days were passing without joy, when the frenetic life of the world was oppressive, this special state of mind helped me. How often I've turned to Nature, to the living wandering spirit of woods.

And now, with not bright thoughts, in this state of doubt, with many confused memories, that picture of mind revives again. While I am here, I'm cheered up by those presence of Nature and by my memories on it, that seem like something to live on, although my days of childhood have finished. In fact I can feel just as when I came here the first time, when like a  roe (=child) I walked among these hills, along the river and the lonely stream, wherever Nature pushed me., unconsciously, only with freedom in my mind. But now my boyish days are gone.

I cannot represent what then I was. The rumour of the waterfalls haunted me, but in a positive way; the tall rock, the mountains, the wide and dark wood created in me a desire to know (this is the passage from unconsciousness to wanting), a feeling of love  that had no answers in those days.

But now it's all gone, and those joys have fainted, but I'm not upset. This loss was replaced by other gifts. Now I can see Nature in childhood thoughtless no more; now I can hear also the sad side of Nature, that is not harsh no rough but that can calm down passions. And this fact disturbs my mind but also creates a state of joy 'cause now I can think high, I can think about Sublime (means God or a Divine presence), something really deep mixed in Nature, whose house is the sunset, the oceans and the air, and the blue sky, and the mind of man (PANTHEISM); something that drives all the living things and that invades  everything. So I'm still a lover of meadows and woods and mountains and of all the things on this Earth, of all the powerful world perceived by eyes and ears. And I'm so happy to recognise in Nature the starting point of my purest thoughts, the nurse (Nature as a MOTHER for men), the guide (as a TEACHER), the guardian (as a defender) of my moral being (Nature can guide us in Good or Evil).