Essays

Name: Essays
Author: Arthur Christopher Benson

By Arthur Christopher Benson

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Essays, Letters & Speeches

About This Book

A collection of critical and biographical essays that offer compact portraits of poets, mystics, and scholars, probing their personalities, stylistic quirks, and uneven careers. The writer favors figures marked by reticence, subtle originality, or unrealized promise, and reflects on themes such as languor versus vitality, mysticism, and the critic's role. Individual pieces combine close readings with personal reflection and occasional historical context, covering seventeenth‑century metaphysical writers through Victorian poets and commentators, and include several periodical reprints alongside a new study of William Blake.

About the Author

Arthur Christopher Benson

Arthur Christopher Benson (1862-1925) was an English essayist, poet, and biographer, known for his reflective and often autobiographical writing style. He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of his time and served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge. Benson's works often explore themes of personal experience and the beauty of nature, as seen in his notable book "At Large," which reflects his thoughts on life and society. His essays, such as those in "Escape, and Other Essays," showcase his keen observations and philosophical insights. In addition to his literary contributions, Benson was also a member of the influential Benson family, which included several notable writers and public figures.