[Variant 57: The following stanza occurs only in the editions of 1798 to
1805:

My heart is touched to think that men like these,
The rude earth's tenants, were my first relief:
How kindly did they paint their vagrant ease!
And their long holiday that feared not grief,
For all belonged to all, and each was chief.
No plough their sinews strained; on grating road
No wain they drove, and yet, the yellow sheaf
In every vale for their delight was stowed:
For them, in nature's meads, the milky udder flowed. 1798.

My heart is touched to think that men like these,
Wild houseless Wanderers, were my first relief: 1802.

In every field, with milk their dairy overflow'd. 1802.]


[Variant 58:

1836.

Semblance, with straw and pannier'd ass, they made
Of potters wandering on from door to door:
But life of happier sort to me pourtrayed, 1798.

They with their pannier'd Asses semblance made
Of Potters ... 1802.]