PREFACE THE following lectures by Professor Minto on "The Literature of the Georgian Era" were originally delivered, not to the Arts students whom he addressed in the University class-room, but to a special audience brought together in the Music Hall of Aberdeen, under the auspices of the Local Examination Committee of the Senatus Academicus. This will explain why some points are treated in greater detail than would have been necessary in addressing advanced students. As explained in the Introduction, to Mr. John H. Lobban belongs the credit-as he had all the labor of looking up and copying out the illustrative extracts from the authors referred to or criticized by his master. In addition to these Lectures, and as a cognate Supplement, it has been thought expedient to publish three essays by Professor Minto, which were ready for press before his death, and were meant by him to be included in a work to be entitled "Reconsiderations of some Current Conceptions about Eminent Poets." Two of them are devoted to Pope, the former being a criticism of Mr. Courthope's Biography, and the latter a noteworthy discussion on "The Supposed Tyranny of Pope." These were contributed to Macmillan's Magazine in January, 1890, and Sep |