An Essay on Criticism

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Oldmixon, Mr. (John), 1673-1742

Contributor:

Madden, R. J.

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"An Essay on Criticism" by Mr. Oldmixon is a critical work written in the early 18th century. The essay discusses various aspects of literary criticism, focusing on examples of good and bad literary practices and seeking to guide readers and writers in understanding right thinking in literature. It serves as a commentary on contemporary literary figures and standards, addressing the shortcomings of English criticism compared to French influences. The opening of the essay establishes the author's modesty in approaching such a complex topic, acknowledging the errors prevailing among writers and readers due to a lack of proper judgment. Oldmixon explicitly states that he will avoid academic philosophical debates on poetry and rather provide practical examples addressing design, thought, and expression across various works. He critiques both historical figures and modern writers, drawing attention to the importance of evaluating literature based on its inherent qualities rather than arbitrary criticism or superficial judgments. This intent hints at a broader discussion that intertwines literary theory with Oldmixon's political and cultural commentary, setting the stage for an intriguing exploration into the nuances of literary criticism. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Tor Martin Kristiansen, Karl Hagen, Joseph Cooper and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Notes:

Reading ease score: 58.8 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.

Release date is 2011-02-04