[Variant 7: 

1842.

    My father was a good and pious man,
    An honest man by honest parents bred, 1798.]

[Variant 8:  Stanzas XXIV. and XXV. were omitted from the editions of 1802 and 1805.  They were restored in 1820.]

[Variant 9: 

1842.

    Can I forget what charms did once adorn
    My garden, stored with pease, and mint, and thyme,
    And rose and lilly for the sabbath morn? 
    The sabbath bells, and their delightful chime;
    The gambols and wild freaks at shearing time;
    My hen’s rich nest through long grass scarce espied;
    The cowslip-gathering at May’s dewy prime;
    The swans, that, when I sought the water-side,
    From far to meet me came, spreading their snowy pride. 1798.

    Can I forget our croft and plot of corn;
    Our garden, stored ... 1836.

    The cowslip-gathering in June’s dewy prime; 1820.

    The swans, that with white chests upheaved in pride,
    Rushing and racing came to meet me at the waterside. 1836.]

[Variant 10: 

1842.

    ... yet ... 1798.]

[Variant 11: 

1802.

    When ... 1798.]

[Variant 12: 

1836.

    My watchful dog, whose starts of furious ire,
    When stranger passed, so often I have check’d; 1798.]

[Variant 13: 

1845.

    ... would ... 1842.]

[Variant 14: 

1845.

    ... summer ... 1842.]

[Variant 15: 

1845.

    The suns of twenty summers danced along,—­
    Ah! little marked, how fast they rolled away: 
    Then rose a mansion proud our woods among,
    And cottage after cottage owned its sway,
    No joy to see a neighbouring house, or stray
    Through pastures not his own, the master took;
    My Father dared his greedy wish gainsay;
    He loved his old hereditary nook,
    And ill could I the thought of such sad parting brook. 1798.

    Then rose a stately hall our woods among, 1800.

... how fast they rolled away:  But, through severe mischance, and cruel wrong, My father’s substance fell into decay; We toiled, and struggled—­hoping for a day When Fortune should put on a kinder look; But vain were wishes—­efforts vain as they:  He from his old hereditary nook Must part,—­the summons came,—­our final leave we took. 1820.]

[Variant 16:  The following stanza occurs only in the editions 1798 to 1805: 

    But, when he had refused the proffered gold,
    To cruel injuries he became a prey,
    Sore traversed in whate’er he bought and sold: 
    His troubles grew upon him day by day,
    Till all his substance fell into decay. 
    His little range of water was denied; [i]
    All but the bed where his old body lay,
    All, all was seized, and weeping, side by side,
    We sought a home where we uninjured might abide. 1798.