Famous Prefaces.

The Harvard Classics. 1909-14.

Preface to Lyrical Ballads

William Wordsworth (1800)

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 realized, 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 susceptible, it would be necessary to give a full

account of the present state of the public taste in this country, and to determine how far

this taste is healthy or depraved; which, again, could not be determined, without pointing

out in what manner language and the human mind act and re-act on each other, and

without retracing the revolutions, not of literature alone, but likewise of society itself. I

have therefore altogether declined to enter regularly upon this defence; yet I am sensible,

that there would be something like impropriety in abruptly obtruding upon the Public,

without a few words of introduction, Poems so materially different from those upon

which general approbation is at present bestowed.

It is supposed, that by the act of writing in verse an Author makes a formal engagement

that he will gratify certain known habits of association; that he not only thus apprises the

Reader that certain classes of ideas and expressions will be found in his book, but that

others will be carefully excluded. This exponent or symbol held forth by metrical

language must in different eras of literature have excited very different expectations: for

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