Originally published in 1934, this book contains the first volume of Atkins' 'sketch' of the development of ancient literary criticism.

J. W. H. Atkins was a Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge and Emeritus Professor of English Language and Literature, University of Aberystwyth

1. Introduction 2. The Beginnings: Aristophanes 3. The attack on Poetry: Plato 4. The Development of Poetic Theory: Aristotle 5. The Development of Rhetorical Theory: Isocrates, Aristotle and Theophrastus 6. The New Poetics: Neoptolemus of Parium, Callimachus and Aristarchus