The classical school was judicial, dealt with a difference in degree, and required knowledge of precedents. The scientific school is inductive, deals with differences in kind, and requires both knowledge and sympathy. So long as the classical school ruled was it any wonder that the history of literature revealed the triumph of author over critic? The war which Wordsworth waged against the old judicial criticism was of the greatest moment both for the poet and the critic. In these Prefaces we have the principles which constitute the foundation of inductive criticism.

"You must love him ere to you

He will seem worthy of your love."

It is doubtless natural that one should enjoy and praise Wordsworth's poetry first, but his criticism should by no means be neglected, for, believe me, whether one goes to him for poetry or criticism, one will not leave him without a blessing.

"Wisdom sheathed

In song love-humble; contemplations high,
That built like larks their nests upon the ground;

Insight and vision, sympathies profound

That spanned the total of humanity;

These were the gifts which God poured forth at large

On man through him; and he was faithful to his charge." 1

As regards Wordsworth's prose style little need be said. When a poet chooses to adopt the prose form one expects to find the same characteristics as distinguished his verse. Style, either in prose or verse, is the constant transpiration of charAs it is the distinctly personal element that renders. Wordsworth's poetry non verba sed tonitrua," so in his prose one finds everywhere these elements of strength, dignity, purity, and truth united with a subtle thought and tender sensibility 1 Aubrey De Vere.

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which individualize and give character to his style. There is a ruggedness in the sentence which makes it often austere and heavy, but it never falls into the opposite fault of the florid and the ornate. It may be said that Wordsworth's style is everywhere distinguished for its manliness,-"suavitas austera et solidà."

The seminary method of teaching English literature makes necessary the publication of the best texts both of literature and criticism in a form and at a price accessible to every student. The day has gone by when pupils can be lectured into what they should think about literature. The successful teacher is the one who is best able to stimulate the student to research and discovery to select and painstaking reading.

My thanks are due to Mrs. St. John of Ithaca, New York, for timely assistance in the matter of text, and for calling my attention to a possible inaccuracy in the date of the second essay, as recorded in the bibliography of Wordsworth. It is certain that the proper date is 1802 and not 1815, as given by Professor Knight. The order of the last two essays has been changed from that found in Professor Knight's edition of the poet's works. I cannot see how an essay supplementary to the preface of 1815 can precede the preface. I am very grateful for permission to associate this edition of the Prefaces with the name of one who has seen with singular clearness and has expressed with singular force and beauty the "Wisdom and Truth," the "Genius and Passion," of Wordsworth.

I have used the text of the edition of 1845 as given in Grosart's edition of the prose works of Wordsworth. Of the dates prefixed to each work the first refers to the year of composition; the second, to the year of the author's last revision.

BROOKLINE, MASS., June, 1892.

A. J. G.

LIB

UNI

WORDSWORTH'S PREFACES.

PREFACE,

1800-1845.

THE first Volume of these Poems has already been submitted to general perusal. It was published, as an experiment, which, I hoped, might be of some use to ascertain, how far, by fitting to metrical arrangement a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation, that 5 sort of pleasure and that quantity of pleasure may be imparted, which a Poet may rationally endeavour to impart.1

I had formed no very inaccurate estimate of the probable effect of those Poems: I flattered myself that they who should be pleased with them would read them with more 10 than common pleasure: and, on the other hand, I was well aware, that by those who should dislike them, they would be read with more than common dislike. The result has differed from my expectation in this only, that a greater number have been pleased than I ventured to hope I should 15 please.2

Several of my Friends are anxious for the success of these Poems, from a belief, that, if the views with which they were composed were indeed realised, a class of Poetry 20 would be produced, well adapted to interest mankind permanently, and not unimportant in the quality, and in

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