Originally published in 1947, this volume reviews the critical achievement at the Renaissance. It discusses the ideas of literature then current in England, as revealed in contemporary theorizing and judgments.

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 Break with Medievalism: Italian Humanists 3. Humanism in England: Colet, Erasmus, Vives 4. The Rhetoric Tradition: Jewel, Wilson, Ascham 5. The Defence of Poetry: Willis, Lodge, Sidney 6. The Art of Poetry: Gasgoigne, Harvey, 'E. K.', Webbe, Puttenham 7. Critical Developments: Nashe, Harington, Daniel, Meres, Hall 8. Dramatic Criticism: Early Tudor Critics, Gosson, Whetstone, Lyly, Shakespeare, Jonson 9. Later Theorizing: Bacon, Chapman, Bolton, Jonson, Reynolds and Alexander 10. Later Critical Judgments: Bolton, Peacham, Carew, Drayton, Suckling, Jonson 11. The Last Phase: Jonson and Milton 12. Conclusion