Long after the death of Wordsworth, his legacy continued in new editions of his poetry, some of them designed for use in teaching children in Britain, North America, and the British colonies. This 1863 volume is one such example of a reader for children, complete with illustrations done by John McWhirter (the landscape artist), John Pettie (the idyllist), and John Millais (the Pre-Raphaelite), arguably some of the most important artists of the day.
To Victorian readers, Wordsworth and his poetry represented not only an idealistic view of nature, but also moral wisdom; a venerable, childlike innocence; and an imaginative view of the world.
Contributed by Lauralee Yount