William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
ms, verseDrafts of the Prelude, in the hands of William and Mary Wordsworth. Transcribed between 1802 and 1804. See notes below for full details.
This is MS. W of 'The Prelude'.
The verso of leaves 1-14 are a neat copy of Prelude IV, c277-304, 352-365 and lines corresponding to IV, 285, 304-352, c269-270, 286. Surrounding these lines and transcribed much later are drafts towards description of 'Higher Minds' XIII c71-184. Transcribed later than that are drafts corresponding to XI c224-257, 274-277, 279-280. Leaves 20v-22v are written vertically and very roughly, theme of 'private sorrow' drafts of what was to become V, 1-c48. Leaves 23-28 are all stubs. Leaves 29r-30v, V, 294-376 (Prodigy). Leaves 31r-32v, V, 445-515 (Books and Nature the best guides of the growing mind; Drowned Man; Arabian Nights; Summer Reading by Derwent). Continues with a conclusion for the book in hand with an approximation of V, 630-637. Leaf 33v, drafts towards V, 590-594 (Schoolboy enrapture by verse) and towards XIII c36 (climbing of Snowdon). The draft towards V, 590-594, although positioned below draft toward V 630-631 appears to have been the earlier entry, the last line of 630-631 is shaped to avoid it. There are two more stubs after this. Leaf 36r there is a fair copy by Mary Wordsworth, 'Fifth Book' opening with climbing of Snowdon.
It appears that at the time William Wordsworth planned the fifth book to be the final book.
Provenance:
Bequest of Gordon Graham Wordsworth, 1935
Literature:
Curtis, J.1983, The Cornell Wordsworth, Cornell University Press, Poems, in Two Volumes, and Other Poems, 1800-1807 (p.xix-xx)
Reed, M.L.1991, The Cornell Wordsworth, Cornell University Press, The Thirteen-book Prelude (I : p.11-15, 19, 21-40, 367-430)
Reed, M.L.1991, The Cornell Wordsworth, Cornell University Press, The Thirteen-book Prelude (II : p.262-313)
Reed, M.L.1975, Wordsworth The Chronology of the Middle Years, Harvard University Press, (p.617-619)
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