versy on poetic diction. It will hardly be necessary to add that for such errors as I have fallen into I am alone and entirely responsible. My acknowledgements are also due to the Trustees of Dr. Williams's Library for kindly allowing me to consult the manuscript of H. C. Robinson's Diaries; while to the readers of the Clarendon Press I am indebted for much valuable assistance in the correction of proofs. The circumstances leading to the composition of the Biographia Literaria could not be fully dealt with in the Introduction itself without too marked a digression from the main theme. I have therefore made them the subject of a Supplementary Note, which will be found appended to the Introduction. 1907. CHAPTER I.~The motives of the present work—Reception of the Author's first publication-The discipline of his taste at school-The effect of contemporary writers on CHAPTER II. Supposed irritability of men of Genius- probable occasion-Principles of modern criticism-- Mr. Southey's works and character CHAPTER IV. The Lyrical Ballads with the preface— Mr. Wordsworth's earlier poems of fancy and imagina- CHAPTER VI.-That Hartley's system, as far as it differs CHAPTER VII.-Of the necessary consequences of the Hart- leian theory-Of the original mistake or equivocation CHAPTER VIII.-The system of DUALISM introduced by Des Cartes-Refined first by Spinoza and afterwards by Leibnitz into the doctrine of Harmonia præstabilita— Hylozoism-Materialism-Neither of these systems, or any possible theory of association, supplies or supersedes CHAPTER IX. Is philosophy possible as a science, and what are its conditions?-Giordano Bruno-Literary aristocracy, or the existence of a tacit compact among the learned as a privileged order-The author's obliga- tions to the Mystics-to Immanuel Kant-The difference between the letter and the spirit of Kant's writings, and a vindication of prudence in the teaching of philosophy- Fichte's attempt to complete the critical system—Its CHAPTER X.-A chapter of digression and anecdotes, as an interlude preceding that on the nature and genesis of the imagination or plastic power-On pedantry and pedantic expressions-Advice to young authors respect- ing publication-Various anecdotes of the author's lite- CHAPTER XIV.-Occasion of the Lyrical Ballads, and the CHAPTER XV. The specific symptoms of poetic power CHAPTER XVI.-Striking points of difference between the CHAPTER XVII.-Examination of the tenets peculiar to Mr. Wordsworth-Rustic life (above all, low and rustic life) especially unfavorable to the formation of a human diction-The best parts of language the product of philosophers, not of clowns or shepherds-Poetry essentially ideal and generic-The language of Milton 28 CHAPTER XVIII.-Language of metrical composition, why CHAPTER XIX.-Continuation-Concerning the real object CHAPTER XX.—The former subject continued CHAPTER XXI.-Remarks on the present mode of con- CHAPTER XXII.-The characteristic defects of Words- |