No languour, peevishness, nor vain complaint. At length when sixty years and five were told A slow disease insensibly consumed The powers of nature, and a few short steps Of many tears, virtuous and thoughtful grief, And yon tall pine-tree, whose composing sound And at the touch of every wandering breeze III. ESSAYS, LETTERS, AND NOTES ELUCIDATORY AND CONFIRMATORY OF THE POEMS. 1798-1835. ་ (a) OF THE PRINCIPLES OF POETRY AND THE LYRICAL BALLADS' (1798-1802). (b) OF POETIC DICTION. (c) POETRY AS A STUDY (1815). (d) OF POETRY AS OBSERVATION AND DESCRIPTION, AND DEDICATION OF 1815. (e) OF THE EXCURSION: PREFACE. (f) LETTERS TO SIR GEORGE AND LADY BEAUMONT AND OTHERS ON THE POEMS AND RELATED SUBJECTS. (g) LETTER TO CHARLES FOX WITH THE LYRICAL BALLADS,' AND HIS ANSWER, &c. (h) LETTER ON THE PRINCIPLES OF POETRY AND HIS OWN POEMS TO (AFTERWARDS) PROFESSOR JOHN WILSON. NOTE. Of the occasion and sources, &c. of the several portions of the present division see Preface in Vol. I. G. (a) OF THE PRINCIPLES OF POETRY AND THE LYRICAL BALLADS' (1798-1802). 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 sort of pleasure and that quantity of pleasure may be imparted, which a Poet may rationally endeavour to impart. 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 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 please. 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 would be produced, well adapted to interest mankind permanently, and not unimportant in the quality, and in the multiplicity of its moral relations and on this account they have advised me to prefix a systematic defence of the theory upon which the Poems were written. But I was unwilling to undertake the task, knowing that on this occasion the Reader would look coldly upon my arguments, since I might be suspected of having been principally influenced by the selfish and foolish hope of reasoning him into an approbation of these particular Poems: and I was still more unwilling to undertake the task, because, adequately to display the opinions, and fully to enforce the arguments, would require a space wholly disproportionate to a preface. For, to treat the subject with the clearness and coherence of which it is suscepti |