Wordsworth's classical education presents an amazing paradox: gifted teachers trained him in the full rigors of classical Latin and Greek, but his schoolmasters were committed to the Classics and to modern literature. Through them, Wordsworth developed a profound love for the Classics and thus an enlightened zeal for a new poetry, a poetry capable of being compared with and even daring to compete with the classical texts he so dearly loved. Richard Clancey's meticulously researched study presents new biographical information on Wordsworth's classical education and new facts about the education of his teachers.

Richard W. Clancey teaches English Literature at John Carroll University.

“Clancey's awkwardly long title actually understates the extraordinary reach of his learned, absorbing, and diversely valuable book.” —Choice

“...Clancey has given us a book that has real virtues...” —European Romantic Review