As a poet whose art developed in a remarkably coherent chronological pattern and whose overt use of his own life for the subject matter of his verse was unparalleled in extent, Wordsworth presents an especially compelling claim to such systematic treatment. This volume is the first step toward providing a chronology of his life and works.

An invaluable tool for students of this major writer and of the Romantic period generally, this book offers a rapid means of access to factual information for any type of study making use of either the dates or relative order of Wordsworth's writings or personal experiences. Based on unpublished as well as published materials, the main entries of the chronology present items of documented fact together with source references; a separate chronological listing of the writings is also provided. Discussions and arguments are confined to footnotes and appendices.