This book grew out of the desire to offer a corrective to the various misleading remarks made both by Wordsworth's contemporaries and by the poet himself about his reading. I was inspired also by the growing tendency in recent years to discuss his work in terms of external influences, particularly literary, philosophical, and political ones. The resulting volume aims to place within easy reach of the critic and scholar all the hard evidence for Wordsworth's reading up to 1799. I believe it to be the most complete record to have been made available up to now.

But it contains not merely the scholarly information available on the subject; there are occasions when the scholarly evidence, such as it is, is inextricably intertwined with critical conjecture or speculation. In these cases I have done my best to combine open-mindedness with rigour. Where I have reservations about the likelihood of a reading suggested by a critic or scholar, I have generally included it, and have expressed reservations in the entry. I have been as inclusive as I can in dealing with suggestions made by others.

That said, I am only too keenly aware that certainty is seldom possible in the subjects with which this book is concerned. My primary aim has been to present what I have learned during my years of research.