The Poet writes under one restriction only, namely, that of the necessity of giving immediate pleasure to a human Being possessed of that information which may be expected from him but as a Man. Taking up the subject, then, upon general grounds, I ask what is meant by the word Poet? What is a Poet? To whom does he address himself? And what language is to be expected from him? He is a man speaking to men: a man, it is true, endued with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm and tenderness, who has a greater knowledge of human nature, and a more comprehensive soul, than are supposed to be common among mankind a man pleased with his own passions and volitions, and who rejoices more than other men in the spirit of life that is in him I have proposed to imitate, and, as far as is possible, to adopt the very language of men. But speaking in language somewhat more appropriate, it is to follow the fluxes and refluxes of the mind when agitated by the great and simple affections of our nature. I have also informed my Reader what this purpose will be found principally to be: namely to illustrate the manner in which our feelings and ideas are associated in a state of excitement. I have said that each of these poems has a purpose.
Low and rustic life was generally chosen, because in that condition, the essential passions of the heart find a better soil in which they can attain their maturity, are less under restraint, and speak a plainer and more emphatic language įrom such verses the Poems in these volumes in these volumes will be found distinguished at least by one mark of difference, that each of them has a worthy purpose.įor all good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. The principal object, then, which I proposed to myself in these Poems was to chuse incidents and situations from common life, and to relate or describe them, throughout, as far as was possible, in a selection of language really used by men and, at the same time, to throw over them a certain colouring of imagination, whereby ordinary things should be presented to the mind in an unusual way and, further, and above all, to make these incidents and situations interesting by tracing in them, truly through not ostentatiously, the primary laws of our nature 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 apprizes the Reader that certain classes of ideas and expressions will be found in his book, but that others will be carefully excluded. 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
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