William Wordsworth (1770–1850) was a poet and leader of the Romantic movement along with Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He is best known for the early Romantic poems published in 'Lyrical Ballads', and his long, semi-autobiographical poem 'The Prelude'.

Wordsworth was offered the poet laureateship late in his life, after the death of his friend and neighbour Robert Southey in 1843. Initially he demurred, and was only persuaded to accept the position when it was made clear to him that there would be no writing requirements. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert were both admirers of Wordsworth and were very keen to have him as laureate.

'The Excursion' is a long dramatic poem first published in 1814, and was intended to stand as the second of three poems on the rather grand subject of 'Man, Nature and Society' collectively known as 'The Recluse', with 'The Prelude' serving as its first part. 'The Excursion' explores over nine books the travels of three figures ‘the Poet’, ‘the Wanderer’ and ‘the Solitary’ who encounter a Pastor in a remote village in the Lake District.
This first edition is richly bound in green morocco leather with blind and gold tooling, and the Royal coat of arms in use from 1816-1837. It was acquired by George IV when Prince Regent, in 1819, and bound in 1822.