“Aubrey De Vere.”

It was in compliance with Mr. Aubrey de Vere’s request that, in this edition, I departed, in a single instance, from the chronological arrangement of the poems.

It may not be too trivial a detail to mention that I gladly gave permission to other editors of Wordsworth to make use of any of the material which I discovered, and brought together, in former editions; e.g. to Mr. George, in Boston, for his edition of The Prelude (in which, if the reader, or critic, compares my original edition with his notes, he will see what Mr. George has done); and to Professor Dowden, Trinity College, Dublin, for his most admirable Aldine edition. For the latter--which will always hold a high place in Wordsworth literature--I placed everything asked from me at the disposal of Mr. Dowden.

While these sheets are passing through the press, Dr. Garnett, of the British Museum--one of the kindest and ablest of bibliographers--has forwarded to me a contribution, previously sent by him to The Academy, and printed in its issue of January 2, 1897.

I have no means of knowing--or of ultimately discovering--whether that sonnet, printed as Wordsworth’s, is really his. Dr. Garnett says, in his letter to me, “The verses were undoubtedly in Wordsworth’s hand”; and, he adds, “I think they should be preserved, because they are Wordsworth’s, and as an additional proof of his regard for Camoens, whom he enumerates elsewhere among great sonnet-writers. I have added a version of the quatrains, that the piece may be complete. From the character of the handwriting, the lines would seem to have been written down in old age; and I am not quite certain of the word which I have

Vasco, whose bold and happy mainyard spread Sunward thy sails where dawning glory dyed Heaven’s Orient gate; whose westering prow the tide Clove, where the day star bows him to his bed: Not sterner toil than thine, or strife more dread, Or nobler laud to nobler lyre allied, His, who did baffled Polypheme deride; Or his, whose scaring shaft the Harpy fled. Camoens, he the accomplished and the good, Gave to thy fame a more illustrious flight Than that brave vessel, though she sailed so far. Through him her course along the Austral flood Is known to all beneath the polar star, Through him the Antipodes in thy name delight.

WILLIAM KNIGHT.