But Europe at that time was thrilled with joy,
France standing on the top of golden hours,
And human nature seeming born again.

These lines come from Wordsworth’s long autobiographical poem recounting his youth and early adulthood, including his time in France during the opening phase of the French Revolution. Writing years later, Wordsworth looks back on the early 1790s, when revolutionary events seemed to promise a new political and moral dawn for Europe. The passage reflects the widespread initial enthusiasm among many British and European observers—before the Revolution’s violence and the ensuing wars complicated or shattered such hopes. Wordsworth’s own political feelings evolved markedly over the decade, making this retrospective moment both vivid and poignantly time-bound.

Wordsworth evokes the Revolution’s early atmosphere as a near-millennial renewal: Europe “thrilled with joy,” France poised at the summit of “golden hours,” and “human nature seeming born again.” The language suggests collective emotional contagion and a belief that history has turned a corner toward liberty and moral regeneration. Yet because the poem is retrospective, the lines also carry an implicit irony: the reader often knows that the “golden hours” will not last. The passage thus captures both the intoxicating power of political hope and the fragility of idealism when confronted by events.