Chapter 15

the Third, S. L. 1828, 1829.

[154] And still it ner'd and ner'd. L. B. 1798, 1800.

[155] And, an it dodg'd L. B. 1798: And, as if it dodg'd L. B. 1800, S. L. 1817.

[157-60]

With throat unslack'd with black lips baked Ne could we laugh, ne wail, Then while thro' drouth all dumb they stood I bit my arm, and suck'd the blood

L. B. 1798.

[157] With throat unslack'd, &c. L. B. 1800, 1802, S. L. 1817.

[160] Till I bit my arm and suck'd the blood L. B. 1800.

[162] With throat unslack'd, &c. L. B. 1798, 1800, 1802, S. L. 1817.

[167-70]

She doth not tack from side to side-- Hither to work us weal. Withouten wind, withouten tide She steddies with upright keel.

L. B. 1798.

[170] She steddies L. B. 1800, S. L. 1817.

[177] straight] strait L. B. 1798, 1800.

[182] neres and neres L. B. 1798, 1800.

[183] _her_] her 1834, _and also in_ 185 _and_ 190.

[Between 184-90]

Are those her naked ribs, which fleck'd The sun that did behind them peer? And are those two all, all the crew,[193:A] That woman and her fleshless Pheere?

_His_ bones were black with many a crack, All black and bare I ween; Jet-black and bare, save where with rust Of mouldy damps and charnel crust They're patch'd with purple and green.

L. B. 1798.

Are those _her_ ribs which fleck'd the Sun Like the bars of a dungeon grate? And are those two all, all the crew That woman and her mate?

MS. Correction of S. T. C. in L. B. 1798.

Are those _her_ Ribs, thro' which the Sun Did peer as thro' a grate? And are those two all, all her crew, That Woman, and her Mate?

_His_ bones were black with many a crack

* * * * *

They were patch'd with purple and green.

L. B. 1800.

This Ship it was a plankless thing, --A bare Anatomy! A plankless spectre--and it mov'd Like a Being of the Sea! The woman and a fleshless man Therein sate merrily.

His bones were black, &c. (as in 1800).

This stanza was found added in the handwriting of the Poet in the margin of a copy of the Bristol Edition [1798] of Lyrical Ballads. It is here printed for the first time. _Note P. and D. W., 1877-80, ii. 36._

[193:A] those] these _Errata, L. B. 1798_.

[190-4]

_Her_ lips are red, _her_ looks are free, _Her_ locks are yellow as gold: Her skin is as white as leprosy, And she is far liker Death than he; Her flesh makes the still air cold.

L. B. 1798.

_Her_ lips were red, _her_ looks were free, _Her_ locks were as yellow as gold: Her skin was as white as leprosy, And she was far liker Death than he; Her flesh made the still air cold.

L. B. 1800.

[196] casting] playing L. B. 1798, 1800.

[197] The game is done, I've, I've won S. L. 1817, 1828, 1839, 1834, 1844. The restoration of the text of 1798 and 1800 dates from 1852.

[198] whistles] whistled L. B. 1798, 1800.

[Between 198-218]

A gust of wind sterte up behind And whistled thro' his bones; Thro the { holes of his eyes and the hole of his mouth { hole L. B. 1802, 1805 Half-whistles and half-groans.

With never a whisper in the Sea Off darts the Spectre-ship; While clombe above the Eastern bar The horned Moon with one bright Star Almost atween the tips. [Almost between the tips. L. B. 1800.]

One after one by the horned Moon (Listen, O Stranger! to me) Each turn'd his face with a ghastly pang And curs'd me with his ee.

Four times fifty living men, With never a sigh or groan,

L. B. 1798, 1800.

[Between 198-9] A gust of wind . . . half groans. S. L. (Page 15 erase the second stanza. Errata_, S. L., p. [xi].)

[Between 201-12]

With never a whisper on the main Off shot the spectre ship; And stifled words and groans of pain Mix'd on each murmuring} lip. trembling} And we look'd round, and we look'd up, And fear at our hearts, as at a cup, The Life-blood seem'd to sip--

The sky was dull, and dark the night, The helmsman's face by his lamp gleam'd bright, From the sails the dews did drip-- Till clomb above the Eastern Bar, The horned Moon, with one bright star Within its nether tip.

Undated MS. correction of S. T. C. (first published 1893).

[208] dew] dews S. L. 1817.

[209] clomb] clombe S. L. 1817, 1828.