William Wordsworth: The Critical Heritage, vol.1, 1793-1820. . - Reviews - book review

Contemporary Review, March, 2002

William Wordsworth: The Critical Heritage. Volume I. 1793-1820. Robert Woof, editor. Routledge. [pounds sterling]150.00. 1092 pages. ISBN 0-415-03441-8. The Critical Heritage series has earned for itself an excellent reputation because of the wide-ranging nature of the selections included in each volume.

The aim is to give readers a balanced view of how contemporaries saw and criticised the works of their own generation, whether in published reviews, private letters, satires, parodies, imitative verse or diaries. This volume, the first of two to cover Wordsworth's works, is no exception to the high standard already set and some of the material has never been published before. Wordsworth's poetry, and his views on poetry, still effect English literature today. The text is divided into sixteen parts. Part I examines early notices and opinions while parts II to V look at reactions to the Lyrical Ballads. The following parts then take a chronological approach, examining reaction to his poetry in reviews, private correspondence and diary entries. There are two parts devoted to The Excursion (IX and X) while the final part, 'Later Opinions, 1815-1820', consist of written comments and private correspondence. The collection ends with reactions to The River Duddon. As with others in the series, it will prove an invaluable tool for scholars and researchers.