Henry Fielding (1707-54) began his writing career as a playwright and before the age of 30 produced a great number of comedies, farces and burlesques. His wit was already apparent, and his admirers included Swift who particularly enjoyed his "Tom Thumb". His "Pasquin, A Dramatick Satire on the Times" was in part responsible for the ensuing restrictive censorship of plays with the Licensing Act of 1737. Fielding practised at law, wrote essays and poems, ran a few journals - but remains most famous for his novels. He began "Joseph Andrews" as a parody of the sentimentalism of Richardson's "Pamela", and quickly developed his humourous and satirical style in "Tom Jones", "Jonathan Wild" and "Amelia". Admired by writers and readers alike, Fielding is one of the true founders of the English novel whose influence can be traced into the 19th century and the works of Dickens and Thackeray. This boxed collection of ten volumes includes all his work and a biographical essay.

Reprinted from the Pall Mall Gazette and published anonymously in 1865, Leslie Stephen's Sketches From Cambridge provides an affectionately sarcastic glimpse of student life at Cambridge University and its colleges. The wickedly funny prose explores the manners and customs of a variety of student stereotypes of the day. Profiled in these caricatures are athletes - with one chapter filled with typically light-hearted venom devoted specifically to rowers; and mathematicians, philosophers, and those poor wandering souls that pursue the social sciences. The collection is intended to provide a complete natural history of that curious specimen the Cambridge student, and it is brilliantly written by Stephen, a former member of the species. While the Cambridge student's fondness for whist, whiskey and billiards is examined, the distinction between him and the even lower, sub-human student form that belongs at Oxford and other institutions is definitively drawn.

Following the precedent and standards set by the Baedeker guides, travel literature enjoyed great popularity during the later nineteenth century. This guidebook to the Alps, written by Hermann Alexander Berlepsch (1814? 83) and translated from German by the renowned author and mountaineer Leslie Stephen (1832 1904), was first published in English in 1861. This was during the golden age of alpinism, when many major peaks were ascended for the first time. While later mountaineers concentrated on climbing as a sport, earlier expeditions were of a more scientific nature; this guidebook, which provides detailed information pertaining to the geology, flora and fauna of the Alps, is a reflection of this ambition. Also containing descriptions of village life and Alpine customs, it enjoyed a significant readership in its day and was also translated into French. It remains an instructive work in the history of alpinism and travel writing.

Author and mountaineer Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904) developed a passion for the Alps following his first trip to the Bavarian Tyrol in 1855. He went on to achieve several first ascents of Alpine peaks, earning him a reputation as one of the foremost alpinists in Britain. An intrepid climber and gifted writer, Stephen embodied a new trend of mountaineering, of a more athletic nature, and his vivid and lyrical descriptions of his experiences in these mountains have an almost poetic quality to them, testifying to the heights of his enthusiasm. First published in 1871 to commemorate his first ascents, this collection of articles quickly became a classic of mountaineering literature. The present work is a reissue of the 1894 edition, which was substantially revised by the author. It remains a charming and informative group of essays which will appeal to readers interested in the history of alpinism.

At the age of eighty-four, Thomas Hobbes (1588 1679) wrote an autobiography in Latin elegaics. Unsurprisingly, it was not as widely read as his two great philosophical works, Leviathan and Behemoth, in which he laid out a set of sociopolitical theories that enraged many of the philosophers and moralists of Europe. In this comprehensive biography, first published in 1904, Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904) charts the character and changes of Hobbes' thinking, from the scholasticism of his early Oxford education, to his later devotion to geometry and deductive science. With an emphasis on personal influences, Stephen sets Hobbes and his work in the historical context of Hobbes' often difficult patrons, the Civil War, and the Restoration, providing an insight into the life of the eminent philosopher and into the tenets of early twentieth-century biographical writing. An interesting text for students of both philosophy and English literature.

The term 'agnostic' was probably coined by T. H. Huxley during a speech to the Metaphysical Society in 1869. From the Greek 'agnostos', 'unknown', it was derived from St Paul's mention of an Athenian altar inscribed 'to the unknown god'. With these overtones of ancient philosophy, agnosticism became the tag of an emergent school of thought which posited that the existence of anything beyond the material and measurable should be considered unknowable. In this collection of seven essays, first published as one volume in 1893, Leslie Stephen (1832 1904) makes a study of the 'unknown'. Across the essays, he presents arguments for the intrinsic agnosticism of many of the basic tenets of deism, explores the way in which humans construct dreams and realities, and examines the relationship between physics and philosophy. This readable and entertaining book will be of interest to students of both theology and philosophy.

The biographer and writer on philosophy, ethics and literature Leslie Stephen (1832-1904) was educated at Eton, King's College, London, and then Trinity College, Cambridge, where he remained as a fellow and a tutor for his entire career. He served as the first editor (1885-91) of the Dictionary of National Biography and in 1871 he became editor of the Cornhill Magazine. In this short piece, published in 1865, Stephen takes issue with the portrayal of the American Civil War (1861-5) by The Times. Having travelled to the United States himself in 1863, Stephen argues that the newspaper's depiction of the events in America is inaccurate, and both misinforms the public in Britain and damages Britain's reputation abroad. Also included in this reissue is a short article on the poet John Byrom (1692-1763), and an obituary of Henry Sidgwick (1838-1900), Stephen's personal friend.

This three-volume set brings together a diverse selection of essays by Sir Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), author, philosopher and literary critic. Educated at Eton and Cambridge, he was the founding editor of the Dictionary of National Biography and father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. He wrote critiques of many authors and works, which were published in periodicals such as the Cornhill Magazine (of which he was editor from 1871), Fraser's Magazine and the Fortnightly Review. The First Series, published in 1874, includes commentaries on the works of Daniel Defoe, Samuel Richardson, Sir Walter Scott and Honore de Balzac, and the poetry of Alexander Pope. Stephen sets each writer's work in its historical context, comparing it to that of other significant authors of its era and evaluating its philosophical and moral qualities. His articles remain of great interest to scholars of early modern, Romantic and Victorian literature.

This three-volume set brings together a diverse selection of essays by Sir Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), author, philosopher and literary critic. Educated at Eton and Cambridge, he was the founding editor of the Dictionary of National Biography and father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. He wrote critiques of many authors and works, which were published in periodicals such as the Cornhill Magazine (of which he was editor from 1871), Fraser's Magazine and the Fortnightly Review. The Second Series, first published in 1876, includes commentaries on the works of Sir Thomas Browne, Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Disraeli and Horace Walpole, and the poetry of George Crabbe. Stephen sets each writer's work in its historical context, comparing it to that of other significant authors of its era and evaluating its philosophical and moral qualities. His articles remain of great interest to scholars of early modern, Romantic and Victorian literature.

This three-volume set brings together a diverse selection of essays by Sir Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), author, philosopher and literary critic. Educated at Eton and Cambridge, he was the founding editor of the Dictionary of National Biography and father of Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell. He wrote critiques of many authors and works, which were published in periodicals such as the Cornhill Magazine (of which he was editor from 1871), Fraser's Magazine and the Fortnightly Review. The Third Series, first published in 1879, includes commentaries on the works of Henry Fielding, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Kingsley and Walter Savage Landor, and the poetry of William Wordsworth. Stephen sets each writer's work in its historical context, comparing it to that of other significant authors of its era and evaluating its philosophical and moral qualities. His articles remain of great interest to scholars of early modern, Romantic and Victorian literature.

Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904) was founding Editor of the Dictionary of National Biography (NBD). Also a writer on philosophy, ethics, and literature, he was educated at Eton, King's College, London, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he remained as a Fellow and a tutor for a number of years. Though a sickly child, he later became a keen and successful mountaineer, taking part in first ascents of nine peaks in the Alps. These biographical essays and critiques were written originally for the National Review and published as two two-volume sets in 1898 and 1902. These vignettes show that, despite the years of preparing material for the DNB to its particular editorial requirements, Stephen was still a master of the finely crafted depiction of the essence of his chosen subjects. Volume 1 includes a consideration of the art of biography, a critique of works on Johnson, and essays on Gibbon and Wordsworth.

Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904) was founding Editor of the Dictionary of National Biography (NBD). Also a writer on philosophy, ethics, and literature, he was educated at Eton, King's College, London, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he remained as a Fellow and a tutor for a number of years. Though a sickly child, he later became a keen and successful mountaineer, taking part in first ascents of nine peaks in the Alps. These biographical essays and critiques were written originally for the National Review and published as two two-volume sets in 1898 and 1902. These vignettes show that, despite the years of preparing material for the DNB to its particular editorial requirements, Stephen was still a master of the finely crafted depiction of the essence of his chosen subjects. Volume 2 includes portraits of Walter Scott, Matthew Arnold and Pascal, and a study of the exploration of German literature in England.

Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904) was founding Editor of the Dictionary of National Biography (NBD). Also a writer on philosophy, ethics, and literature, he was educated at Eton, King's College, London, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he remained as a Fellow and a tutor for a number of years. Though a sickly child, he later became a keen and successful mountaineer, taking part in first ascents of nine peaks in the Alps. These biographical essays and critiques were written originally for the National Review and published as two two-volume sets in 1898 and 1902. These vignettes show that, despite the years of preparing material for the DNB to its particular editorial requirements, Stephen was still a master of the finely crafted depiction of the essence of his chosen subjects. Volume 3 includes essays on Donne, John Ruskin, the Brownings' letters and, in complete contrast, a chapter considering the pleasures of walking.

Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904) was founding Editor of the Dictionary of National Biography (NBD). Also a writer on philosophy, ethics, and literature, he was educated at Eton, King's College, London, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he remained as a Fellow and a tutor for a number of years. Though a sickly child, he later became a keen and successful mountaineer, taking part in first ascents of nine peaks in the Alps. These biographical essays and critiques were written originally for the National Review and published as two two-volume sets in 1898 and 1902. These vignettes show that, despite the years of preparing material for the DNB to its particular editorial requirements, Stephen was still a master of the finely crafted depiction of the essence of his chosen subjects. Volume 4 considers Shakespeare the man, Southey, Anthony Trollope and Robert Louis Stevenson, and includes a critique of recent works on Milton.

This 1902 book, originally intended for private circulation, is a memoir of George Smith (1824 1901), founder, proprietor and publisher of The Cornhill Magazine and later the Dictionary of National Biography. The small volume, compiled by Smith's wife, consists of a memoir of Smith by Sidney Lee, followed by four short autobiographical pieces that Smith wrote for The Cornhill. He recalls his years at the publishing house of Smith, Elder and Co.; his encounters with Charlotte Bronte, who stayed with the Smiths in London; his idea of founding a magazine; and the 'lawful pleasures' of court cases for libel. The final item is Sir Leslie Stephen's obituary of Smith, first published in The Cornhill. The book, illustrated with two portraits of Smith, and a photograph of his memorial tablet in St Paul's Cathedral, provides an engaging portrait of a significant Victorian publisher and man of letters.

Although James Fitzjames Stephen (1829 94) was a successful barrister, he also had a prolific journalistic and literary output throughout his legal career. He contributed more than three hundred essays on subjects such as law and ethics to the Saturday Review within the space of a decade, and more than eight hundred articles for the Pall Mall Gazette. This biography was written by his younger brother, the equally successful critic and editor Leslie Stephen (1832 1904), and published in 1895. Stephen paints an affectionate portrait of this leading Victorian legal and literary figure. He begins with a brief history of their influential family and his brother's early life and education, before discussing Fitzjames' professional successes, including his work on the Indian Viceroy's Council, the publication of his highly regarded History of the Criminal Law of England (1883), and his eventual appointment as a judge.

Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), the founding Editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, was one of the leading literary figures of the nineteenth century. Stephen, the father of artist Vanessa Bell and writer Virginia Woolf, began his career writing for London publications before being appointed Editor of The Cornhill Magazine in 1881. The magazine's proprietor approached him with the idea for the Dictionary, and the first volume appeared in 1885 to much acclaim - but by 1889 Stephen had collapsed from overwork and finally stepped down from his editorial role in 1891. However, he continued to write extensively not least, publishing the three-volume The English Utilitarians (also reissued in this series) in 1900. This biography, published in 1906, was written by family friend and legal historian Frederic Maitland (1850-1906), who drew extensively from Stephen's letters to give a detailed account of the life of a most influential Victorian.

Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904), the founding editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, and a writer on philosophy, ethics, and literature, was educated at Eton, King's College London and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he remained as a fellow and a tutor for a number of years. Though a sickly child, he later became a keen and successful mountaineer, taking part in first ascents of nine peaks in the Alps. In 1871 he became editor of the Cornhill Magazine. During his eleven-year tenure, he wrote two successful books on ethics, including The Science of Ethics in 1892, which was widely adopted as a standard textbook. This two-volume work, which was first published in 1896, brings together the lectures he gave to various ethical societies, mostly in London. In Volume 1, he considers the role of ethical societies and discusses a range of questions in politics, social equality and morality.

Sir Leslie Stephen (1832 1904), the founding editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, and a writer on philosophy, ethics, and literature, was educated at Eton, King's College London and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he remained as a fellow and a tutor for a number of years. Though a sickly child, he later became a keen and successful mountaineer, taking part in first ascents of nine peaks in the Alps. In 1871 he became editor of the Cornhill Magazine. During his eleven-year tenure, he wrote two successful books on ethics, including The Science of Ethics in 1892, which was widely adopted as a standard textbook. This two-volume work, which was first published in 1896, brings together the lectures he gave to various ethical societies, mostly in London. In Volume 2, he discusses the ethical issues surrounding a range of topics, including luxury, heredity, crime and punishment, and duty.

A fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and of the Royal Society, William Clifford (1845-79) made his reputation in applied mathematics, but his interests ranged far more widely, encompassing ethics, evolution, metaphysics and philosophy of mind. This posthumously collected two-volume work, first published in 1879, bears witness to the dexterity and eclecticism of this Victorian thinker, whose commitment to the most abstract principles of mathematics and the most concrete details of human experience resulted in vivid and often unexpected arguments. Volume 1 includes a detailed biographical introduction by Clifford's colleague, Frederick Pollock, who situates his close friend's interests in Darwin and Spinoza within a larger, life-long devotion to the principles of scientific enquiry and experiment. This volume also features two important essays, 'On Some of the Conditions of Mental Development', his first public lecture delivered at the Royal Institute in London, and 'The Philosophy of the Pure Sciences'.

A fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and of the Royal Society, William Clifford (1845-79) made his reputation in applied mathematics, but his interests ranged far more widely, encompassing ethics, evolution, metaphysics and philosophy of mind. This posthumously collected two-volume work, first published in 1879, bears witness to the dexterity and eclecticism of this Victorian thinker, whose commitment to the most abstract principles of mathematics and the most concrete details of human experience resulted in vivid and often unexpected arguments. Volume 2 shows Clifford's thorough engagement with scientific thought as a method for illuminating ethical and moral questions. Essays such as 'Body and Mind', 'On the Scientific Basis of Morals' and 'The Ethics of Belief' all variously demonstrate Clifford's core tenet: that beliefs - whether they guide human action or scientific enquiry - 'can never suffer from investigation'.

Leslie Stephen (1832-1904) was a writer, philosopher and literary critic whose work was published widely in the nineteenth century. As a young man Stephen was ordained deacon, but he later became agnostic and much of his work reflects his interest in challenging popular religion. This two-volume work, first published in 1876, is no exception: it focuses on the eighteenth-century deist controversy and its effects, as well as the reactions to what Stephen saw as a revolution in thought. Comprehensive and full of detailed analysis, this is an important work in the history of ideas. Volume 1 contains a thorough discussion of the arguments for and against deism. The debate is placed in a wider philosophical context and the works of Descartes, Locke and Hume are all discussed in detail. The volume concludes with an examination of theological thought at the end of the century.

Leslie Stephen (1832-1904) was a writer, philosopher and literary critic whose work was published widely in the nineteenth century. As a young man Stephen was ordained deacon, but he later became agnostic and much of his work reflects his interest in challenging popular religion. This two-volume work, first published in 1876, is no exception: it focuses on the eighteenth-century deist controversy and its effects, as well as the reactions to what Stephen saw as a revolution in thought. Comprehensive and full of detailed analysis, this is an important work in the history of ideas. Volume 2 focuses on eighteenth-century moral philosophy, political philosophy and literature, and on the literary and religious reactions to the revolution in thought. Utilitarianism is discussed at length, as well as the work of thinkers such as Shaftesbury, Mandeville, Burke and Adam Smith.

Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), author, literary critic, social commentator and the first editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, published his two-volume History of English Thought in the Eighteenth Century (also reissued in this series) in 1876. This led him to further investigation and study of utilitarianism, whose proponents believed that human action should be guided by the principle of ensuring the happiness of the greatest number of people. While working on many other projects, especially the Dictionary, and haunted by domestic tragedy in the sudden death of his second wife in 1895, Stephen struggled for two decades with this undertaking, calling it the 'utilitarian bog': the long-awaited three-volume work was finally published in 1900. Volume 1 gives the social and political context of the rise of utilitarianism and examines its leading theorist, Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832).

Leslie Stephen (1832-1904), author, literary critic, social commentator and the first editor of the Dictionary of National Biography, published his two-volume History of English Thought in the Eighteenth Century (also reissued in this series) in 1876. This led him to further investigation and study of utilitarianism, whose proponents believed that human action should be guided by the principle of ensuring the happiness of the greatest number of people. While working on many other projects, especially the Dictionary, and haunted by domestic tragedy in the sudden death of his second wife in 1895, Stephen struggled for two decades with this undertaking, calling it the 'utilitarian bog': the long-awaited three-volume work was finally published in 1900. Volume 2 examines the life and political background of James Mill (1773-1836) whose writings were influential in the dissemination of utilitarianism.