The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) Volume II.

Volume II of this eighteenth‑century series brings together the biographies of more than thirty poets who helped shape British and Irish literature. The entries draw on scattered manuscripts, earlier biographies, and the meticulous notes of scholars such as the late Mr. Coxeter, blending fact with the lively opinions of the period. Listeners receive dates, major works, and the contemporary commentary that once filled London’s coffee‑houses.

The prose keeps the original spelling and occasional printer’s quirks, giving the narration an authentic, tactile feel of an 18th‑century print shop. Anecdotes sparkle, such as the tale of a young Oliver Cromwell performing in a Cambridge comedy, and the tangled attributions surrounding the obscure poet Anthony Brewer. These snippets illuminate the vibrant, sometimes contentious world in which the poets lived and wrote.

For lovers of literary history, the volume offers concise yet vivid portraits that transport listeners to the salons, theatres, and battlefields of the seventeenth century. Its measured, scholarly tone makes a pleasant companion for a walk or a quiet evening.