The long 18th century

"Surveys the social and cultural matrices of British literature of the period 1660-1790. Taking a thematic approach, the book situates literary texts in the contexts from which they took their distinctive character and force. Literature shaped and responded to seismic political and economic changes, the problem of religious belief, the development of the science of mind and personality, conflict between country and city, and expanding world horizons"--Page 4 of cover.