Victorian Thinkers contains studies of four of the most influential critics of nineteenth-century British culture. Each was heralded as a prophet in his own lifetime, yet each was also regarded as misguided--even mad--by his contemporaries. Thomas Carlyle, writer of extraordinary stature, radical in thought and style; John Ruskin, who began his career as a critic of painting and architecture and whose views developed to include critiques of economics and social welfare; Matthew Arnold, poet and literary critic, a definer of 'culture' who later turned to social issues; and William Morris, renowned for his work as an artist and designer, champion of a revolutionary socialism which would honor the civilizing effects of the arts. Small masterpieces of insight and concision, this volume offers a perfect introduction to the Victorian era. Read Less