This anthology, compiled by Joel Elias Spingarn and Northrop Frye, features a collection of critical essays on literature and cultural issues from the 17th century. The essays cover a wide range of topics, such as poetry, drama, religion, politics, and society. The volume provides important insights into the intellectual and social history of the 17th century. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.