Frederick W. Myers | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

Worbswortb by FREDERICK W. H. MYERS AUTHOR OF POEMS ESSAYS BTC. JEnglfsb Esen of betters EDITED BY JOHN MORLEY HARPER 6-BROTHERS PUBLISHERS NEW YORK AND LONDON 1902 WILLIAM WORDSWORTH CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. BIRTH AND EDUCATION. CAMBRIDGE, I CHAPTER II. RESIDENCE IN LONDON AND IN FKANCB ., , ., 15 CHATTER III. Miss Woisi s WORTH. LYRIC AL BALLADS. - SETTLEMENT AT xltASMKUB . ......... .... 25 CHAPTER IV. Tins ENGLISH LAKES ....... ..... 38 CHAPTER V. . SOCIBTY. . HIGHLAND TOUR ., .... 55 CHAPTER VI. SIR GEOKOW BRAUMONT.-DBATH OF JOHN WOEMWOETH 65 CHAPTER VII. WABRIOB, AK0 PATRICTIC POEMS ..... 74 v j CONTENTS, CHAPTER VIII. fAm CHILDREN. LIFE AT RYDAL MOUNT. 4 THE EXCURSION n H I CHAPTER IX. POETIC DICTION. LAODAMIA. EVENING ODE n 103 CHAPTER X. NATURAL RELIGION 123 CHAPTER XI. TOXTR. ECCLESIASTICAL VIEWS. LAURBATESHIP .. CHAPTER XII. IiBTTEKS ON TEE KtiNDAX. ANI WlKI KKJIEUB CONCLUSION ..... ..... 107 WORDSWORTH. CHAPTER L BIRTH AKD KBUOATIQN. CAMBRIDGE, Tj perhaps, more fitly begin this short biography than with sonic words in which its subject has expressed his own feelings m to the spirit in which such a task should be approached. Silence, says Wordsworth, is a privilege of the grave, a right of the departed let him, therefore, who infringes that right by speaking publicly of, for, or against those who cannot speak for themselves, take heed that ho opens not his mouth without a suffi cient sanction. Only to philosophy enlightened by the af fections does it belong justly to estimate the claims of the deceased, on the one hand, and of the present age and fut ure generations, on the other, and to strike a balance be tween them Such philosophy runs a risk of becoming extinct among us, ifthe coarse intrusions into the recesses, the gross breaches upon the sanctities, of domestic life, to which we have lately been more and more accustomed, are to bo regarded as indications of a vigorous state of public feeling. The wise and good respect, m one of the noblest characteristics of Englishmen, that jealousy of familiar ap 2 WOBDSWORTH. proacli which, wliilo It contributes to the maintenance of private dignity, Is one of tiic most efficacious guardian of rational public freedom, In accordance with these views the poet entrusted to Ms nephew, the present Bishop of Lincoln, the task of composing memoirs of his life, in the just confidence that nothing would by suck hands be given to the work which was inconsistent with the dignity cither of the living or of tlic dead. From those memoirs the facts contained in the present work have been for the moat part drawn. It lias, however, been my fortune, through hereditary friend ships, to have access to many manuscript letters and much oral tradition bearing upon the poets private life ami some details and some passages of letters hitherto unpub lished will appear in these pages. It would acorn, how ever, that there is but little of public interest in Wonl-worths life which has not already been given to the world, and I have shrank from narrating such minor personal in cidents as ho would himself have thought it nc-eellcws to dwell upon. 1 have endeavoured, in short, to wita as though the Subject of this biography were himself it Auditor, listening, indeed, from some region whore all of truth is discerned and nothing but truth desired, but check-Ing by his venerable presence any such revelation m pub lic advantage does not call for, andprivate delicacy would condemn, As regards the critical remarks which thcae pages con tain, I have only to say that I have carefully consult such notices of the poet as his personal friends have kft 1 I take this opportunity of thanking Mr William Wordsworth, the son, and Mr. William Wordswortli, the granclmiti t of the poet, for help most valuable in enabling me to give a true impression of th poets personality. i. J BIBTH AND EDUCATION. 3 us, and also, I believe, nearly every criticism of importance which has appeared on his works...