Page:Poems and extracts - Wordsworth.djvu/17

Rh rather the Wordsworthian, as exemplified in the practice of poets older far than Wordsworth.

Incidentally too it might be added that the book is one more refutation of the stupid remark that Wordsworth cared for no one's poetry but his own. There is evidence in plenty that these pieces, though garnered in 1819 for a special purpose, were the tried and loved ingatherings of many years.

A few remarks on them in detail may close this short notice.

Passing over the dedicatory sonnet, of which we give a facsimile, one is rather inclined to wonder whether Wordsworth's first intention may not have been to limit the collection to the writings of Lady Winchelsea. The specimens from Lady Anne fill thirty-two of the ninety-two pages of the manuscript.

The 'Others,' in order of occurrence, are:—


 * George Wither, pp. 33–41.
 * John Webster, p. 42.
 * William Cowper, pp. 43–44.
 * James Thomson, pp. 45–46, 49, 83,
 * James Beattie, p. 47.
 * John Langhorne, p. 48.
 * Alexander Pope, pp. 50–51.
 * William Julius Mickle, pp. 52–53.
 * John Armstrong, pp. 54–55.
 * Mark Akenside, pp. 56–62.
 * William Shakespeare, pp. 63–65.
 * Andrew Marvell, pp. 66–68.
 * Anne Killigrew, p. 68.
 * John Dyer, pp. 69–71.
 * Edmund Waller, pp. 72–73.
 * Laetitia Pilkington, pp. 74–75.
 * Jane Warton, pp. 76–77.
 * Thomas Carew, p. 78.
 * Sir John Beaumont, pp. 79–80.