The Cambridge Companion to Eighteenth‐Century Poetry

The Cambridge Companion to Eighteenth‐Century Poetry is yet another addition to the generally excellent Cambridge Companions to Literature series. An established format is adhered to: notes on contributors ‐ there are 12 in this instance ‐ followed by a chronology, the editor’s introduction and then individual essays. There is an index.

The first essay “Introduction: the future of eighteenth‐century poetry” is by the editor of the volume, John Sitter. It is followed by an extensive discussion on “Couplets and conversation” by John P. Hunter. Christine Gerrard’s “Political passions” is largely confined to the period between the rise of political parties...