First published in 1951, this book is based on a course of lectures on poetry and prose given at Cambridge University during the long vacations of 1946-1950. The purpose was to provide students from disciplines other than the humanities with the opportunity to feed their interest in English poetry and literature.

1. Some Considerations on the Methods of Poetry 2. Two Poems- Death and Love 3. Two Poems- Love and Death 4. Two Poems- Symbolism and Allusion 5. Two poems- War and Woman 6. Two Passages from Shakespeare 7. Two passages from the Bible 8. Satire and Romance 9 & 10. Notes for a Background to English Literary History 11. Conclusion; Appendices i. Poems and Passages used in the text ii. Table of Dates and Authors for Chapters 9 and 10 iii. A Selection for Casual Reading; Index