rederick Barbarossa.
In return, the Pope presented the Doge Liani with a ring, with which he
told him to wed the Adriatic, that posterity might know that the sea was
subject to Venice, "as a bride is to her husband."

In September 1796, nearly six years before this sonnet was written, the
fate of the old Venetian Republic was sealed by the treaty of Campo
Formio. The French army under Napoleon had subdued Italy, and, having
crossed the Alps, threatened Vienna. To avert impending disaster, the
Emperor Francis arranged a treaty which extinguished the Venetian
Republic. He divided its territory between himself and Napoleon, Austria
retaining Istria, Dalmatia, and the left bank of the Adige in the
Venetian State, with the "maiden city" itself; France receiving the rest
of the territory and the Ionian Islands. Since the date of that treaty
the city has twice been annexed to Italy.--Ed.

* * * * *

THE KING OF SWEDEN

Composed August, 1802.--Published 1807

The Voice of song from distant lands shall call
To that great [1] King; shall hail the crowned Youth
Who, taking counsel of unbending Truth,
By one example hath set forth to all
How they with dignity may stand; or fall, 5
If fall they must. Now, whither doth it tend?
And what to him and his shall be the end?
That thought is one which neither can appal
Nor cheer him; for the illustrious Swede hath done
The thing which ought to be; is raised _above_ [2] 10
All consequences: work he hath begun
Of fortitude, and piety, and love,
Which all his glorious ancestors approve:
The heroes bless him, him their rightful son.

* * * * *

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1807.

... bold ... In 1838 only.]

[Variant 2:

1845.

... He stands _above_ 1807.]

The following is Wordsworth's note to this sonnet, added in 1837:

"In this and a succeeding Sonnet on the same subject, let me be
understood as a Poet availing himself of the situation which the King
of Sweden occupied, and of the principles AVOWED IN HIS MANIFESTOS; as
laying hold of these advantages for the purpose of embodying moral
truths. This remark might, perhaps, as well have been suppressed; for
to those who may be in sympathy with the course of these Poems, it
will be superfluous; and will, I fear, be thrown away upon that ot