Of recent editions that by Professor Knight and my own edition in Bell's "Aldine Edition of the British Poets" are the most

important. Wordsworth's Prose Works were collected in three volumes by Dr. Grosart in 1876.

The standard biographies of Wordsworth are (1) that by his nephew Christopher Wordsworth, (2) that by Professor Knight. Of short lives the best is that of Mr. Myers in the “English_Men of Letters" series.

There are several volumes of Selections, including those by Henry Reed, Matthew Arnold, F. T. Palgrave, Professor Knight, and other members of the Wordsworth Society, C. K. Shorter, W. J. Rolfe, A. J. George. Mr. George has also edited "The Prelude " and " Wordsworth's Prefaces and Essays on Poetry."

For criticism see Coleridge's "Biographia Literaria," Henry Taylor's "Notes from Books," John Wilson's "Essays, Critical, etc.," De Quincey's "Recollections of Wordsworth" and "Wordsworth's Poetry," G. Brimley's "Essays," Lowell's Among my Books," David Masson's "Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, etc.," J. C. Shairp's "Studies in Poetry and Philosophy” and “Aspects of Poetry," Leslie Stephen's "Hours in a Library, Third Series," R. H. Hutton's "Essays, Theological and Literary,” Stopford Brooke's Theology in the English Poets," E. Dowden's Studies in Literature" and "Transcripts and Studies," Matthew Arnold's Preface to his volume of Selections, W. Bagehot's "Literary Studies," Dean Church's "Dante and Other Essays," H. N. Hudson's "Studies in Wordsworth," A. de Vere's "Essays, Chiefly on Poetry," La Jeunesse de William Wordsworth," by Émile Legouis. Of these the most useful as an introduction to Wordsworth is the essay in Shairp's "Studies in Poetry and Philosophy." I may mention here my own reprint of the first edition of "Lyrical Ballads," which has appeared in two editions.

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WORDSWORTH'S POEMS.

If thou indeed derive thy light from Heaven,
Then, to the measure of that heaven-born light,
Shine, Poet! in thy place, and be content:
The stars preeminent in magnitude,

And they that from the zenith dart their beams,

(Visible though they be to half the earth,

Though half a sphere be conscious of their brightness)

Are yet of no diviner origin,

No purer essence, than the one that burns,

Like an untended watch-fire on the ridge

Of some dark mountain; or than those which seem
Humbly to hang, like twinkling winter lamps,
Among the branches of the leafless trees.
All are the undying offspring of one Sire:
Then, to the measure of the light vouchsafed,
Shine, Poet! in thy place, and be content.

WORDSWORTH'S POEMS.

LINES

Left upon a Seat in a Yew-tree, which stands near the lake of Esthwaite, on a desolate part of the shore, commanding a beautiful prospect.

NAY, Traveller! rest. This lonely Yew-tree stands
Far from all human dwelling: what if here
No sparkling rivulet spread the verdant herb?
What if the bee love not these barren boughs?
Yet, if the wind breathe soft, the curling waves,
That break against the shore, shall lull thy mind
By one soft impulse saved from vacancy.

Who he was

That piled these stones and with the mossy sod
First covered, and here taught this aged Tree
With its dark arms to form a circling bower,

I well remember.

He was one who owned

No common soul. In youth by science nursed,

And led by nature into a wild scene

Of lofty hopes, he to the world went forth

A favoured Being, knowing no desire

Which genius did not hallow; 'gainst the taint
Of dissolute tongues, and jealousy, and hate,
And scorn, against all enemies prepared,
All but neglect. The world, for so it thought,
Owed him no service; wherefore he at once
With indignation turned himself away,

And with the food of pride sustained his soul

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