The ideas of these writers are seen not only as words on the page but as key elements in the social fabric, concepts like paternalism and authoritarianism old and new are examined as they affected the writers and their responses to the revolution in France.

Throughout his life, E.P. Thomson had been w orking on aspects of English romantic literature of the 1790 s. He intended eventually to publish a full study of the per iod, but died before he could complete the project. This boo k contains parts of that project. '