Wordsworth unwilling

 

Q.3. Why was Wordsworth unwilling to add a preface?

 

Ans. The first edition of Lyrical Ballads was published in 1798 without any preface including four poems by Coleridge and nineteen by Wordsworth. The poems of Lyrical Ballads were of a new kind both in theme and style. So, some of his friends advised him to add a preface to the second edition of his poems. But Wordsworth was unwilling to add a preface for a number of reasons:

 

(i)                If he writes a preface, readers will think that the poet is influencing them to appreciate his poems by reasoning.

 (ii) A poet should trust to the good sense of the readers for the acceptance of his poems.

 

(iii) If there is real worth in his poems, readers themselves will appreciate them without any reasoning or arguments.

 

(iv) A suitable view of his poetry cannot be put forward within the limited space of a preface.