Letters to Dead Authors #453423

First published in 1886, "Letters to Dead Authors" contains twenty-two letters written by Andrew Lang to bards, poets, and novelists from Homer to Rabelais to Austen. Lang discusses literary subjects with his usual humour and acidity. 

The impulse for the writing of the letters came, almost as a joke, from the editor of the 'St. James's Gazette,' and sixteen of the letters collected in the volume appeared first in that journal.

As a literary critic, Lang inspired love, fear, respect, and laughter. He was sometimes acerbic, sometimes reverential, and usually witty. However, there is more glowing praise in "Letters to Dead Authors" than scathing criticism. In fact he expresses a very, very high opinion of most of his correspondents.