The Spirit of the Age is a collection of essays by William Hazlitt, a renowned English writer and literary critic of the 19th century. The book was first published in 1825 and contains a series of critical portraits of prominent figures of the time, including poets, politicians, and artists.In this book, Hazlitt explores the cultural and intellectual climate of his era, examining the personalities and ideas that shaped the Romantic movement in England. He offers insightful analyses of the works of writers such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Byron, as well as political figures like Napoleon and William Pitt.Through his essays, Hazlitt provides a vivid picture of the intellectual and artistic landscape of his time, highlighting the tensions and contradictions that characterized the Romantic era. He also offers his own unique perspective on the cultural trends of the time, providing readers with a valuable insight into the literary and intellectual debates of the period.Overall, The Spirit of the Age is an important work of literary criticism that offers a fascinating glimpse into the cultural and intellectual history of the Romantic era in England. Hazlitt's insightful and perceptive analysis of the figures and ideas of his time make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the literature and culture of the early 19th century.Mr. Gifford has no pretensions to be thought a man of genius, of taste, or even of general knowledge. He merely understands the mechanical and instrumental part of learning. He is a critic of the last age, when the different editions of an author, or the dates of his several performances were all that occupied the inquiries of a profound scholar, and the spirit of the writer or the beauties of his style were left to shift for themselves, or exercise the fancy of the light and superficial reader. In studying an old author, he has no notion of any thing beyond adjusting a point, proposing a different reading, or correcting, by the collation of various copies, an error of the press.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.