Dorothy Wordsworth began this journal in 1800 to give her poet brother, William, pleasure. For three years she noted the walks and weathers, the friends, the country neighbours and beggars on the Grasmere roads. The journal has many stories: of William Wordsworth's marriage, of their concern for Coleridge, of the composition of poetry. The original manuscripts have been re-examined for this edition - words undeciphered or misread are clarified; first thoughts, later insertions and deletions are indicated, and Dorothy's hasty punctuation is largely restored. The book also includes many explanatory notes, containing much new detail - on friends and family, on the scarcely known people of the Grasmere valley, on the books that were read, on connections with Wordsworth's poetry, on his circle, and about his methods of writing and working on his poetry.