Our English lakes, mountains, and waterfalls, as seen by William Wordworth 1870

Editor: Here we have “Our English Lakes, Mountains, and Waterfalls, as seen by William Wordsworth,” dated 1870. It looks to be a photography print from a book. I'm struck by its antique quality. What stands out to you? Curator: Well, it whispers stories of a time when landscape wasn't just something to scroll past, but something to be intimately explored and poetically reflected upon. It’s funny, isn't it? Wordsworth never snapped these photographs, of course; they're by Thomas Ogle. I find myself wondering what Wordsworth himself would have made of photography as an art form capturing, yet inevitably changing, the sublime landscapes he so eloquently put to words. Does it live up to the imagery he evoked? Editor: That's a really interesting point, it’s definitely up for interpretation, what the effect of blending the arts does here... Curator: Exactly! Think of this book not just as a collection of images but as a dialogue between art forms, each trying to capture the same elusive essence of nature. The almost dream-like quality you might get from trying to remember a stunning, once in a lifetime view, on returning to the urban life… a faint but memorable snapshot, forever fading into time and the city landscapes. What is this edition number, actually? Is this one that might have circulated widely? Editor: It is labelled the 'fourth edition'. I imagine, given its a Wordsworth, there was certainly the demand! Curator: Indeed! This piece is like stepping into a time machine and pondering what art *means*, what it can *do*, and what its relationship with *experience* actually is. It challenges us to contemplate how Wordsworth's romanticism melds – or clashes – with the cold objectivity of early photography. A perfect blend? Or a fascinating tension? What do you think? Editor: I like that thought very much. Thanks so much! Curator: A pleasure!