After admonishing the wedding guest to love well both
man and beast, the ancient Mariner departed. The poet says of his
listener,
"A sadder and a wiser man
He rose the morrow morn."
[*]When The Ancient Mariner was reprinted in 1800, the poet added
explanatory notes in the margin. These have been found useful in
writing this argument. The poet's notes are given in his _Poetical
Works_, edited by James Dykes Campbell (1893).
THE ANCIENT MARINER
PART I
It is an ancient Mariner,
And he stoppeth one of three,
"By thy long grey beard and glittering eye,
Now wherefore stopp'st thou me?
"The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide, 5
And I am next of kin;[1]
The guests are met, the feast is set:
Mayst hear the merry din."
He holds him with his skinny hand,
"There was a ship," quoth[2] he. 10
"Hold off! unhand me, grey-beard loon!"[3]
Eftsoons[4] his hand dropped he.
He holds him with his glittering eye--
The Wedding-Guest stood still,
And listens like a three years' child:[5] 15
The Mariner hath his will.
The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone:
He cannot choose but hear;
And thus spake on that ancient man,
The bright-eyed Mariner.
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