John Keats: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Written after Visiting Fingal's Cave

John Keats

“Written after Visiting Fingal's Cave” as printed in The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884).

John Keats: Collected Lyrics Text 63 1884 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsRomantic
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Poetical Works of John Keats, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Not Aladdin magian

Ever such a work began;

Not the wizard of the Dee

Ever such a dream could see;

Not St. John, in Patmos' isle,

In the passion of his toil,

When he saw the churches seven,

Golden-aisled, built up in heaven,

Gazed at such a rugged wonder,

As I stood its roofing under.

Lo! I saw one sleeping there,

On the marble cold and bare;

While the surges washed his feet,

And his garments white did beat

Drenched about the sombre rocks;

On his neck his well-grown locks,

Lifted dry above the main,

Were upon the curl again.

"What is this? and what art thou?"

Whispered I, and touched his brow;

Verse 2

"What art thou? and what is this?"

Whispered I, and strove to kiss

The spirit's hand, to wake his eyes;

Up he started in a trice:

"I am Lycidas," said he,

"Fam'd in fun'ral minstrelsy!

This was architectur'd thus

By the great Oceanus!—

Here his mighty waters play

Hollow organs all the day;

Here, by turns, his dolphins all,

Finny palmers, great and small,

Come to pay devotion due,—

Each a mouth of pearls must strew!

Many a mortal of these days,

Dares to pass our sacred ways;

Dares to touch, audaciously;

This cathedral of the sea!

I have been the pontiff-priest,

Where the waters never rest,

Where a fledgy sea-bird choir

Soars forever ! Holy fire

I have hid from mortal man;

Proteus is my Sacristan!

But the dulled eye of mortal

Hath passed beyond the rocky portal;

So forever will I leave

Such a taint, and soon unweave

All the magic of the place."

So saying, with a Spirit's glance

He dived!

Credits

Written by John Keats

Words by John Keats. Historical text published in The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Poetical Works of John Keats (1884), “Written after Visiting Fingal's Cave”

Every text in this 1884 collected edition is by John Keats (1795-1821), who died more than 200 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

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Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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