The Round Table is a collection of essays by William Hazlitt and Leigh Hunt published in 1817. Hazlitt contributed 40 essays, while Hunt submitted 12.[1]
The Round Table: A Collection of Essays on Literature, Men, and Manners
The content of The Round Table was mostly taken from Hunt and Hazlitt's contributions to The Examiner, a newspaper which Hunt edited. The material for the first volume was sent to the printer as a collection of newspaper cuttings.[2] The process of publishing the collection had begun in late 1815, but much of the following year was lost to delays caused by its Edinburgh-based publisher, Archibald Constable, who doubted that a collection of newspaper articles would have much success.[3]
The two volumes were finally published on 14 February 1817, and were sold at the price of fourteen shillings.[4] Sales were slow, and the text was not reprinted during Hazlitt's lifetime.[5] The essays covered subjects such as art, literature and theatre, and Hunt contributed several essays about ordinary subjects such as washerwomen and the joys of spending time by the fireside.
Receptionedit
The Round Table was received favourably by the poet John Keats.[1][5] As with many of Hazlitt's works, it received a very negative assessment from the Quarterly Review.[6][7] In appraising the work, the reviewers deliberately confused the lighthearted essays written by Hunt with those by Hazlitt. Hunt's essays—particularly the chapter on washerwomen—would be derided by the Quarterly Review and Blackwood's Magazine for years after The Round Table's publication.[8]
Bate, Jonathan. "Hazlitt, William (1778–1830), writer and painter", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
Grayling, A.C.The Quarrel of the Age: The Life and Times of William Hazlitt. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2000.
Jones, Stanley. Hazlitt: A Life from Winterslow to Frith Street. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 1991 (originally published 1989).
Paulin, Tom. The Day-Star of Liberty: William Hazlitt's Radical Style. London: Faber and Faber, 1998.
Wu, Duncan. William Hazlitt: The First Modern Man. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. pbk. ed., 2010
External linksedit
Volume 1 and volume 2 of the first edition at Google Books.
January 01, 1970
round, table, book, round, table, collection, essays, william, hazlitt, leigh, hunt, published, 1817, hazlitt, contributed, essays, while, hunt, submitted, round, table, collection, essays, literature, mannersauthorwilliam, hazlitt, leigh, huntcountryenglandla. The Round Table is a collection of essays by William Hazlitt and Leigh Hunt published in 1817 Hazlitt contributed 40 essays while Hunt submitted 12 1 The Round Table A Collection of Essays on Literature Men and MannersAuthorWilliam Hazlitt and Leigh HuntCountryEnglandLanguageEnglishGenreCultural criticism social criticismPublisherArchibald ConstablePublication date1817Preceded byMemoirs of the Life of Thomas Holcroft Followed byCharacters of Shakespear s Plays Contents 1 Background 2 Reception 3 Notes 4 References 5 External linksBackground editThe content of The Round Table was mostly taken from Hunt and Hazlitt s contributions to The Examiner a newspaper which Hunt edited The material for the first volume was sent to the printer as a collection of newspaper cuttings 2 The process of publishing the collection had begun in late 1815 but much of the following year was lost to delays caused by its Edinburgh based publisher Archibald Constable who doubted that a collection of newspaper articles would have much success 3 The two volumes were finally published on 14 February 1817 and were sold at the price of fourteen shillings 4 Sales were slow and the text was not reprinted during Hazlitt s lifetime 5 The essays covered subjects such as art literature and theatre and Hunt contributed several essays about ordinary subjects such as washerwomen and the joys of spending time by the fireside Reception editThe Round Table was received favourably by the poet John Keats 1 5 As with many of Hazlitt s works it received a very negative assessment from the Quarterly Review 6 7 In appraising the work the reviewers deliberately confused the lighthearted essays written by Hunt with those by Hazlitt Hunt s essays particularly the chapter on washerwomen would be derided by the Quarterly Review and Blackwood s Magazine for years after The Round Table s publication 8 Notes edit a b Bate 2004 Wu 2008 p 184 Wu 2008 p 185 Wu 2008 p 209 a b Wu 2008 p 210 Wu 2008 p 211 Review of The Round Table a Collection of Essays on Literature Men and Manners by William Hazlitt The Quarterly Review 17 154 159 April 1817 Jones 1991 p 209 References editBate Jonathan Hazlitt William 1778 1830 writer and painter Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Oxford University Press 2004 Grayling A C The Quarrel of the Age The Life and Times of William Hazlitt London Weidenfeld amp Nicolson 2000 Jones Stanley Hazlitt A Life from Winterslow to Frith Street Oxford and New York Oxford University Press 1991 originally published 1989 Paulin Tom The Day Star of Liberty William Hazlitt s Radical Style London Faber and Faber 1998 Wu Duncan William Hazlitt The First Modern Man Oxford Oxford University Press 2008 pbk ed 2010External links editVolume 1 and volume 2 of the first edition at Google Books Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Round Table book amp oldid 1087019323, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
