little Maid replied,
"Twelve steps or more from my mother's door,
And they are side by side. 40

"My stockings there I often knit,
My kerchief there I hem;
And there upon the ground I sit,
And sing a song to them. [3]

"And often after sun-set, Sir, 45
When it is light and fair,
I take my little porringer,
And eat my supper there.

"The first that died was sister Jane; [4]
In bed she moaning lay, 50
Till God released her of her pain;
And then she went away.

"So in the church-yard she was laid;
And, when the grass was dry, [5]
Together round her grave we played, 55
My brother John and I.

"And when the ground was white with snow,
And I could run and slide,
My brother John was forced to go,
And he lies by her side." 60

"How many are you, then," said I,
"If they two are in heaven?"
Quick was the little Maid's reply, [6]
"O Master! we are seven."

"But they are dead; those two are dead! 65
Their spirits are in heaven!"
'Twas throwing words away; for still
The little Maid would have her will,
And said, "Nay, we are seven!"

* * * * *

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1815.

A simple child, dear brother Jim, 1798.]

[Variant 2:

1815.

... you ... 1798.]

[Variant 3:

1836.

I sit and sing to them. 1798.]

[Variant 4:

1836.

... little Jane; 1798.]

[Variant 5:

1827.

And all the summer dry, 1798.]

[Variant 6:

1836.

The little Maiden did reply, 1798.]

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT

[Footnote A: It was in June, after leaving Alfoxden finally.--Ed.]

[Footnote B: The whole of this stanza was written by Coleridge. In a MS.
copy of the poem, transcribed by him, after 1806, Wordsworth gave it the
title 'We are Seven, or Death', but afterwards restored the original
title.--Ed.]

* * * * *

ANECDOTE FOR FATHERS

Composed 1798.--Published 1798.

'Retine vim istam, falsa enim dicam, si coges.'

EUSEBIUS. [A]

* * * * *

[This was suggested in front of Alfoxden. The boy was a son of my