Biographia literaria
Topics in Wordsworth and Coleridge’s conversations
1. The powers of poetry:
• Exciting the sympathy of the reader by a faithful adherence to the truth of nature
• Giving the interest of novelty by means of the modifying colours of imagination

2. Writing a collection of poems of two kinds:
• Subject: supernatural incidents and agents
• Subject: incidents from ordinary life

3. Plan of the Lyrical Ballads:
Coleridge
Wordsworth
Subject: supernatural persons and characters ; persons chosen from common life
Aim : to give an aspect real ; to give them the charm of novelty
Procedure: by the modifying colours of imagination;
by directing the mind’s attention to the loveliness and wonders of the world.

Profile of the ideal poet
• He “ brings the whole soul of man into activity”
• He is gifted with imagination