Wordsworth, William. English poet. Born in Cumberland, 1770. Visited France in the early years of the revolution, 1790-91. Gained the friendship of Coleridge by the publication of his first poems, and went to live near him in Somersetshire. The friends went on a walking tour, the result of which was "Lyrical Ballads," published in 1798, at Bristol. After a tour in Germany, Wordsworth and his sister lived at Grasmere until 1808, the poet being married in 1802, and "The Prelude" (begun in 1799) being finished in 1805. In 1813 Wordsworth was named distributor of stamps for Westmoreland, and henceforth lived at Rydal Mount. "The Excursion" appeared next year, and in 1815 "The White Doe of Rylstone" was published. Other poems followed, but the whole fragment of "The Recluse" was not published until 1888. In 1843, Wordsworth became poet-laureate. Died 1850.

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