William Blake's poem conveys his feelings in a more abstract style, when he uses the people and buildings of London to represent the institutions which they are associated with. He uses the image of a church to criticise religious establishments and a palace to signify the state, and authorities who control it. He gives the image of the soldier's sigh running in blood down palace walls. Here he is attacking the monarchy and government for condemning young men to death by sending them off to fight in foreign wars.
Many of the words in Blake's poem have more than one meaning . In the first line he talks of London's 'charter'd' streets. Chartered can be interpreted to mean responsibility of the church or state or licensed ; on the other side of the coin it can be use to mean licentious and freely immoral. Taken in context with the rest of the poem I consider it to mean freely immoral as further on in the poem he alludes to prostitution, and other such corrupt activities.
According to traditional reading the picture of London we see in Wordsworth's poem is an exagerated tribute to the beauty of London. It uses grandious imagery and praises both nature and mans acheivements. It immediatly sets out how the author feels in the first line saying 'Dull would he be of soul who could pass by, A sight so touching in its majesty.' Inferring that the sight of London would evoke strong views in everyone who sees it. It is left up to the reader to decide whether this is a compliment or a criticism. Wordsworth's most famous works allude to the beauty of his beloved lake district. So it is not to imagine he would be shocked and repulsed by London.
Wordsworth's poem describes London as 'glittering in the smokless air' and having a calming aura. These statements, I think prove that the words are sarcastic. At the time they were written the Industrial was happening and the chimneys of London would be belching out thick smoke.