III
A gentle answer did the old Man make,
In courteous speech which forth he slowly drew:
And him with further words I thus bespake,
"What occupation do you there pursue?
This is a lonesome place for one like you."
Ere he replied, a flash of mild surprise
Broke from the sable orbs of his yet-vivid eyes,

XIV
His words came feebly, from a feeble chest,
But each in solemn order followed each,
With something of a lofty utterance drest-
Choice word and measured phrase, above the reach
Of ordinary men; a stately speech;
Such as grave Livers do in Scotland use,
Religious men, who give to God and man their dues.

Wordsworth is the solitary "Traveller" experiencing nature in all its glory, and it is an experience not to be shared-sharing would halve the joy. It is a little egotistical because Wordsworth wants to emphasize that it is he who chooses what and who to represent nature and human nature; therefore it is important not to have Dorothy's presence in this passage. Wordsworth wants to stress the importance of the moment between the leech gatherer and Wordsworth himself. It is a conversation between men, and Dorothy, a woman, would serve as a distraction. Not only that, she could add her own personal views to the scene and Wordsworth probably believes that his views are better than hers even though she may add another level or dimension to the passage. She could give a different and interesting perspective on the leech gatherer and nature, thereby putting the focus and attention on her and Wordsworth wants it to be all his. In a way, he is patronizing, assuming that her ideas are not as important as his are, but he would entertain them should the occasion be suitable. (Like in Tintern Abbey-she fits his purpose and therefore he uses her, making that poem a reflection of the past and present.)

Also, he may not want Dorothy in this poem because he would then have to add in a secondary emotional tone: student looking up to mentor. He would have to change the poem to fit her in. Although he loves Dorothy very much, I have a sneaky suspicion that he believes that his ideas are far loftier than hers-consider Tintern Abbey-and using her in a poem may cause the reader to feel differently toward the poem, concentrating and focusing on her instead of him. He doesn't want to explain her presence. This passage is solely about him and his views; he is the focus here. Even the leech gatherer is secondary: it is Wordsworth's perception of nature and the leech gatherer that holds the poem.

In this passage, it is also crucial not to have Dorothy as it may cause the leech gatherer to be shy and reluctant to speak in the presence of a lady. Readers of that era would know that at once, and Wordsworth believes that he represents the common man and should know the mannerisms of the people. After all, the old man gathers leeches, a ghastly job. Also, the leech gatherer may not want to speak to two people-it is too intimidating and Wordsworth is already so patronizing. To have these two look upon him kindly and pityingly because he is but a common man would be excruciating. Wordsworth questions the poor man exceedingly; it seems almost intrusive. Perhaps Dorothy would have stopped his rudeness. "What do you do" "How do you live?" are impertinent questions!

Wordsworth also uses the leech gatherer for his own purpose-it is an opportunity for him to look toward the common man and generalize the old man's personality. It is significant that the old man is a leech gatherer, for a leech can give negative connotations-it sucks the blood out of the human body. Is it too far fetched to assume that Wordsworth does the same to the leech gatherer by dissecting his life and presence on this earth? On the other hand, leeches can be good, as it does suck the poison out of the sick person. Once again, Wordsworth presents two different perspectives to the reader. He does this a lot in this poem to evoke an emotional response from the reader. An overall reading of the poem will show that there are almost always two images: a cheery optimism and a reflective pessimism. He would be happy, then get melancholy as he ponders on the common man. Again, Dorothy's presence here would be quite jarring, as he would have to figure out how to present her perspective, however interesting it may be.

Pauline Teoh