and Neo-classic criticism will, it is
hoped, be issued at a future date. Meanwhile this volume may well go
forth alone. For the nineteenth century forms an epoch in English
literature whose beginnings are more clearly defined than those of
most literary epochs. The publication of the _Lyrical Ballads_ in
1798, and of Wordsworth's Preface to the second edition in 1800, show
the Romantic Movement grown conscious and deliberate, with results
that have coloured the whole stream of English poetry and criticism
ever since.

The greater part of the present collection deals with general
principles rather than with criticisms of individual books or authors.
The nineteenth century, having discarded the dogmas and 'rules' of
Neo-classicism, had perforce to investigate afresh the Theory of
Poetry, and though no systematic treatment of the subject in all its
bearings appeared, some valuable contributions were made, the most
notable of which came from the poets themselves.

The extracts from the _Biographia Literaria_ are placed next to the
Wordsworthian doctrines which they criticize; otherwise the
arrangement of the essays is chronological.

American criticism is represented--inadequately, but, it is hoped, not
unworthily--by the last two essays.

In the preparation of this volume I have received much valuable help
from Mr. J. C. Smith, which I now gratefully acknowledge.

EDMUND D. JONES.

CONTENTS

PAGE
WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, 1770-1850
Poetry and Poetic Diction. (1800) 1

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, 1772-1834
Wordsworth's Theory of Diction. (1817) 40
Metrical Composition. (1817) 57

WILLIAM BLAKE, 1757-1827
The Canterbury Pilgrims. (1809) 85

CHARLES LAMB, 1775-1834
On the Tragedies of Shakespeare, Considered with Reference
to their Fitness for Stage Representation. (1811) 95

PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY, 1792-1822
A Defence of Poetry. (1821) 120

WILLIAM HAZLITT, 1778-1830
My First Acquaintance with Poets. (1823) 164

JOHN KEBLE, 1792-1866
Sacred Poetry. (1825) 191

JOHN HENRY NEWMAN, 1801-1890
Poetry with reference to Aristotle's Poetics. (1829)