...and supplementary essay to the Lyrical Ballads; Wordsworth's Works, ed. Morley, 1888, p. 849. tion of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation." If the French poets failed to achieve much that was really poetical, it must have been because they...

...1805, tried to improve upon it. In 1805 (Preface) instead of ' the language of conversation ' we find 'a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation ' ; and the poet further describes his purpose, thus : ' The principal object which I proposed to myself...

...middle and lower classes of society,' and, in the revised preface of 1800, with perfect exactitude, as ' a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation.' When these true, but to us almost self-evident things were said, Wordsworth was daring, for the first...

...middle and lower classes of soc"ety,' and, in the revised preface of 1800, with perfect exactitude, as ' a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation.' When these true, but to us almost self-evident things were said, Wordsworth was daring, for the first...

...somewhat unreasonably attached to modern books of moral philosophy. PREFACE TO LYRICAL BALLADS (1800) THE first volume of these Poems has already been submitted...ascertain, how far, by fitting to metrical arrangement a selec- I tjon of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation, I that sort of pleasure and...

..."The Widow in the Bye Street" with "Michael." That celebrated poetic diction of Wordsworth's — that "selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation" — "select" enough it is; but how "real" or how "vivid" is it when set beside the actual speech of...

...modified. Accordingly, in the first paragraph of the second Preface, he makes a more accurate statement : " The first volume of these Poems has already been submitted...perusal. It was published as an experiment, which,,! hoped, might be of some use to ascertain how far, by fitting to metrical arrangement a selection of...

...suggests the divine end of unity to which all great poetry moves. He wished to give poetical pleasure by fitting to metrical arrangement a selection of...real language of men in a state of vivid sensation ; casting over all, the colouring of imagination. By looking steadily at his subject he endeavoured...

...there is very little. The passion seems forced. The diction is almost as far removed as possible from " the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation." That the boldness of Wordsworth's genius has vanished is shown even by so small a matter as the frequent...

...thorn wi' me. WILLIAM WORDSWORTH Wordsworth's Object in His Poetry (From Preface to Lyrical Ballads) The first volume of these poems has already been submitted to general perusal. It was published as an e which, I hoped, might be of some use to ascerta: by fitting to metrical arrangement a selection of...