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1770–1850

CASUAL INCITEMENT

William Wordsworth

A bright-haired company of youthful slaves, Beautiful strangers, stand within the pale Of a sad market, ranged for public sale, Where Tiber's stream the immortalCity laves:

ANGLI by name; and not an ANGEL waves His wing who could seem lovelier to man's eye Than they appear to holy Gregory; Who, having learnt that name, salvation craves

For Them, and for their Land. The earnest Sire, His questions urging, feels, in slender ties Of chiming sound, commanding sympathies; DE-IRIANS — he would save them from God's IRE;

Subjects of Saxon AELLA — they shall sing Glad HALLE-lujahs to the eternal King!

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CASUAL INCITEMENT · William Wordsworth · Poetry Cove