In this pioneering work, Harrison Ross Steeves explores the role of learned societies in the development of literary scholarship in Great Britain and the United States. He traces the history of these societies from their origins in the 18th century to the present day, and analyzes the contributions that they have made to literary criticism and research. He also assesses their influence on universities, publishing, and other institutions of cultural life. 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.