Matthew Prior’s

, a philosophic comedy in verse, is generally considered one of the poet’s most substantial and impressive works. It came late in his career, first appearing in his

(1718), a collection published by Jacob Tonson and John Barber with the support of influential patrons such as Lord Bathurst and Lord Harley (later second Earl of Oxford), as well as friends such as John Arbuthnot and Alexander Pope. The author gave careful attention to the text and, since it was never reprinted in his lifetime, apart from a derivative Dublin edition in 1719, the earliest version remains authoritative. At least ten further editions of the

appeared over the course of the century. There was a Latin translation (1763) by Rev. Thomas Martin, master of…

1274 words

Citation: Rogers, Pat. "Alma: or, The Progress of the Mind". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 28 July 2020 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=39330, accessed 21 November 2024.]