I believe that no work of the class will be of real value which gives what may be called literary statistics, and has nothing more to offer. Historical facts and figures have their uses, and are, indeed, indispensable; but it is possible to gain the most accurate knowledge of a literary period and to be totally unimpressed by the influences which a love of literature inspires. The first object of a guide is to give accurate information; his second and larger object is to direct the reader's steps through a country exhaustless in variety and interest. If once a passion be awakened for the study of our noble literature the student will learn to reject what is meretricious, and will turn instinctively to what is worthiest. In the pursuit he may leave his guide far behind him; but none the less will he be grateful to the pioneer who started him on his travels. If the _Age of Pope_ proves of help in this way the wishes of the writer will be satisfied. It has been my endeavour in all cases to acknowledge the debt I owe to the authors who have made this period their study; but it is possible that a familiar acquaintance with their writings may have led me occasionally to mistake the matter thus assimilated for original criticism. If, therefore--to quote the phrase of Pope's enemy and my namesake--I have sometimes borrowed another man's 'thunder,' the fault of having 'made a sinner of my memory' may prove the reader's gain, and will, I hope, be forgiven. J. D. HAMPSTEAD, _August, 1894_. CONTENTS. PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 PART I. THE POETS. CHAP. I. ALEXANDER POPE 27 II. MATTHEW PRIOR--JOHN GAY--EDWARD YOUNG--ROBERT BLAIR--JAMES THOMSON 65 III. SIR SAMUEL GARTH--AMBROSE PHILIPS--JOHN PHILIPS--NICHOLAS ROWE--AARON HILL--THOMAS PARNELL--THOMAS TICKELL--WILLIAM SOMERVILLE--JOHN DYER--WILLIAM SHENSTONE--MARK AKENSIDE--DAVID MALLET--SCOTTISH SONG-WRITERS 96 PART II. THE PROSE WRITERS. IV. JOSEPH ADDISON--SIR RICHARD STEELE 125 V. JONATHAN SWIFT--JOHN ARBUTHNOT 151 VI. DANIEL DEFOE--JOHN DENNIS--COLLEY CIBBER--LADY MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU--EARL OF CHESTERFIELD--LORD LYTTELTON--JOSEPH SPENCE 180 VII. FRANCIS ATTERBURY--LORD SHAFTESBURY--BERNARD DE MANDEVILLE--LORD BOLINGBROKE--GEORGE BERKELEY--WILLIAM LAW--JOSEPH BUTLER--WILLIAM WARBURTON 207 INDEX OF MINOR POETS AND PROSE WRITERS 242 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 249 ALPHABETICAL LIST OF WRITERS 253