Leigh Hunt's essay is inscribed in the line of theoretical writing on poetry that inspired Shelley, Coleridge and Wordsworth to write their well-known treaties. Hunt distinguishes himself from
those three in that his main emphasis is on the reader. What Is Poetry? is gently didactic in that it hopes that the reader would follow and benefit from his advice. Although not a text of
sustained theoretical discussion, What Is Poetry? is, in its own idiosyncratic way, a valuable contribution to early 19th century literary criticism. Flemming Olsen provides a long overdue
analysis and critique of the essay, which even today is widely read and available, and of Hunt's place in the Romantic movement as it sought to engage with the wider public. Hunt's achievement
羅 apart from his gift as a talent scout and his altruistic assistance to budding geniuses 羅 was that he strove to put his enormous, if erratic, learning at the disposal of ordinary people. This
book is essential reading for all those engaged with poetry.
