Thomas Sheridan's 'A Discourse Being Introductory to his Course of Lectures on Elocution and the English Language' is a seminal work that explores the relationship between elocution and the English language in the 18th century. Sheridan's book delves into the importance of proper pronunciation, tone, and delivery in communication, shedding light on the significance of effective public speaking. Written in a scholarly and detailed manner, the book serves as a valuable resource for those interested in the history of elocution and language studies. It also emphasizes the role of rhetoric in shaping persuasive discourse and effective communication strategies. Sheridan's literary style is characterized by its clarity and precision, making the complex subject matter accessible to a wide audience. This book is a must-read for students of literature, linguistics, and communication studies, offering insights into the art of eloquence and the power of language in shaping perceptions and influencing opinions.

The first five volumes of the Correspondence of Jeremy Bentham contain over 1,300 letters written both to and from Bentham over a 50-year period, beginning in 1752 (aged three) with his earliest surviving letter to his grandmother, and ending in 1797 with correspondence concerning his attempts to set up a national scheme for the provision of poor relief. Against the background of the debates on the American Revolution of 1776 and the French Revolution of 1789, to which he made significant contributions, Bentham worked first on producing a complete penal code, which involved him in detailed explorations of fundamental legal ideas, and then on his panopticon prison scheme. Despite developing a host of original and ground-breaking ideas, contained in a mass of manuscripts, he published little during these years, and remained, at the close of this period, a relatively obscure individual. Nevertheless, these volumes reveal how the foundations were laid for the remarkable rise of Benthamite utilitarianism in the early nineteenth century. The letters in this volume document Bentham’s meeting and friendship with the Earl of Shelburne (later the Marquis of Lansdowne), which opened a whole new set of opportunities for him, as well as his extraordinary journey, by way of the Mediterranean, to visit his brother Samuel in Russia.

This account of Thomas Sheridan's career as theater manager has been based on biographies written by his contemporaries, on 18th-century newspapers and pamphlets, and on letters written to and by Sheridan. The author also gives us much new information about Sheridan’s relations with David Garrick. In an appendix, the author has included a Smock-Alley Calendar, giving a daily record of performances and casts. Most of the material in the Calendar has not been collected before and should be invaluable to theater historians. Originally published in 1967. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.