In its earlier stages, and
before the plan of 'The Recluse' was matured, the introductory part was
familiarly known, and talked of in the Wordsworth household, by the name
of "The Pedlar.
before the plan of 'The Recluse' was matured, the introductory part was
familiarly known, and talked of in the Wordsworth household, by the name
of "The Pedlar.
William Wordsworth
It is a fountain fitted to the nature of
social man, from which supplies of affection as pure as his heart was
intended for, are daily drawn. This class of men is rapidly
disappearing. . . . The two poems that I have mentioned were written with
a view to show that men who do not wear fine clothes can feel deeply.
'Pectus enim est quod disertos facit, et vis mentis. Ideoque imperitis
quoque, si modo sint aliquo affectu concitati, verba non desunt. ' The
poems are faithful copies from nature; and I hope whatever effect they
may have upon you, you will at least be able to perceive that they may
excite profitable sympathies in many kind and good hearts; and may in
some small degree enlarge our feelings of reverence for our species,
and our knowledge of human nature, by showing that our best qualities
are possessed by men whom we are too apt to consider, not with
reference to the points in which they resemble us, but to those in
which they manifestly differ from us. " (See 'Correspondence of Sir
Thomas Hanmer', by Sir Henry Burnbury, p. 436. )
A number of fragments, originally meant to be parts of 'Michael',--or at
least written with such a possibility in view,--will be found in the
Appendix to the eighth volume of this edition. --Ed.
* * * * *
1801
'The Sparrow's Nest', and the sonnet on Skiddaw, along with some
translations from Chaucer, belong to the year 1801. During this year,
however, 'The Excursion' was in progress.
In its earlier stages, and
before the plan of 'The Recluse' was matured, the introductory part was
familiarly known, and talked of in the Wordsworth household, by the name
of "The Pedlar. " The following extracts from Dorothy Wordsworth's
Journal of 1801 will show the progress that was being made with it:
"Dec. 21. --Wm. sate beside me, and wrote 'The Pedlar. ' 22nd. --W.
composed a few lines of 'The Pedlar. ' 23rd. --William worked at 'The
Ruined Cottage'" (this was the name of the first part of 'The
Excursion', in which 'The Pedlar' was included), "and made himself
very ill," etc.
Ed.
* * * * *
THE SPARROW'S NEST
Composed 1801. --Published 1807
[Written in the orchard, Town-end, Grasmere. At the end of the garden of
my father's house at Cockermouth was a high terrace that commanded a
fine view of the river Derwent and Cockermouth Castle. This was our
favourite play-ground. The terrace wall, a low one, was covered with
closely-clipt privet and roses, which gave an almost impervious shelter
to birds who built their nests there.
social man, from which supplies of affection as pure as his heart was
intended for, are daily drawn. This class of men is rapidly
disappearing. . . . The two poems that I have mentioned were written with
a view to show that men who do not wear fine clothes can feel deeply.
'Pectus enim est quod disertos facit, et vis mentis. Ideoque imperitis
quoque, si modo sint aliquo affectu concitati, verba non desunt. ' The
poems are faithful copies from nature; and I hope whatever effect they
may have upon you, you will at least be able to perceive that they may
excite profitable sympathies in many kind and good hearts; and may in
some small degree enlarge our feelings of reverence for our species,
and our knowledge of human nature, by showing that our best qualities
are possessed by men whom we are too apt to consider, not with
reference to the points in which they resemble us, but to those in
which they manifestly differ from us. " (See 'Correspondence of Sir
Thomas Hanmer', by Sir Henry Burnbury, p. 436. )
A number of fragments, originally meant to be parts of 'Michael',--or at
least written with such a possibility in view,--will be found in the
Appendix to the eighth volume of this edition. --Ed.
* * * * *
1801
'The Sparrow's Nest', and the sonnet on Skiddaw, along with some
translations from Chaucer, belong to the year 1801. During this year,
however, 'The Excursion' was in progress.
In its earlier stages, and
before the plan of 'The Recluse' was matured, the introductory part was
familiarly known, and talked of in the Wordsworth household, by the name
of "The Pedlar. " The following extracts from Dorothy Wordsworth's
Journal of 1801 will show the progress that was being made with it:
"Dec. 21. --Wm. sate beside me, and wrote 'The Pedlar. ' 22nd. --W.
composed a few lines of 'The Pedlar. ' 23rd. --William worked at 'The
Ruined Cottage'" (this was the name of the first part of 'The
Excursion', in which 'The Pedlar' was included), "and made himself
very ill," etc.
Ed.
* * * * *
THE SPARROW'S NEST
Composed 1801. --Published 1807
[Written in the orchard, Town-end, Grasmere. At the end of the garden of
my father's house at Cockermouth was a high terrace that commanded a
fine view of the river Derwent and Cockermouth Castle. This was our
favourite play-ground. The terrace wall, a low one, was covered with
closely-clipt privet and roses, which gave an almost impervious shelter
to birds who built their nests there.
