In Memoriam

M. D.

THIS Volume gives, as far as the space permits, what I believe to be Wordsworth's best poems in the best text. With a very few exceptions all the pieces chosen by Matthew Arnold are included; but considerable additions to these have been made. Doubtless every lover of Wordsworth's poetry will regret the absence of something which he highly esteems. This is inevitable; but I trust that nothing is admitted which a lover of Wordsworth will consider undeserving of a place. The Selection is not designed as a substitute for the complete Poetical Works; it is rather hoped that readers as they use this volume will keep by them the Poetical Works, in any edition which preserves Wordsworth's own arrangement. The best text in one volume is that edited by the most learned and accurate of Wordsworth scholars Mr. Thomas Hutchinson. A chronological table, such as

may be seen in the seventh volume of the Aldine edition, will be found useful.

Matthew Arnold's choice of poems was excellent; his choice of a text was not judicious; probably his own early associations of pleasure were with that inferior text. In some instances he did what was illegitimate, he silently manufactured a text of his own, such as Wordsworth had never sanctioned or seen, by piecing together readings from more editions than one. The text here given is that which

Wordsworth finally approved; and, besides being the authoritative, it is, on the whole, the best text.

Wordsworth's general design in arranging his poems necessarily disappears from a volume which does not include ee The Excursion as a whole. The chronological arrangement has been adopted as the most instructive to a student. In the Political Sonnets, although they are only a selection from the series, the sequence, as determined by Wordsworth, has been followed.

I hope that some readers will not trouble themselves with the notes, and that all readers will sink into the beauty of the poems before they concern themselves with questions as to dates, occasions, sources, or text. But if notes on Wordsworth's poems are to be read, it will be found profitable to pay careful attention to the variations of text. From no other poet can so much be learnt as to the craftsmanship of the poetic art. In the Aldine edition I recorded the more interesting various readings. The same facts, with reference to most of the poems included, are here set down; but in many instances I have added what I suppose to have been Wordsworth's reason for the changes which he made, and in the Introduction I encourage the student to think out for himself, in other instances, the motives of the poet. If a distinction may be made between textual and literary criticism, I think I may claim that these textual notes are also in the truest sense literary.

Errors in matters involving a multitude of details are, I know, sure to occur; but I hope that the mistakes in my attempted record of facts do not largely exceed the inevitable margin of error.

E. D.