In my early years I read very hard. It is a sad reflection, but a true one, that I knew almost as much at eighteen as I do now.
All intellectual improvement arises from leisure.
The primary aim of this course is introduce students to the literature and culture of eighteenth-century England. Upon completion of the course, successful students should be able to encounter greater and lesser literary texts of the period and analyze them in their aesthetic and cultural contexts. A second aim is to encourage students to develop disciplined, critical habits of mind and expression. You will decide which assignment counts for which percentage. Before that deadline you and I will meet to discuss your decision and to agree on an appropriate contract.