III.
CRITICAL AND ETHICAL.
I._Notes and Illustrations of the Poems, incorporating_: (_a_) The Notes originally added to the first and successive editions.
(_b_) The whole of the I.F.

MSS.
This division of the Prose has cost the Editor more labour and thought than any other, from the scattered and hitherto unclassified semi-publication of these Notes.

Those called 'original' are from the first and successive editions of the Poems, being found in some and absent in other collections.

An endeavour has been made to include everything, even the briefest; for judging by himself, the Editor believes that to the reverent and thoughtful student of WORDSWORTH the slightest thing is of interest; _e.g._ one turns to the most commonplace book of topography or contemporary verse in any way noticed by him, just because it is WORDSWORTH who has noticed it, while an old ballad, a legend, a bit of rural usage, takes a light of glory from the page in which it is found.

Hence as so much diamond-dust or filings of gold the published Notes are here brought together.