Christopher Smart and the Enlightenment

by Clement Hawes, Joseph M. Hawes

In this new collection, an impressive group of critics and literary scholars reappraises Smart7;s legacy and his remarkable impact on twentieth-century poetry. Often considered a minor poet, notable mainly for his reputed madness, his dazzling "Song to David," and his friendship with Samuel Johnson, Smart has begun to emerge as a figure of interest as the demand has grown for historically nuanced studies of the Enlightenment and its values. This volume offers a finely historicized approach to Smart7;s work, highlighting the markedly transitional quality of the eighteenth-century moment as regards the Enlightenment project. The book also analyzes the generative impact of Smart on modern poetry and music, demonstrating the reach of Smart7;s contemporary resonance.

308 pages, Hardcover

First published April 15, 1999