The Sublime: A Reader in British Eighteenth-Century Aesthetic Theory

by Andrew Ashfield (Editor), Peter De Bolla (Editor)

The concept of the Sublime has influenced aesthetic and theoretical debate ever since it was first widely invoked in the eighteenth century. However, the unavailability of many crucial early texts has resulted in a conception of the Sublime often limited to the definitions of its most famous theorist Edmund Burke. Andrew Ashfield and Peter de Bolla's valuable anthology, which includes an introduction, and headnotes to each entry, now offers students and scholars ready access to a deep and complex tradition of writing on the Sublime, many of them never before reprinted in modern editions.

328 pages, Paperback

First published August 15, 1996

Reviews

[conor]

An important, fascinating collection! Absolutely worth more time than I was able to give it this round, but fruitful for future analysis I think. The way that the sublime moves throughout these pieces and has God/the Creator/Scripture as a key feature/example in many of them, is very interesting. I don’t think I ever had that emphasized, but it seems to be one of the things that is fairly frequent in occurrence throughout the different perspectives. Also, very interesting to think about the way the sublime moves from being about words/text to nature to art and all around in those different categories.

[Danielle]

I love this book, but you really have to enjoy 18th century aesthetic theory.

[John]

I have enjoyed talking about eighteenth century British aesthetic theory, but I can't say I have enjoyed reading about it.