Royal Institute of Philosophy

"Is the Prelude" a Philosophical Poem?

Author(s): W. B. Gallie
Source: Philosophy, Vol. 22, No. 82 (Jul., 1947), pp. 124-138
Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of Royal Institute of Philosophy
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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL
POEM ?'
W. B. GALLIE, B.A., B.LITT.

Is The Preludea philosophicalpoem? It is, of course,manythings

it containsprofoundreflections
besides:it is an autobiography; on
psychology, educationand politics; and there are passages an
of
almost purelylyricalcharacter.Does it also containphilosophical
poetry?
On thisquestion,the criticsofWordsworth are divided.Coleridge
and RaleighanswerYes; Arnold,Bradley,Dr. Leaves, fromtheir
different pointsof view,agreein answeringNo. I believethat the
firstansweris right,althoughit has usuallybeen supportedby the
wrongreasons.I believethe secondanswerto be wrong,although
many of the argumentsthat are supposed to lead to it are in
themselvessoundenough.Those who say that ThePreludeis not a
philosophicalpoem,usuallymean that it does not offera coherent
systemof philosophy-thatit expressesan originaloutlookand a
personalwisdom,but that the only systematicphilosophyin it
comes at second-handfromHartleyor Coleridgeand contributes
not at all to the poem.And thisis largelytrue.But themistakeis,
to identifyphilosophywith system, philosophizingwith "a
philosophy."This is a mistakethat has been repudiatedagain and
again by many of the greatestphilosophers, fromSocrates and
Plato to Locke and Kant and others.
I shall argue that The Preludeachieves philosophicalpoetry,
because in it Wordsworth grappleswithphilosophicalproblems-
problemswhicharise out of the storyof his own earlylife-which
are actuallyforcedupon him by the poem itself;and because he
triesto answerthese problemsin a way whichwould be possible
onlyin poetry.
I shall nottryto showthatthepeculiargreatnessof The Prelude
achievement.
lies in its philosophical On thecontrary, I believethat
its greatnesslies,like that of all Wordsworth's
successfulpoetry, in
its passion,its humanity,its conscientious realism.But thesevery
qualitiesled Wordsworth, wheneverhis thoughtreacheda certain
level of generality,to feel the inadequacies of certain of our
categories-bothmetaphysicaland moral-as commonlyused. He
had not the ingenuity to replacethesecategoriesby a new system.
But the impactof his poetrymade themshake,and he is a philo-
I Throughoutthis article I am much indebted to the criticismsand sug-
gestionsof my friend,Karl Britton.
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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM?
sophicalpoet becausehe makesus feelthemshake and becausehe
himselfwell knewthat theywereshaking,and was able to make
somesuggestions as to theformthatthenewcategoriesmighttake.
It would be idle to claim that in the last task Wordsworth was
uniformly successful. But success in is
philosophy always a relative
matter,and a philosopher mayhave donea greatdeal ifhe has made
us thinkevena littledifferently, notby presenting newfactsto our
notice,but by inducingus to shiftthe emphasisand orientation of
someofthebasicnotionswe use in everydaylife.Andthismuchcan,
I think,be claimedforthe philosophyof The Prelude.
This is the claim,I believe,whichColeridgeand Raleighmade
forWordsworth. But they expressedit in termswhichleftthem
to
open important criticismsfromthe otherside. I shalltryto state
the claimin a different way and shall considerwhatI believeto be
thephilosophical elementin ThePreludeunderthe following heads:
(i) How the central philosophicalproblem of The Preludearisesfrom
its autobiographical theme; (2) The analogyby whichWordsworth
develops his answer to the problem; (3) The originalityof his
answer; (4) The part played by poetryin achievinghis answer;
(5) Its verificationand its applicabilityto otherproblems.

(i) How doesthecentralphilosophical problemof The Preludearise

fromits autobiographical theme?
The Prelude,Wordsworth tellsus, was intendedas a stock-taking
of his poetic powers,an interimtask to aid him in selectingthe
subject of his main workas poet. His initialquestionwas, quite
simply,how could he give of his best as a poet? Unable to answer
the questionthusposed,he turnsback in a kindofdespairto some
of his earliestmemories, and theseby the intensityof delightand
wonderthey awaken in him,renewhis confidence and brace his
mindforfurther efforts.But Wordsworth findssomething puzzling,
paradoxicaleven,in thisexperience.I His presentrenewedconfidence
in his powerslies in a "calm existence,"a tranquility of mindand
steady direction of purpose which enable him to range, dis-
interestedly, in
gratefully, the appropriate artisticsense conscien-
tiously, over the whole field of his experience. But the intense,
spontaneousresponses of his childhood stood in complete contrast
to this "calm existence";they were a successionof impressions,
gatheredaccidentally,enjoyed withoutreflection, by-productsof
the muscularzest and pettyselfishaims of childishconsciousness.
Further,his recollectionsweremade up of "discordantelements,"a
confusionof delightin beauty, pride in energy,awe beforethe
unknown, terror,pain. The contrastofpast and presentpuzzledhim
and led himto a secondproblem.Thereappearedto be twoopposing
See The Prelude,Bk. I, lines 340-56.
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 PHILOSOPHY
elements in poetic inspiration; on the one hand the spontaneous
receptivity and response characteristic of childhood and on the
otherhand the self-mastery, the calm of mind, the conscientiousness
of the mature artist. How could these be brought togetherinto a
satisfyingand productive harmony? This is perhaps the central
problem in every artist's self-discipline,and it is one on which
Wordsworthhad some profoundand original things to say. But no
sooneris it posed than it is seen to be but one case ofa widerproblem,
that of the active happiness, responsive and responsible, of every
good man. For this ideal, no less than that of poetic activity,requires
a discipline which can reconcile and harmonize the discords of
spontaneous impulse and response. It is not of himself only or of
other poets and artists that Wordsworthwrites,
Ah, is thereone who ever has been young,
Nor needs a warningvoice to tame the pride
Of intellectand virtue'sselfesteem?
One is there,thoughthe wisestand the best
Of all mankind,who covets not at times
Union that cannot be-who would not give,
If so he might,to duty and to truth
The eagernessof infantinedesire?I
Such perfectunion of spontaneityand disciplinemay be impossible,
but Wordsworth knew from his own experience-from his own
happiness quite as much as fromhis achievementsas a poet-that
in his life somethinglike it had taken place. This led him to look
for the external, as well as the internal,conditionsin his own life,
whichhad made this possible. Inspired by his own glimpses,he asks:
Why is this gloriouscreatureto be found
One in ten thousand only? What one is,
Why should not millionsbe?2
But, recalling the circumstances that had specially favoured his
own happy development,he sees part of the reason:
... Were it otherwise,
And we foundevil fast as we findgood
In our firstyears,or thinkthat it is found,
How could the innocentheart bear up and live?3
And this line of thoughtis supported by many darker musings on
the actual lot of humanity,on the stultificationof its powers under
the tendency,
Of use and customto bow down the soul
Under a growingweightof vulgar sense,
And substitutea universeof death
For that whichmoves with lightand lifeinspired,
Actual, divine and true.4...
See The Prelude,Bk. II, lines 19-26. z Ibid., Bk. XIII, lines 88-89.
3 Ibid., Bk. VIII, lines 308-I i. 4 Ibid., Bk. XIV, lines I58-62.
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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM?
and on the effects
ofpovertyand labourin excesswhich
From day to day pre-occupythe ground
Of the affectionsand to Nature's self
Oppose a deeper nature.... .
Thislast sentenceis ofparticularinterest.In its curiousantithesis
betweenNaturewitha capitaland a "deepernature"notso dignified
we have one of Wordsworth's moststrikingattemptsto effectthat
kindof shiftin our categorieswhichhe believedwas necessaryfor
an adequate statementof the possibilityof happiness. Nature
with a capital is that "eternalnature" of whichhe writesin the
letterto JohnWilson: to rendermen's feelingsmoreconsonantto
"eternalnature"is the suprememoralfunctionof poetry,and to
live our lives in consonancewithit is Wordsworth's conceptionof
happiness. The other,"deepernature," the universe of death,the
use and customthat bow downthe soul, are Wordsworth's version
of the problemof evil. Now whenphilosophers face this problem
theyall too oftengive us answerswhich"dispose of it"-e.g. by
showinghow the amountor the prospectsor the possibilitiesof
happinessfar outweighin a finalbalance those of misery.Such a
finalbalanceis ofcoursehighlyproblematical. In The Prelude,with
his thoughtsguidedby the thinghe knewmostabout-his ownjob
and dutyas a poet-Wordsworth givesan answerofa moremodest
and usefulkind.As a poet,his mostpressinginterestwas notin the
justificationofhiswork,butinitsmethod;and as a moralistdrawing
hiswisdomfromthedisciplineofhis art,he was interested primarily
notin any transcendental assuranceofhappiness(orjustification of
misery)but in the way of happiness(to use a religiousphrase)or
(ifthe phrasebe preferred) the artofit. In particular,he wantedto
discoverwhatpart,on the one hand,mencan contribute fromtheir
own inwardresourcestowardsfindingand holdingthat way ("to
what point and how, the mindis lord and master")and, on the
otherhand, what men mustreceivein aid, stimulation, infection,
"grace" fromsourcesoutsidethemselves-from otherhumanbeings
and fromnature.
Here is the central philosophicalproblemof The Prelude:-
Wordsworth's versionof the problemof "the true end of man."
His answerto it is at once normativeand interpretative; it is an
attempt to show the of
reality certain"may-bes" in human experience
with a view to convincing us that these are, in the ethicalsense,
"must-bes."The central "may-be" is the possibilityof human
happinessconceivedin termsofa certaindisciplineor way. ("What
one is, whymay not millionsbe?") The central"must-be"is not
issued in an imperative.Wordsworth had this much in common
with Plato as a moralist,that he makes the essentialmomentof
See The Prelude,Bk. XIII, lines I98-20o.
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 PHILOSOPHY
moralityone of recognition-inWordsworth's case the recognition
"that fromthyselfit comes,that thou mustgive,else nevercanst
receive."'And he believedthatto showthistruthwas the onlyway
to makemenbetter.

(2) The analogybywhichWordsworth developshis answer

ThroughoutThe Prelude Wordsworth'sthoughtmoves freely
betweenthe threeplanes I have distinguished. He uses his own
personalproblem to raise the general problemof artisticself-
discipline; and his insights into this second problemprovidehim
withan analogywhichhe appliesto theproblemsofmoralhappiness.
But on each and all of these planes his thoughtneverleaves the
world of commonday. His findings, even when relatingto the
subtletiesofpoeticcreation,are expressedalwaysin intelligible, too
oftenin banal, language.In general,the termsof his problemare
familiarto ordinary reflection;and forverification ofhis conclusions
Wordsworth can appeal to "that knowledgewhichall men carry
about withthem."2The onlyapparentexceptionsto this rule are
the celebrateddescriptionsof "visitingof imaginativepower."3
What relation,it may reasonablybe asked, have these strange
experiences to anythingthatconducesto the happinessof ordinary
men? To this Wordsworth could have answeredas follows.These
"visitingsofimaginative power"weretheexperiences ofa poet,and
were of a quite unusual intensity,depth and suggestivepower.
They were thereforeuntypicalof ordinaryexperience.It may
nevertheless be possiblefortheordinary readerto have someinkling
ofwhattheywerelike; and Wordsworth suppliessomeveryreveal-
ing detailsof theirperceptual and motor backgrounds. Andsecondly,
forhis main purposein The Prelude,Wordsworth is not so much
concernedwiththe operationof imagination-theway it workson
its object-as with the felteffectsof its visitingsand the moral
powerand influencethey leave behind.Now, fromthis point of
view, it matterslittlewhetherimaginativeexperiencebe original
and creative,as withthe poet,or receivedfromothers,as withthe
rest of us. It is not therefore necessaryto enterhere into a full
accountof Wordsworth's theory-orratherhis varioussketchesof
a theory-ofthe imaginationas an originalpower.It is enoughto
notice that Wordsworth was interestedin the imaginationas a
revealingpower, rather than as a shapingand creativepower.Its
peculiar virtue (he suggests) does notlie preciselyin whatit reveals,
I See The Prelude, Bk. XII, lines 276-277.
2 This
phrase is taken fromWordsworth'sPreface to the I802 Edition of
his poems.
3 See, in particular, The Prelude, Bk. II, lines 294-322; Bk. VI, lines 592-

640; Bk. VII, lines 619-49; Bk. XII, lines 208-335; Bk. XIV, lines 28-111.
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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM?
but in the factthat the insightsgivenare alwaysincompleteand
so leave us witha sense of "somethingto pursue,"of "something
evermoreabout to be," and a senseofhowlittle"we knowbothof
ourselvesand of the universe."Thus the chiefmoraleffectof such
visitationsis to giveourmindsrenewedappetiteand vigour,to call
up our powersforfurther explorationand verification.
So muchby the way of defenceof one part-and that the most
easily misunderstood-ofthe analogy by which Wordsworth
developshis answerto his main philosophicalproblem.But pre-
ciselywhat part do imaginativeexperiencesplay in achievingand
maintainingthat artisticself-discipline whichwill foster,control
and reconcilethe wayward,irresponsible elementin inspiration?
Wordsworth saw clearlythat thesetwo elementsin his owninspir-
ation requiredone another.But he also had verydefiniteviewsas
to the kindsof experiences and sentiments which,in his own case,
had beenmosteffective in bringing themtogether. Thesewere,first,
the sentimentof gratitude-a generalizedgratitudetowardsthe
past whichkepthimconstantlyaware of the debt he owed and of
the returndue fromhim forthe unusuallylivelysensibility, the
enthusiasm, and the tenderness which it was his as
privilege a poet
to enjoy. Secondly,therewerethoserare,unpredictable "spots of
time" in whichimaginationreveals "the hiding-placesof man's
power,"challenges us torecognize"ourdestiny,ourbeing'sheartand
home," convinces us "that whatsoeverpointwe gain,we yet have
something pursue,"and yet leaves us "as if admonishedfrom
to
anotherworld."The cultivationof the habit of gratitudeand the
habitualre-living in memory ofsuchspotsoftimegiveus theessence
ofWordsworth's poeticmethod;theyare thefactorswhichenergize
"recollection in tranquility." Andtheyinterpenetrate and re-enforce
one anotherin variousways. Thus gratitudeto the past not only
gave riseto Wordsworth's admirationof the "mysteryof man" as
revealedin childhood,it contributed a greatdeal to his imaginative
interpretation of Nature as "leader-on,"as inviterand educator,
and it also helpedhimto see (as in the experiencedescribedat the
close of Bk. XII) the firstgermsof the integratingactivityof
imaginationin a momentof childishterrorand in a child's"trite
reflectionsofmorality."But thetwofactorscan bestbe understood
by considering thedistinctcontribution whicheach makes.Thusthe
felteffects ofimaginativevisitationsinspirethe creative,ambitious
sideoftherequiredself-discipline; theyprovidea challengeto further
effort,a realizationofthe apparentlyinfinite ofhuman
possibilities
experienceand of the sorrylittle we usually make of these.
Gratitude,on the otherhand,providesthe conscientious aspect of
artisticself-discipline, its filialsenseofdebtto the experienced past
and to receivedtraditionand its almostparentalsense of respon-
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 PHILOSOPHY
sibilityforthespontaneous, wayward,in themselves vulnerableand
evenself-destructive elementsofpoeticinspiration.
Wordsworthshowed unusual artisticwisdomin preferring his
"cult of memory"to a moredirectquest ofinspiration. His cult of
memoryis only one formof artisticself-discipline; but its two
principlesofgratitudeto the past and habitualre-living of imagin-
ative visitationscould be generalized,I think,to providemaxims
relevantto mostofthearts.Certainly, his cultofmemoryprovided
Wordsworth withthe disciplinehe needed,and his originality as a
moralist-theway he shakesand altersour generalconceptionof
morality-,-liesin his applicationof its two principlesof gratitude
and imagination to thewholemorallifeofman.
But beforeconsideringhow Wordsworth deals with his wider
problem, we must examine the part he ascribes to Naturein the
achievementof his own poeticself-discipline. For he was to carry
his conclusionson thispointalso into his widermoralphilosophy.
Let us put the questionquite bluntly.What did Naturemean to
Wordsworth? In manyofhis poemsNaturestandssimplyforwhat-
ever he perceivedand loved in the external,extra-human world.
But whenWordsworth wroteof Naturein relationto the general
problemofhumanhappinessand morality he oftenmeantsomething
very different.He meant by it the fact that certainextra-human
objects can give us that
. . .prepossession,withoutwhichthe soul
Receives no knowledgethat can bringforthgood,
No genuineinsightever comes to her.I

Nature,so conceived,is a moralagency.Sometimesit seemsas if

Wordsworth is readyto identify Naturewitha local tradition-the
simple and rustic lifeof the Lakes. is prema-
But thisidentification
tureand in manyotherpassagesit is clearthathis notionhas a far
widergenerality. Sometimesit seemsas if Wordsworth werereally
speaking of the influence of actual human beings-parents,friends,
teachers.But again,whatis intendedis notan identification but an
analogy, and an analogy of which Wordsworth was particularly
fond. It is significantthat the famouspassage on the mother's
influenceon her child ("Blest the infantBabe . . .")2 occurs in the
middleofa seriesofdescriptionsofhowNaturesurrounds theinfant
with invitations,encouragements, challenges and admonishments.
Andthesimilarity Wordsworth foundbetween"Nature'sgifts"and
theeffectsofhumanlove at its strongest and purestis by no means.
a far-fetchedor sentimentalone. For the responseof a child (and
not ofa childonly)to each ofthese,is seenin a dispositionto look
See The Prelude,Bk. VIII, lines 325-27.
2
Ibid., Bk. II, lines 232-65.
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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM?
for furtherbeauty,to move out into the world confidently and
hopefully,to feel to
generously, thinkand plan withcourage.Both
Natureand the motherenable the childto feelhimself"an inmate
ofthis activeuniverse":
For him,in one dear Presence,thereexists
A virtuewhichirradiatesand exalts
Objects throughwidest intercourseof sense.
It is in thispassagethatWordsworth describeshowthechild"drinks
in the feelingsof his mother'seye"-as thoughtherewerea direct
communication offeeling.Is it any morefanciful to claimthatthere
is similarcommunication fromexternalnatureto the child?At all
events,it is an obviousfactthatwe can cometo lovea place because
itsbeautieslead us to lookforfurther beauties,to acknowledge those
we see withgratitude, and to feelat homeamongstthem.In describ-
ingin greatdetailthemoraleffects ofsuchexperiences, Wordsworth
was onlyretellingmorefullywhateverypoet,indeedeveryman of
feeling,has knownsincehumanitybegan.
Nature,then,forWordsworth whenhe is philosophising, means
thefactthattheextra-human worldcan have an incalculablemoral
effecton man. What is originalin Wordsworth's thoughtis the
notionthat humanhappinessat its best arises out of a peculiar
co-operation of this externalnatureand man's own innernature;
out ofNature'sgiftand man'sresponse.

(3) The originality

ofWordsworth's answer
Wordsworth'sconceptionof the availabilityof Nature's gifts
providesin one respectan interesting parallel to the Christian
doctrineof the availabilityof grace.On eitherdoctrineman must
give-must make an original,peculiarlyhumanresponse-ifhe is
to receive.The requiredresponse,on Wordsworth's theory,must
be made in termsof gratitudeand imagination;on the Christian
theoryin termsofrepentance, obedienceand love ofGod. A striking
differencebetweenthe two theoriesis seen,however,whenwe pass
fromthe availabilityofNature'sgiftsor ofgraceto the accountsof
howmenactuallyreceivethem.HereWordsworth mightbe described
as a "naturalisticpredestinarian."
He felthimselfspeciallychosen
becauseNature'sgiftshad been made available to himin quite an
untypicalway.Andin so faras he thoughtofhimselfas a "dedicated
spirit"this was because of a "bond" whichhe himselfhad not
chosento embrace.Stillless does theinfantchooseto "drinkin the
feelingsofhis mother'seye" and thusexperience"the filialbondof
naturethat connectshim withthe world."On Wordsworth's view
the moralperson,the subjectto whomwe can significantly apply
moralpredicates,the subject who can choose,is a resultof that
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 PHILOSOPHY
"prepossession"whichis broughtabout by the actual impact of
Nature's giftson a human being. Unless they arise out of that
prepossession,whatwe commonlythinkof as moralpredicatesare
somethingelse-legal predicatesforinstance.MoralityforWords-
worthpresupposesthe actual experience of happiness;and this on
theone handis a naturaloccurrence sinceit derivesfromcauses and
conditionswhichare not in man's powerto chooseor control,and
on theotherhandis "Nature'sInvitation";foroncetheseconditions
have been realized,men can feelNatureas something to follow,to
cultivate,as somethingdemandinga self-giving in return,a moral
responsethat is genuinebecause it has a self-accepted standard.
These causes and conditionswhich are beyond man's power to
chooseor controlWordsworth findspartlyin "externalnature"-
in theactual,sensiblepresenceofbeautyand grandeur-andpartly
in that"primeand vital" principle
whichlies,Wordsworth tellsman,
In the recessesof thy nature,far
From any reach of outwardfellowship,
Else is not thineat all.I

This is his versionof"Fromhimthathathnotshall be takenaway

even that whichhe seemethto have." But on Wordsworth's view
"the primeand vital principle"is nevercalled out at all in many
humanbeings,and that throughno faultof theirown; theirlives,
frombirth,are harnessedto "the mean and vulgarworksof man."
In othersit is crushedout by the weightofcustomand routine.It
is onlythose who have knowntruehappinesswho can be judged
morally.
Wordsworth'sclaim that moral categoriesapply only within
certainconditionswhichare realized (we must suppose) compar-
ativelyrarelyin humanlifecan be considered eithera revolutionary
or a retrograde one. It appears to cancel that universality-that
recognition of moralpersonalityin everyhumanlife-whichwas
the signalcontribution ofChristianethics.Wordsworth by contrast
seemsnearerto the "aristocratic"realism-thebluntacceptanceof
fundamentalmoral differences betweenmen-which we find in
mostGreekphilosophy. But Wordsworth's intentionwas, ofcourse,
the exact oppositeof this. His aim was to show (to apply a fine
sayingof Meredith's)how men are kept fromhavingsouls in this
world.Seen in thislighthis conceptionof Nature'sgifts,whichat
firstseemsso muchnarrower and moreexclusivethantheChristian
notionof grace, turnsout perhapsto be a morejust, generous,
compassionateand practicalone. If there is anythingharsh in
Wordsworth's moral attitude (at any rate as expressedin The
Prelude) it lies his feelingswiththose of
in his refusalto identify
See The Prelude, Bk. XIV, lines 2I6-18.

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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM?
the "lost," to slide froma recognitionof the fact of suffering
to
some kind of exaltationor justificationof it. This was an issue
Wordsworth had facedin life. Had he returnedto France during
the terror,he tellsus,
Doubtless, I should have then made commoncause
With some who perished; haply perishedtoo,
A poor mistakenand bewilderedoffering-
Should to the breast of Nature have gone back,
With all my resolutions,all my hopes,
A poet only to myself,to men
Useless. . .,
A strangelyoriginalprophetofduty,Wordsworth set his facein the
oppositedirection-toexploreand enjoyand make knownto men
(in languageall menmightunderstand)the way ofhappiness.
What thenis Wordsworth's conceptionofhappiness,and how do
his two principlesof gratitudeand imaginationcontributeto it?
In thefirstplace (as I have suggested)he doesnotthinkofhappiness
as somethingto be achievedonly with the fullinsight,the final
revelation.He thinksofit as something essentiallyincompleteand
yet at the same time self-justifying. containsits own self-
It
renewinginspiration and its own disciplineand admonishments.
Secondly, happiness to be foundin theveryworldthatis the
this is
worldof all of us. It originatesin the filialbond that connectsus
with this active universe:it arises out of that grandelementary
principleofpleasurein whichall creaturesshare.
Yet such happinessis not complacency,eithermoral or intel-
lectual.It givesriseto the activecompassionofThe Wandererwho
"couldafford to sufferwiththosewhomhe saw suffer";and it is the
happiness of the man who wrotethe Ode to Duty. Wordsworth, of
course, does not put forward his of
"theory" happinesssystematic-
ally. But its effectivenessas a moralprinciplecan, I think,readily
be seen in Wordsworth's applicationsofits two maincomponents-
and
gratitude imagination. Gratitude, in itselfa pleasurableemotion,
provides, on Wordsworth's view, a constantnursing-ground fora
good will; not onlybecauseit keeps us in mindof all that we owe
in so faras we have becomemoralbeings,but because it conduces
both consciouslyand-perhaps with even greater effect-un-
consciouslyto automatichabitsof rightmoralaction.Wordsworth
wrote of his sister ("And yet I knew a Maid . . .") as one whose
"lifewas gratitude."But a lifeso conceivedlacks something, lacks
somethingmorally-a bracingelementwhichWordsworth claims
only imaginationcan contributeto the moral life. Parts of this
contributionwe have alreadyconsideredin connectionwithartistic
challengeto intellectualeffort,
self-discipline-the the sense of an
See The Prelude,Bk. X, lines 229-35.
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 PHILOSOPHY
unlimitedfieldawaitinghumanexploration, and a humblingrecog-
nitionof how feeblywe respondto thischallengeand opportunity.
But theexerciseofimaginationhas othermoredirectand obvious
bearingson the morallife.For imaginationalone can reveal,and
whenrevealedkeep constantlyreal in our minds,
Those mysteriesof being whichhave made,
And shall continueevermoreto make
Of the whole human race one brotherhood.'

In the same way only imaginationcan reveal those usually un-

suspectedbeauties,harmonies-and we mightadd problems-in
Nature which engage artists,poets, scientists,but which,when
moststrikingly
manifested,
men least sensitivesee, hear, perceive,
And cannot choose but feel: .. .

In generalWordsworth wouldclaimthatimagination revealsman's

highestgood, incompletelyin respect of its objects (for these
are inexhaustible)but in its exerciseas completelyas we can
conceive.
But does Wordsworthclaim that gratitudeand imagination
togethercomprisehis "way of happiness"and togethergive us a
moralprincipleunderwhichall othermoralprinciples, sentiments,
duties,can be subsumed?Or does he simplyclaim that theyare
moralprinciplesof the firstimportancewhosecharacteristicopera-
tionshave generallybeen misunderstood or ignored?To judgefrom
the summingup we findin Bk. XIV Wordsworth makesthe former
-wilder-claim. And thisis, I think,a sheermistakeon his part;
for,to take but one example,how can insightintofairness(surely
an essential ingredientin morality)be subsumedunder either
gratitudeor imagination?This mistake,however,whichwould be
damagingto a "systematizing" thinker,is not reallyimportantin
some of
an originalthinkerwho is tryingto shift,or re-orientate,
the basic categoriesof our thought.Had Wordsworth contented
himselfsimplywithemphasizing he would
his two greatprinciples,
still, I claim, have made a revolutionary contributionboth to
moralsand to themetaphysics ofthemind.

(4) Thepartplayedbypoetryin Wordsworth's answer:

CouldnotWordsworth's as to happinessand morality
conclusions
have been reached by ordinaryphilosophicreflection?I do not
know.What I do know,and what we can all see if we read The
as a wholeand not as a seriesof reflective
Preludeas it is written,
I See The Prelude,Bk. XII, lines 85-87.
2 Ibid., Bk. XIV, lines 84-85.
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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM?
lyricslinkedby skipable commentary, is that poetry-the actual
occurrence ofunmistakable, sometimes incomparable poetry-plays
an all-important role at everystage ofits argument. We have seen
how Wordsworth uses poetryto raise his initialproblemas to his
owncallingand dutyas a poet.In illustrating hisownpoeticmethod
(The Prelude illustrates rather than explainsor defendshis cult of
memory) Wordsworth again makes use of poetryin a yet more
obviouslynecessaryway. Similarly, without thepoemsofgratitude
withwhichThe Preludeaboundsit wouldbe hardto graspall that
Wordsworth meansby the wordgratitudeand almostimpossibleto
understandhow his feelingsforNature relatedto his feelingfor
traditionallife.And is it conceivablethat any abstractdescription
of the lastingeffects "imaginativevisitations"could comparewith
Wordsworth's account of what he "saw" in the SimplonPass or
on
withthepassage theimagination whichprecedesit? In applying
of
thelessons his ownpoeticself-discipline to thewidermoralfield,
Wordsworth is, admittedly, oftenveryprosy;but in describing his
sisteras one whoselifewas gratitude,and in his best accountsof
the monstrous confusions of citylifeand ofthe individualdignities
of menand householdshe givesus something whichprobablyonly
poetrycouldgive.
Once it is granted,therefore, that in intention(howeverin-
adequately conceived) and in effect(howeverincomplete)The
Preludeis philosophical poetry,it is easyto see howits poetryhelps
to make,not simplyto express,its philosophy.But I thinkthat
something morethanthiscan be claimedforThe Prelude.I would
claimthat it containsmasterpieces of argument.The posingof its
initialproblemin Bk. I is an example.The centralpassage of the
Retrospect (Bk. VIII, lines 293-339) is another. But quite the most
remarkableis the conclusionof Bk. XII. What do theseamazing
paragraphstellus? How does theirargument proceed?Theirformal
structure could,I think,quite easilybe tracedout-and we should
findsomegaps in it. But we shouldfindalso, in somehundredand
eightylines of the mostmovingpoetryever written,a condensed
statementof Wordsworth's view of how imaginativeexperience
contributesto the foundationof morality.In the marshallingof
arguments,the selectionof terms,and in the judgementas to
what consequences shall be drawn and what premisesmade
explicit,it is an incomparableintellectualachievement. Can we see
what factorsin Wordsworth'spoetic techniqueand vocabulary
were of special assistanceto him here? In broad outline,I think
we can.
We maybeginbyconsidering howdifficult itis to handleargument,
especially abstract in
argument, poetry. The poet lacks (or the
exigencies of versepreventhim from using)many"logicalwords"
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 PHILOSOPHY
whichwouldhelpin delimitinghis fieldofdiscourseand in summing
up conclusionsand condensing
themforthe nextstep forward, and
so on. Becauseofthis,Wordsworth is twicecompelledto confessthe
inadequacyof his statements;
I see by glimpsesnow ...

and I would give,

While yet we may, so faras wordscan give....

And theseconfessions, whilelogicallyaddingnothingto the argu-

ment,add a greatdeal to the intensity withwhichwe are made to
feel its hesitating,jerky, but superblydramatic advance. For
somewhatsimilarreasonsWordsworth has to resortto repetition.
The beacon and the naked pool, forexample,are referred to three
timesin thiSpassage;buttheyre-enter theargument each timewith
a distinguishable purposeand effect.They are firstpresentedas
featuresin a scenethatwas naturallyfittedto call out imaginative
experience;they are next consideredas elementsin a typical
imaginativeexperience, and theyare consideredlastlyas instances
of, or carriersof,that powerwhichsuch visitationsleave behind.
This repetition is not simplyforillustrative purposes.The purpose
of the passageis to makeus feelthe peculiarlyintegrating effectof
everyimaginativeexperience.The abstractwordsby whichwe try
to describeor analysethis effectare, inevitably,veryinadequate.
Theylack precision,and precisionis wantedhere.But by his trick
of repetitionWordsworth makeshis wholeconcernwiththe moor-
land sceneworkin our thought,and workat threedifferent levels
of generality;he makesus feelit on the moveand catchit on the
rebound.Andin thiswayan apparentdefectin thepoet'svocabulary
is turnedintoa surprising asset.
In arguments ofthisorderWordsworth's use ofabstractwordsis
unequalledby any other Englishpoet. How oftendo not thenouns
-nature, man, society,life, joy, power,base, object, influence,
sense,thing,sight,and theadjectives-common, general,individual,
ordinary, abstract,single,greatest,least, occurwitha quite trans-
figuring wealthof meaningin The Prelude!Anotheraspectof this
verbalmasterywhichcontributes so muchto Wordsworth's philo-
sophical achievement is hisuse ofverbswhichpossessbotha practical
(manipulative or motor)and a logicalmeaning:work,hang,unite,
build, dispose,lead, follow,substitute,annul. Of course not all
Wordsworth'suses of abstractionsare equally happy. But an
inspectionof this part of Wordsworth's poetic armourymakes it
hardto doubtthathe possessedsomething of"the geniusofa great
philosophicpoet."
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 IS THE PRELUDE A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM?
(5) The verification of Wordsworth's answerand its applicability to
otherproblems
How are the statementsof an originalmoralist(i.e. one who
attemptsto shiftour use of certainmoraland metaphysicalcate-
gories)to be testedand verified?I do not know; and althoughit
seemsto me perhapsthemostimportant philosophicalquestionthat
exists (as importantfor philosophyand for understanding what
philosophy is as for practicallife) I do not know of a singlecon-
temporary philosopher who has seriously consideredit or at least
has offered a helpfulanswer.
In this situationI shall consideronly two points,which are
certainlyrelevantto such verification althoughtheyby no means
compriseit. First,then,an originalmoralist-a Plato, a Spinoza,a
Wordsworth, a Nietsche,a Bergson,a Schweitzer-mustexpresshis
viewforcibly; he must,as it were,screwour moralvisionroundin
the directionhe wantsus to look even if he does not persuadeus
thatweoughtto keeplookinginthatdirection. Wordsworth, through
his use of his own poetry,seemsto me to succeedin thisfirsttask
betterthanany of the thinkersI have just mentioned, Plato alone
excepted.But, secondly,we must feel in any moralistwho asks
us to re-orientate ourwholemoraloutlook,thathe is thusfarbeing
"reasonable"in that,in Cartesianphrase,he has made the widest
possible reviews of all relevant moral issues and that his
own originalview takes cognisanceof these. It is in this respect
that Spinoza,Bergson,and Schweitzerare such impressively per-
suasive moralists.They writeas men of profoundand masterful
culture-moral,artistic,intellectual.And here Wordsworth, by
contrast,fallsshort.He seemsnarrowand provincial.But it seems
to methatit was notWordsworth's moralexperience and sympathies
thatwerenarrow,northerangeofhis moralinsights(glimpses), but
his powersof generalization and of re-applying generalized results.
Withinhis own chosenrangeWordsworth's generalizing powerwas
bothbold and exact,and his powerof producing"individualforms
in whichare embodieduniversalideals and abstractions"perhaps
unrivalled.The troublewas thathe did not applyhis resultswidely
enough.But thereare,I think,a numberofmoraland metaphysical
issues to whichWordsworth's conceptionof the true end of man
couldbe appliedwithimmensebenefitto-day:notablythe problem
of evil, the problemof how moralideals can become(and remain)
operativein politicalinstitutions, and the moralproblemsinvolved
in the acceptanceof scientific standardsof truth.Wordsworth, of
course, said some illuminating things on each of these issues, but
his thoughtson themneverwentfar enough.It was not, as Dr.
Leavis has suggested,"lack of material"whichkept Wordsworth
fromdevelopinghis philosophicalpoetry;it was the fact that his
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 PHILOSOPHY
philosophicalpowersweredetermined by-and workedonlywhen
fed by-his own personalpoeticinterests, compulsions, intuitions.
This defectis perhapsinevitablein a philosophical poet: but it is
matchedin Wordsworth's case by an asset whichis of morethan
compensating value. The best philosophicalpoetryof The Prelude
not only expressesphilosophicalthinking,but in an uniquely
intimateway embodiesit-creates the struggleof thought,raises
its problemsand antitheses,focussesthe struggleof thought,and
advancesit to originalconclusions.Morethan this,Wordsworth's
characteristicmethodofthinking makesus awareofa corresponding
defectin familiarphilosophicalmethodswhentheseare appliedin
moralsor the metaphysics of the mind.For thesemethodsalmost
inevitably fail to show us mind "on the move" or happinessand
morality "in the making." In as much as it indicatesa way ofover-
coming this defect The Prelude deserves,I think,the description
whichColeridgeapplied (in anticipation)to TheRecluseas a whole
-"the firstand onlyphilosophical poem."

I38

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