277.

Wordsworth wrote to his friend, Walter Scott, to thank him for a copy of
'The Lay of the Last Minstrel', and in return sent a copy of these
stanzas, 'Yarrow Unvisited'. Scott replied gratefully on the 16th March
1805, and said,

"... I by no means admit your apology, however ingeniously and
artfully stated, for not visiting the bonny holms of Yarrow, and
certainly will not rest till I have prevailed upon you to compare the
ideal with the real stream."

Wordsworth had asked him if he could suggest any name more true to the
place than Burnmill, in the line, "The sweets of Burn-mill meadow."
Scott replied:

"We have Broad-meadow upon Yarrow, which with the addition of green or
fair or any other epithet of one syllable, will give truth to the
locality, and supply the place of Burnmill meadow, which we have not.
... I like your swan upon St. Mary's Lake. How came you to know that
it is actually frequented by that superb bird?"

(See 'Familiar Letters of Sir Walter Scott', vol. i. pp. 28, 29.)--Ed.]

"September 18, 1803.--We left the Tweed when we were within about a
mile and a half or two miles of Clovenford, where we were to lodge.
Turned up the side of a hill, and went along sheep-grounds till we
reached the spot--a single stone house, without a tree near it or to
be seen from it. On our mentioning Mr. Scott's name, the woman of the
house showed us all possible civility, but her slowness was really
amusing. I should suppose it a house little frequented, for there is
no appearance of an inn. Mr. Scott, who she told me was a very clever
gentleman, 'goes there in the fishing season;' but indeed Mr. Scott is
respected everywhere; I believe that by favour of his name one might
be hospitably entertained throughout all the borders of Scotland. We
dined and drank tea--did not walk out, for there was no temptation; a
confined barren prospect from the window.

"At Clovenford, being so near to the Yarrow, we could not but think of
the possibility of going thither, but came to the conclusion of
reserving the pleasure for some future time, in consequence of which,
after our return, William wrote the poem which I shall here
transcribe."

(From Dorothy Wordsworth's 'Recollections of a Tour made in Scotland',
1803.)--Ed.

* * * * *

THE MATRON OF JEDBOROUGH AND HER HUSBAND

Composed between 1803 and 1805.--Publis