A History of English Romanticism in the Eighteenth Century

This work opens by asking a deceptively simple question—what exactly was English Romanticism, and how did it differ from the more sharply defined movements on the continent? The author argues that in England the spirit unfolded gradually, woven through the writings of many authors rather than crystallising into a single “school.” By tracing the subtle shifts in tone, imagination, and sentiment, the book sketches the early contours of a cultural tide that pre‑dated the Victorian era.

Drawing on a series of lectures once delivered at Yale, the narrative weaves together close readings of poems, essays, and travel sketches, spotlighting figures such as Byron, De Quincey, Wordsworth, and Coleridge. It treats the period as a mosaic of ideas—often playful, sometimes satirical—rather than a tidy doctrine, inviting listeners to join the author’s investigative journey. The first chapter sets the stage for a thoughtful exploration of how English writers negotiated the new sensibilities that would come to define Romantic thought.