The spirit of the age - William Hazlitt

Hazlitt's "The Spirit of the Age" was not originally conceived as a book. It began as a series of articles contributed to periodicals, such as "The London Magazine" and the "New Monthly Magazine" during the years 1821-24. These articles were sketches of major public figures, and were finally brought together under the title of "The Spirit of the Age" in 1825.;They represent a unique series of portraits of the leading figures of one of the most exciting periods in English history - including the most prominent names in politics, philosophy and literature such as Wordsworth, Bentham, Byron, Coleridge, Canning and Scott. Each one is described with Hazlitt's brilliant satirical touches and striking observations to give us an insight into the subject, the era and the author himself.;This edition, which includes the essay on Canning, is otherwise the version Hazlitt approved for publication in 1825. It also includes extensive annotation for student reference, and a selection of critical extracts on the work.