--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: She was a Phantom of delight When first…" description: "\"“She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament: Her eyes as stars of twilight ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/william-wordsworth-403_beauty_she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first_46827.jpg" --- # She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon… ![“She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament: Her eyes as stars of twilight fair; Like twilight's, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn From May-time and the cheerful dawn; A dancing shape, an image gay…” quote by William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/william-wordsworth-403_beauty_she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first_46827.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/william-wordsworth-403_beauty_she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first_46827.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/william-wordsworth-403_beauty_she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first_46827.jpg) > ““She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament: Her eyes as stars of twilight fair; Like twilight's, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn From May-time and the cheerful dawn; A dancing shape, an image gay, To haunt, to startle, and waylay.”” [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet describes a fleeting, ethereal woman whose beauty and presence are both enchanting and unsettling, likening her to a ghostly apparition that captivates and haunts the observer. **In simple terms:** A fleeting, haunting beauty. Key Takeaway Ephemeral allure can linger. Themes beauty transience haunting nature romance Mood wistful awe melancholy Type poetic romantic descriptive When to use this quote - first encounter with a muse - seeing a striking stranger - momentary infatuation - nighttime reflections - artistic inspiration Key Concepts appearance light emotion time Practical Applications - poetic description - visual art inspiration Questions to Reflect On - What makes a brief encounter feel timeless? - How does the poet balance admiration with unease? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Like Twilight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-twilight-681321/) [Phantom Delight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/phantom-delight-681318/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Stars Twilight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars-twilight-681320/) [Twilight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twilight/) [Twilight Fair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twilight-fair-681319/) ## Related quotes > [She was a phantom of delight When first she gleamed upon my sight, A lovely apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament; Her eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first-she-gleamed-upon-my-sight-a/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“I stared at the night's first stars, as if their twilight-dimmed glow would reveal something to me, give me answers to the universe I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-k-ryals/i-stared-at-the-night-s-first-stars-as-if-their-twilight-dimmed-glow/) [R.K. Ryals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-k-ryals/) > [“ She Was A Phantom of Delight She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [I really don't know what it's like in 'Twilight,' but I know in the young-adult genre, there are these cold, aloof guys. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alden-ehrenreich/i-really-don-t-know-what-it-s-like-in-twilight-but-i-know-in-the/) [Alden Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alden-ehrenreich/) > [Actors strive to be part of something like 'Twilight' and what 'Twilight' is, is unbelievable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/actors-strive-to-be-part-of-something-like-twilight-and-what-twilight/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [“Colour my world with sunset peach and betwixt the dying day and blooming night, we shall dance across the impatient stars of twilight...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-alison/colour-my-world-with-sunset-peach-and-betwixt-the-dying-day-and/) [Virginia Alison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-alison/) > [I don't really understand it even now, It does have an angle which is attached to something quite primal in girls. I guess people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-don-t-really-understand-it-even-now-it-does-have-an-angle-which-is/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [Fuck all of them who thinks love is like twilight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/fuck-all-of-them-who-thinks-love-is-like-twilight/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) > [I'll decide to do a movie and then go oh, like "Twilight" fans are probably going to react to this or whatever. But that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-ll-decide-to-do-a-movie-and-then-go-oh-like-twilight-fans-are/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [Books like Twilight are not art. They are mass-produced crap that is meant to be consumed by the widest possible audience, for the largest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-gaspirtz/books-like-twilight-are-not-art-they-are-mass-produced-crap-that-is/) [Oliver Gaspirtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-gaspirtz/) > [“In life there are times where you have to behave like twilight streets: Don’t move, don’t speak, don’t even dream, just be silent and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/in-life-there-are-times-where-you-have-to-behave-like-twilight/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I like silly stuff, too. I like the 'Twilight' series. That was fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-like-silly-stuff-too-i-like-the-twilight-series-that-was-fun/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [“It’s like the Twilight Zone,” murmured Alex, her eyes big. “Watching them work together on anything, even when it’s just eggs and bacon.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/it-s-like-the-twilight-zone-murmured-alex-her-eyes-big-watching-them/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [Books like Twilight are what you get when you let women out of the kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/books-like-twilight-are-what-you-get-when-you-let-women-out-of-the/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [ I don't think there is any analysis. I don't think anyone knows why people like \[The Twilight\]. I don't think even the fans know… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/i-don-t-think-there-is-any-analysis-i-don-t-think-anyone-knows-why/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) ## More by William Wordsworth > [Spade! Thou art a tool of honor in my hands. I press thee, through a yielding soil, with pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/spade-thou-art-a-tool-of-honor-in-my-hands-i-press-thee-through-a/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The eye— it cannot choose but see; we cannot bid the ear be still; our bodies feel, where'er they be, against or with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-eye-it-cannot-choose-but-see-we-cannot-bid-the-ear-be-still-our/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“Dreams, books, are each a world; and books, we know, Are a substantial world, both pure and good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/dreams-books-are-each-a-world-and-books-we-know-are-a-substantial/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Now when the primrose makes a splendid show, And lilies face the March-winds in full blow, And humbler growths as moved with one desire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/now-when-the-primrose-makes-a-splendid-show-and-lilies-face-the-march/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“Where are your books? - that light bequeathed To beings else forlorn and blind! Up! up! and drink the spirit breathed From dead men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/where-are-your-books-that-light-bequeathed-to-beings-else-forlorn-and/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Knowledge and increase of enduring joy From the great Nature that exists in works Of mighty Poets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/knowledge-and-increase-of-enduring-joy-from-the-great-nature-that/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The common growth of Mother Earth Suffices me,-her tears, her mirth, Her humblest mirth and tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-common-growth-of-mother-earth-suffices-me-her-tears-her-mirth-her/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [And he is oft the wisest manWho is not wise at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/and-he-is-oft-the-wisest-manwho-is-not-wise-at-all/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [The oldest man he seemed that ever wore grey hairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/the-oldest-man-he-seemed-that-ever-wore-grey-hairs/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [“If the time should ever come when what is now called science, thus familiarised to men, shall be ready to put on, as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/if-the-time-should-ever-come-when-what-is-now-called-science-thus/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Truth takes no account of centuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/truth-takes-no-account-of-centuries/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [I have felt a presence that disturbs me with the joy of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime of something far more deeply interfused, whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/i-have-felt-a-presence-that-disturbs-me-with-the-joy-of-elevated/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [Like thoughts whose very sweetness yielded proof that they were born for immortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/like-thoughts-whose-very-sweetness-yielded-proof-that-they-were-born/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [In modern business it is not the crook who is to be feared most, it is the honest man who doesn't know what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/in-modern-business-it-is-not-the-crook-who-is-to-be-feared-most-it-is/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) [Explore all 587 William Wordsworth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. 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Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. 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I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) [Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a moment's ornament: Her eyes as stars of twilight fair; Like twilight's, too, her dusky hair; But all things else about her drawn From May-time and the cheerful dawn; A dancing shape, an image gay, To haunt, to startle, and waylay.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Wordsworth" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first-she-gleam-d-upon-my-sight-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beauty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first-she-gleam-d-upon-my-sight-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/william-wordsworth-403_beauty_she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first_46827.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/william-wordsworth-403_beauty_she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first_46827.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/224/william-wordsworth-403_beauty_she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first_46827.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“She was a Phantom of delight When first she gleam'd upon my sight; A lovely Apparition, sent To be a…” — William Wordsworth", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Wordsworth", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“She was a Phantom of delight...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first-she-gleam-d-upon-my-sight-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/she-was-a-phantom-of-delight-when-first-she-gleam-d-upon-my-sight-a/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```