There is a considerable quantity of material from such great figures as Gibbon, Hume, Adam Smith, Johnson, Voltaire, Buffon, Diderot, and D'Alembert. The major texts are backed up by a wealth of additional material, much no longer easily available, which reflects the wide range of issues and styles characteristic of the 18 th century. Major themes include the concept of 'classic' in literature; religion and the debate about Providence; political and economic matters; the Roman Empire and its legacy; architecture, interior decoration and painting; systematic knowledge and science; the problem of patronage. Each excerpt has its own introduction. 264 pages, with Index. 6.2 x 9.2 inches. 1979, Ward Lock Educational Co Ltd in Assoc with Open University Press, Sussex, England.