Philosophical poem · 1814
The Excursion
Wordsworth's nine-book blank-verse poem follows the poet, the Wanderer, the Solitary and the Pastor through a Lake District excursion in which grief and despondency are met with reflections on nature, faith, human suffering and the moral life.
Contents · 11 parts
- Dedication14 lines
- Prospectusabout 110 lines
- Book First: The Wandererabout 980 lines
- Book Second: The Solitaryabout 910 lines
- Book Third: Despondencyabout 1000 lines
- Book Fourth: Despondency Correctedabout 1330 lines
- Book Fifth: The Pastorabout 1030 lines
- Book Sixth: The Church-yard among the Mountainsabout 1280 lines
- Book Seventh: The Church-yard among the Mountains (continued)about 1070 lines
- Book Eighth: The Parsonageabout 600 lines
- Book Ninth: Discourse of the Wanderer, and an Evening Visit to the Lakeabout 800 lines