"During Sir Robert Walpole's term as "Prime Minister" exorbitant amounts of money were spent on propaganda in support of his administration. Since nearly all the major writers of the period adopted an anti-government stance, however, historians have shown far more interest in the organization and contents of opposition propaganda than in its pro-government counterpart. This book is the first comprehensive study of the literature published in support of Walpole's administration, and explores important pro-government themes, and also explains how the propaganda network was organized and what precisely the Old Corps Whig leadership hoped to achieve."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Reproduction of the original: The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) by Theophilus Cibber

Here is a substantial selection of Samuel Johnson's magisterial and unforgettable portraits of the lives of the English poets of the 17th and 18th centuries. Originally covering the lives of 52 poets, with the primary focus on Milton, Dryden, Swift, and Pope, Johnson's Lives was described by Thomas Gray as a "compendious story of a whole important age in English literature, told by a great man, and in a performance which is itself a piece of English literature of the first class." Unsentimental, opinionated, and quotable, The Lives of the Poets continues to influence the reputations of the writers concerned. This selection--featuring the lives of eleven of the most important poets--draws from Roger Lonsdale's authoritative complete edition. It includes an engaging introduction, helpful notes, and an up-to-date bibliography. Its publication coincides with the 300th anniversary of Johnson's birth in September 1709. About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.