Originally published in 1932, this book is comprised of a series of papers written for the Royal Society of Literature. The papers concern themselves with various aspects of life and literature during the 1860s, including novels, poetry, theatre, criticism, science and other areas. Edited by John Drinkwater, the text contains notable contributions from figures such as Walter De La Mare and Sir Oliver Lodge. This is a highly readable book that will be of value to anyone with an interest in the 1860s, nineteenth-century literature and early twentieth-century literary criticism.