VIII.

JOHNSONIAN AGE.

A.D. 1745-1784.

CULMINATION OF CLASSICAL PROSE.-DR. SAMUEL JOHN.

SON.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENGLISH NOVEL.-RICHARDSON, FIELDING, SMOLLETT, ETC.

REMARKABLE OUTBURST OF HISTORICAL LITERATURE.— HUME, ROBERTSON, GIBBON.

PRONOUNCED SCEPTICISM IN THE PHILOSOPHICAL WRITINGS OF DAVID HUME.

CREATION OF THE SCIENCE OF POLITICAL ECONOMY BY ADAM SMITH.

RISE OF ORATORICAL ELOQUENCE.-EDMUND BURKE. CLOSE OF THE ENGLISH STAGE DRAMA WITH RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN.

GROWTH OF ROMANTIC POETRY.-COLLINS, GRAY, AND OLIVER GOLDSMITH.