# Wordsworth — On the Art of Reading character guide

> Wordsworth in On the Art of Reading by Arthur Quiller-Couch.

**Role:** minor

**First appearance:** 0005-lecture-iii-children-s-reading-i

## Who they are

The Romantic poet William Wordsworth, discussed for his views on poetry and nature.

## Relationships

### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/characters/unknown_narrator)

_psychological_

The narrator analyzes Wordsworth's poetry and theories of nature and imagination as central to the Romantic art of reading.

### [Unknown Narrator](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/characters/unknown_narrator)

_psychological_

The narrator analyzes Wordsworth's poetry and theories of nature and imagination as central to the Romantic art of reading.

## In the story

### [Lecture I: Introductory](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/chapters/lecture-i-introductory)

Mentioned as part of the literary timeline from 1785 onward, alongside other major authors.

### [Lecture II: Apprehension Versus Comprehension](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/chapters/lecture-ii-apprehension-versus-comprehension)

Quoted for the phrase 'wise passiveness' to describe the receptive state of mind in reading.

### [Lecture III: Children's Reading (I)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/chapters/lecture-iii-children-s-reading-i)

Referenced in the phrase 'like dissolution in Wordsworth’s sonnet' to describe the child's climbing desire to learn.

### [Lecture IV: Children's Reading (II)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/chapters/lecture-iv-children-s-reading-ii)

Quoted for the line 'The sounding cataract / Haunted me like a passion' and for the phrase 'There is a pleasure in poetic pains.'

### [Lecture VII: The Value of Greek and Latin in English Literature](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/chapters/lecture-vii-the-value-of-greek-and-latin-in-english-literature)

Referenced for the idea that the present must be balanced on the wings of the past and future.

### [Lecture XII: On the Use of Masterpieces](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/chapters/lecture-xii-on-the-use-of-masterpieces)

Quoted for the phrase 'things silently gone out of mind or things violently destroyed.'

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/characters/wordsworth
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/on_the_art_of_reading_se/characters