In preface to the second edition of Lyrical Ballads, William Wordsworth alters relationship between poem and reader to poet and poem. It doesn’t mean that he didn’t consider the reader. He considers the poet as a teacher of natural intuitions and describes the idea of poet by stating: “a man speaking to men; a man, it is true, endowed with more lively sensibility, more enthusiasm, and tenderness, who has a greater knowledge of human nature, and a more comprehensive soul, than are supposed to be common among mankind.” While he describes the idea of poem as “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings; it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity.” Wordsworth’s preface offers the theory of poetic diction by attacking the popular style using a gaudy and inane phraseology veiling nature rather than revealing its spirit. Readers who have been accustomed to the gaudiness and inane phraseology of many modern writers will struggle with the feelings of strangeness and awkwardness. Wordsworth doesn’t want to be censure for his propose and explain for the main reasons of determining his propose.
Wordsworth was advised once to prefix a systematic defence of the theory upon which the poems were written, but he was unwilling to do it since he might be suspected of having been influenced by the selfish and foolish hope as well adequately displayed the enforcing arguments. Without saying any few words it is easy to notice that poem has different materials than others and by writing in verse an author makes a formal engagement gratifying habits of association. It also reflects the different expectations from every different literature eras. So that propose of the poem is to choose incidents and situations from common life, to relate or describe them which at the same time let imagination go wilder. This could make ordinary things presented in an unusual aspect. All good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings. Thus, each poem has a purpose and his purpose is to imitate and to adopt the language of men which prompted by passion. A poet is a man speaking to men, he is a man pleased with his own passion and volitions as well rejoiced more than others in the spirit of life. He has an ability to conjure up in himself passions which are far from being the same as those produced by real events. Further he has acquired a greater readiness and power in expressing what he thinks and feels especially thoughts or feelings from his own mind. Wordsworth believes that poetry is the first and last of all knowledge, as immortal as the heart of man. In conclusion, he wants reader will determine how far a poem has been attained and what will be worth to be attained; for that he lets the claim to the approbation of the public
