Lyrical Ballads, with Other Poems, 1800, Volume 1

Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Robert Prince and the DP Team
1800
By W. WORDSWORTH.
Quam nihil ad genium, Papiniane, tuum!
Expostulation and Reply The Tables turned; an Evening Scene, on the same subject Animal Tranquillity and Decay, a Sketch The Complaint of a forsaken Indian Woman The Last of the Flock Lines left upon a Seat in a Yew-tree which stands near the Lake of Esthwaite The Foster-Mother's Tale Goody Blake and Harry Gill The Thorn We are Seven Anecdote for Fathers Lines written at a small distance from my House and sent me by my little Boy to the Person to whom they are addressed The Female Vagrant The Dungeon Simon Lee, the old Huntsman Lines written in early Spring The Nightingale, written in April, 1798. Lines written when sailing in a Boat at Evening Lines written near Richmond, upon the Thames The Idiot Boy Love The Mad Mother The Ancient Mariner Lines written above Tintern Abbey
The First Volume of these Poems has already been submitted to general perusal. It was published, as an experiment which, I hoped, might be of some use to ascertain, how far, by fitting to metrical arrangement a selection of the real language of men in a state of vivid sensation, that sort of pleasure and that quantity of pleasure may be imparted, which a Poet may rationally endeavour to impart.
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: and on the other hand I was well aware that by those who should dislike them they would be read with more than common dislike. The result has differed from my expectation in this only, that I have pleased a greater number, than I ventured to hope I should please.
For the sake of variety and from a consciousness of my own weakness I was induced to request the assistance of a Friend, who furnished me with the Poems of the ANCIENT MARINER, the FOSTER-MOTHER'S TALE, the NIGHTINGALE, the DUNGEON, and the Poem entitled LOVE. I should not, however, have requested this assistance, had I not believed that the poems of my Friend would in a great measure have the same tendency as my own, and that, though there would be found a difference, there would be found no discordance in the colours of our style; as our opinions on the subject of poetry do almost entirely coincide.