This pioneering work is a plan of a general history of English Literature in a series of introductory manuals, each dealing with a well-defined period and individually complete. Selected by the Editor, who taught at the Trinity College, Cambridge and King’s College London, these Manuals are divided into named sections and present clear introductions to contextualise and ‘open up’ this crucial material for a student and non-specialist readership. Written in a refreshingly simple style, each book presents definitive statements that are essential to understanding the various epochs of English Literature and the dominant personalities of the period which they influenced, these books are for anyone beginning detailed study or seeking further understanding of a specific area in literature.