The text adopted in the present edition is, for the reasons stated, that
which was finally sanctioned by Wordsworth himself, in the last edition
of his Poems (1849-50). The earlier readings, occurring in previous
editions, are given in footnotes; and it may be desirable to explain the
way in which these are arranged. It will be seen that whenever the text
has been changed a date is given in the footnote, 'before' the other
readings are added. This date, which accompanies the reference number of
the footnote, indicates the year in which the reading finally retained
was first adopted by Wordsworth. The earlier readings then follow, in
chronological order, with the year to which they belong; [12] and it is
in every case to be assumed that the last of the changes indicated was
continued in all subsequent editions of the works. No direct information
is given as to how long a particular reading was retained, or through
how many editions it ran. It is to be assumed, however, that it was
retained in all intermediate editions till the next change of text is
stated. It would encumber the notes with too many figures if, in every
instance in which a change was made, the corresponding state of the text
in all the other editions was indicated. But if no new reading follows
the text quoted, it is to be taken for granted that the reading in
question was continued in every subsequent edition, until the date which
accompanies the reference figure.

Two illustrations will make this clear. The first is a case in which the
text was only altered once, the second an instance in which it was
altered six times. In the 'Evening Walk' the following lines occur--

The dog, loud barking, 'mid the glittering rocks,
Hunts, where his master points, the intercepted flocks.