The Art of English Poetry (1708)

A fascinating window into the world of eighteenth‑century literary practice, this handbook was meant for the serious poet rather than the classroom. Its author set out to codify the art of English verse, offering a systematic approach to prosody that shaped the work of many later writers. Readers get a sense of how the heroic couplet came to dominate the period’s poetic imagination.

The first part lays out detailed “rules for making English verse,” insisting on strict syllabic counts and a preference for heroic forms. Complementing the rules, a sizable rhyming dictionary lists only those words deemed suitable for lofty poetry, while a commonplace section gathers memorable lines from the era’s most celebrated poets. Together, these sections reveal how poets from Pope to Blake tracked, taught, and refined their craft, making the volume an essential reference for anyone curious about the foundations of English poetic tradition.