\"Dearme，\"saidI，\"howveryextraordinary！Doyouthinkthatyourgoingtosleepiscausedbythemeadoworthebook？\"\"Isupposebyboth，\"saidmynewacquaintance，\"actinginco—operation。\"\"Itmaybeso，\"saidI；\"themagicinfluencedoescertainlynotproceedfromthemeadowalone；
forsinceIhavebeenhere，Ihavenotfelttheslightestinclinationtosleep。Doesthebookconsistofproseorpoetry？\"\"Itconsistsofpoetry，\"saidtheindividual。\"NotByron’s？\"saidI。\"Byron’s！\"repeatedtheindividual，withasmileofcontempt；\"no，no；thereisnothingnarcoticinByron’spoetry。Idon’tlikeit。Iusedtoreadit，butitthrilled，agitated，andkeptmeawake。No；thisisnotByron’spoetry，buttheinimitable—’s\"—mentioninganamewhichIhadneverheardtillthen。\"Willyoupermitmetolookatit？\"saidI。\"Withpleasure，\"heanswered，politelyhandingmethebook。Itookthevolume，andglancedoverthecontents。Itwaswritteninblankverse，andappearedtoaboundindescriptionsofscenery；therewasmuchmentionofmountains，valleys，streams，andwaterfalls，harebellsanddaffodils。Thesedescriptionswereinterspersedwithdialogues，which，thoughtheyproceededfromthemouthsofpedlarsandrustics，wereofthemostedifyingdescription；
mostlyonsubjectsmoralormetaphysical，andcouchedinthemostgentlemanlyandunexceptionablelanguage，withouttheslightestmixtureofvulgarity，coarseness，orpie—baldgrammar。Suchappearedtometobethecontentsofthebook；
butbeforeIcouldformaveryclearideaofthem，Ifoundmyselfnodding，andasurprisingdesiretosleepcomingoverme。Rousingmyself，however，byastrongeffort，Iclosedthebook，and，returningittotheowner，inquiredofhim，\"Whetherhehadanymotiveincomingandlyingdowninthemeadow，besidesthewishofenjoyingsleep？\"\"Nonewhatever，\"hereplied；\"indeed，Ishouldbeverygladnottobecompelledtodoso，alwaysprovidedIcouldenjoytheblessingofsleep；forbylyingdownundertrees，Imaypossiblycatchtherheumatism，orbestungbyserpents；and，moreover，intherainyseasonandwinterthethingwillbeimpossible，unlessIerectatent，whichwillpossiblydestroythecharm。\"\"Well，\"saidI，\"youneedgiveyourselfnofurthertroubleaboutcominghere，asIamfullyconvincedthatwiththisbookinyourhand，youmaygotosleepanywhere，asyourfriendwasdoubtlessaware，thoughhewishedtointerestyourimaginationforatimebypersuadingyoutolieabroad；therefore，infuture，wheneveryoufeeldisposedtosleep，trytoreadthebook，andyouwillbesoundasleepinaminute；thenarcoticinfluenceliesinthebook，andnotinthefield。\"\"Iwillfollowyouradvice，\"
saidtheindividual；\"andthisverynighttakeitwithmetobed；thoughIhopeintimetobeabletosleepwithoutit，mynervesbeingalreadymuchquietedfromtheslumbersIhaveenjoyedinthisfield。\"Hethenmovedtowardsthegate，whereweparted；hegoingoneway，andIandmyhorsetheother。